Behind the Bastards
Book Recommendations

Behind the Bastards

There’s a reason the History Channel has produced hundreds of documentaries about Hitler but only a few about Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bad guys (and gals) are eternally fascinating. Behind the Bastards dives in past the Cliffs Notes of the worst humans in history and exposes the bizarre realities of th...

Episodes 1,988
Books 1,560
Children of Monsters: An Inquiry into the Sons and Daughters of Dictators Cover

Jay Nordlinger

Children of Monsters

An Inquiry into the Sons and Daughters of Dictators

It was a great book that the host referenced several times during the episode to support the claims he made about dictators' children. He quoted from the book about the relationship between Fidel Castro and his son, the life of Saddam Hussein's sons, and the life of Nikolai Chaushescu's children.

"

I'll be referencing it regularly here.

— Episode: Children of Dictators

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Episode: Children of Dictators

It was a great book that the host referenced several times during the episode to support the claims he made about dictators' children. He quoted from the book about the relationship between Fidel Castro and his son, the life of Saddam Hussein's sons, and the life of Nikolai Chaushescu's children.

"

I'll be referencing it regularly here.

The Children of Monsters book quotes a biography of Castro called Guerrilla Prince, which is both a solid name for a rap album and which I'll also quote because it's great.

From his mid teens, Niku was an out of control drunk and a rapist. He raped at will and his will was ferocious and unopposable. He had complete license. He was the kind who could run red lights and kill people in the process with total impunity.

Children of Dictators quotes writer John Byrne as saying he was this tutor who visited him was met by chauffeured cars, put up in a five-star hotel and summoned for private sessions to Hannibal's home where gazelles and antelopes strolled around a garden.

the officers had been guarding Hannibal's own room. He struck them with bottles and emptied a fire extinguisher on them for good measure. He then pleaded diplomatic community as he would habitually do.

When Grandpa Drives Cover

Becky Eastmond

When Grandpa Drives

The grandson of Benito Mussolini wrote this book about his father being executed by his grandfather, Benito Mussolini.

"

Mussolini's grandchild, Fabrizio wrote a book in the 1990s titled When Grandpa Had Dad Shot.

— Episode: Children of Dictators

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Episode: Children of Dictators

The grandson of Benito Mussolini wrote this book about his father being executed by his grandfather, Benito Mussolini.

"

Mussolini's grandchild, Fabrizio wrote a book in the 1990s titled When Grandpa Had Dad Shot.

Deep Enough: A Working Stiff in the Western Mine Camps Cover

Frank A. Crampton

Deep Enough

A Working Stiff in the Western Mine Camps

The host mentions this book while describing Jean-Marie Lore's claim that he was the son of Adolf Hitler. He says that Jean-Marie thought that he might be entitled to the royalties from the book.

"

Well, he never makes much of a point of it in the interviews of him I read but there's always talk about like well he might be entitled to the royalties for mine camp.

— Episode: Children of Dictators

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Children of Dictators

The host mentions this book while describing Jean-Marie Lore's claim that he was the son of Adolf Hitler. He says that Jean-Marie thought that he might be entitled to the royalties from the book.

"

Well, he never makes much of a point of it in the interviews of him I read but there's always talk about like well he might be entitled to the royalties for mine camp.

"The American Empire Should Be Destroyed": Aleksandr Dugin and the Perils of Immanentized Eschatology Cover

James Heiser

"The American Empire Should Be Destroyed"

Aleksandr Dugin and the Perils of Immanentized Eschatology

This book was written by Alexander Dugin in 1997. It laid out Dugin's vision to divide the world up and called for Russia to rebuild its influence through annexations and alliances, while all in heavy opposition to Ukraine as a sovereign state. It was a very popular book in the Russian General Staff Academy and kind of was one of the things that shifted Dugin from like a weird esoteric dissident to actually becoming a more influential and prominent pillar of the conservative establishment inside Russia.

"

The Foundations of Geopolitics was a very popular book in the Russian General Staff Academy.

— Episode: It Could Happen Here Weekly 52

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: It Could Happen Here Weekly 52

This book was written by Alexander Dugin in 1997. It laid out Dugin's vision to divide the world up and called for Russia to rebuild its influence through annexations and alliances, while all in heavy opposition to Ukraine as a sovereign state. It was a very popular book in the Russian General Staff Academy and kind of was one of the things that shifted Dugin from like a weird esoteric dissident to actually becoming a more influential and prominent pillar of the conservative establishment inside Russia.

"

The Foundations of Geopolitics was a very popular book in the Russian General Staff Academy.

Dugin lays out his vision to divide the world up and calling for Russia to rebuild its influence through annexations and alliances, while all in heavy opposition to Ukraine as a sovereign state.

"The American Empire Should Be Destroyed": Aleksandr Dugin and the Perils of Immanentized Eschatology Cover

James Heiser

"The American Empire Should Be Destroyed"

Aleksandr Dugin and the Perils of Immanentized Eschatology

The book, written in 1997, outlines Dugin's vision for dividing the world, calling for Russia to rebuild its influence through annexations and alliances and to be in opposition to Ukraine as a sovereign state. It was a popular book in the Russian General Staff Academy, which helped propel Dugin from an esoteric dissident to a more influential figure in Russia.

"

The Foundations of Geopolitics was a very popular book in the Russian General Staff Academy

— Episode: It Could Happen Here Weekly 52

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: It Could Happen Here Weekly 52

The book, written in 1997, outlines Dugin's vision for dividing the world, calling for Russia to rebuild its influence through annexations and alliances and to be in opposition to Ukraine as a sovereign state. It was a popular book in the Russian General Staff Academy, which helped propel Dugin from an esoteric dissident to a more influential figure in Russia.

"

The Foundations of Geopolitics was a very popular book in the Russian General Staff Academy

And a lot of Dugin's writing has been about trying to reconquer Ukraine and absorb it into Russia

How Well Do You Know Your Bible?: Over 500 Questions and Answers to Test Your Knowledge of the Good Book (A Christian Bible Trivia Gift for Men or Women) Cover

James Bell

How Well Do You Know Your Bible?

Over 500 Questions and Answers to Test Your Knowledge of the Good Book (A Christian Bible Trivia Gift for Men or Women)

The book is about the Unification Church and has many links and citations.

"

Has a lot of you know like links and direct citations of a bunch of documents and shit

— Episode: It Could Happen Here Weekly 52

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: It Could Happen Here Weekly 52

The book is about the Unification Church and has many links and citations.

"

Has a lot of you know like links and direct citations of a bunch of documents and shit

"The American Empire Should Be Destroyed": Aleksandr Dugin and the Perils of Immanentized Eschatology Cover

James Heiser

"The American Empire Should Be Destroyed"

Aleksandr Dugin and the Perils of Immanentized Eschatology

The Foundations of Geopolitics was a popular book in the Russian General Staff Academy and shifted Dugin from being a weird esoteric dissident to actually becoming a more influential and prominent pillar of the conservative establishment inside Russia. It laid out his vision for Russia to rebuild its influence through annexations and alliances, with a particular focus on reconquering Ukraine and absorbing it into Russia.

"

The Foundations of Geopolitics was a very popular book in the Russian General Staff Academy.

— Episode: It Could Happen Here Weekly 52

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: It Could Happen Here Weekly 52

The Foundations of Geopolitics was a popular book in the Russian General Staff Academy and shifted Dugin from being a weird esoteric dissident to actually becoming a more influential and prominent pillar of the conservative establishment inside Russia. It laid out his vision for Russia to rebuild its influence through annexations and alliances, with a particular focus on reconquering Ukraine and absorbing it into Russia.

"

The Foundations of Geopolitics was a very popular book in the Russian General Staff Academy.

In Dugan's seminal 1997 book the foundations of geopolitics Dugan lays out his vision to divide the world up and calling for Russia to rebuild its influence through annexations and alliances, Well all in heavy opposition to Ukraine as a sovereign state and a lot of Dugan's writing has been about trying to reconquer Ukraine and absorb it into Russia.

A Mind For Mischief Cover

Philip Why

A Mind For Mischief

It was mentioned as a book published in 1929, primarily focused on debunking mediums and psychics, with an appendix containing a case Sadler couldn't explain, involving communication with an alien.

"

The other exception has to do with a rather peculiar case of psychic phenomena, one which I find myself unable to classify.

— Episode: Part Two: The Racist Cult Behind Herbal...

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Episode: Part Two: The Racist Cult Behind Herbal Tea

It was mentioned as a book published in 1929, primarily focused on debunking mediums and psychics, with an appendix containing a case Sadler couldn't explain, involving communication with an alien.

"

The other exception has to do with a rather peculiar case of psychic phenomena, one which I find myself unable to classify.

The Rising Tide of Color Against White World-Supremacy: The Worldview of an American Eugenicist & Ku Klux Klan Historian Cover

Lothrop Stoddard

The Rising Tide of Color Against White World-Supremacy

The Worldview of an American Eugenicist & Ku Klux Klan Historian

It was described as the best-selling eugenics book of its time, espousing a fear of non-white populations overwhelming white populations. It was also mentioned that the book's cover art portrayed a white man chasing a black man across a globe.

"

Now, that's quite a title and it goes on to become like the best selling eugenics text of the era.

— Episode: Part One: The Racist Cult Behind Herbal...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Part One: The Racist Cult Behind Herbal Tea

It was described as the best-selling eugenics book of its time, espousing a fear of non-white populations overwhelming white populations. It was also mentioned that the book's cover art portrayed a white man chasing a black man across a globe.

"

Now, that's quite a title and it goes on to become like the best selling eugenics text of the era.

It's like the best selling book in the country for a while.

It shows a globe with a tiny white man in a tricolor hat waving a sword chasing a very large black man with a spear who's like running roughshod over the planet.

Testimonies for the Church (Volumes 1-9) Cover

Ellen G. White

Testimonies for the Church (Volumes 1-9)

It was described as a collection of Ellen White's visions and dreams, which spanned nine volumes and reflected her evolving religious viewpoints, including a belief that souls are deleted at the Last Judgement.

"

Her dreams and visions continued, and she quickly became a leader among them.

— Episode: Part One: The Racist Cult Behind Herbal...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Part One: The Racist Cult Behind Herbal Tea

It was described as a collection of Ellen White's visions and dreams, which spanned nine volumes and reflected her evolving religious viewpoints, including a belief that souls are deleted at the Last Judgement.

"

Her dreams and visions continued, and she quickly became a leader among them.

So that's how she winds up running, basically running the Adventist faith.

She becomes kind of Queen Shit of Adventism.

They're collected in a book, Testimonies of the Church, which eventually takes up nine volumes.

The Replublic: The Original Unabridged And Complete Edition (Plato Classics) Cover

Plato

The Replublic

The Original Unabridged And Complete Edition (Plato Classics)

The book was mentioned in the context of a discussion about the perceived value of gold, with Robert Evans referencing Plato's perspective on gold as a rock.

"

Just a rock that sat out in the sun the most according to Plato.

— Episode: Part Two: Christopher Columbus: Bringer...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Part Two: Christopher Columbus: Bringer of the Apo...

The book was mentioned in the context of a discussion about the perceived value of gold, with Robert Evans referencing Plato's perspective on gold as a rock.

"

Just a rock that sat out in the sun the most according to Plato.

A Historical Geography of Christopher Columbus’s First Voyage and his Interactions with Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean (Routledge Research in Historical Geography) Cover

Al M. Rocca

A Historical Geography of Christopher Columbus’s First Voyage and his Interactions with Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean (Routledge Research in Historical Geography)

The podcast heavily references and critiques Delaney's book which focuses on Christopher Columbus's writings and attempts to portray him in a more positive light by focusing on seemingly benevolent actions and minimizing the violence and harm inflicted on the indigenous populations. The hosts of the podcast disagreed with her interpretations.

"

our friend Carol Delaney absolutely fawns over the descriptions Columbus writes of people and geography.

— Episode: Part Two: Christopher Columbus: Bringer...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Part Two: Christopher Columbus: Bringer of the Apo...

The podcast heavily references and critiques Delaney's book which focuses on Christopher Columbus's writings and attempts to portray him in a more positive light by focusing on seemingly benevolent actions and minimizing the violence and harm inflicted on the indigenous populations. The hosts of the podcast disagreed with her interpretations.

"

our friend Carol Delaney absolutely fawns over the descriptions Columbus writes of people and geography.

She glosses over the fact that he like she talks about like what a good like anthropological attention to detail that he does that he has which is interesting because he's also like dismissing all of these different gifts.

So in short order Columbus takes his little fleet away from this first island, which is probably San Salvador and heads towards Cuba, which he thinks is Japan, right?

she assures us that the experience was meant to be reciprocal so that his family could learn it.

It's like a you know, it's like a gap year cultural exchange for these people.

Note: The book recommendations on this page are discovered automatically from podcast transcripts, and may be incorrect or incomplete.