Kathy Benjamin

Austin

Writer and Editor at Grunge

Books: Lady Undertakers / Texas Mass Graves @HistoryPress It's Your Funeral @quirkbooks Funerals to Die For @adamsmedia I NEED WORK! HELP! Spec pilot: YANKS

Featured in: Favicon

grunge.com Favicon

msn.com

theatlantic.com Favicon

cracked.com Favicon

mentalfloss.com Favicon

kansascity.com Favicon

ranker.com Favicon

pajiba.com Favicon

modbee.com Favicon

quirkbooks.com + 5 more

Articles

Why You'd Never Survive As A Soldier During WWII

1 week ago | grunge.com | Kathy Benjamin

There's plenty that your high school history class didn't teach you about World War II. There are the nightmarish World War II battle stories most people haven't heard, which were probably not appropriate for school children anyway, and the many strange rules soldiers followed during World War II. But if there is one overwhelming point that probably wasn't emphasized, it was this: Had you been fighting in World War II, there is a very good chance you would not have survived.
Tribes That Have Zero Contact With The Outside World

1 week ago | grunge.com | Kathy Benjamin

Humans are social creatures, and few people choose to isolate themselves from what is now a fully connected global society. Yet there are still pockets of the Earth that have virtually no interaction with outsiders. This is particularly true in areas that have thick forest, which makes the perfect cover for anyone who does not want visitors.
Country Stars Who Were Poorer Than You Realized

2 weeks ago | grunge.com | Kathy Benjamin

People tend to think of chart-topping musicians as extremely well-off. For some of them, this is true, but having awards and platinum records doesn't always guarantee a lifetime of financial stability. There's something about being a hugely successful musician that seems to lead to taking their financial success and blowing it all up. There are famously lots of rock stars who are surprisingly poor, but this unfortunate pattern is not limited to just one genre.
What The Final Year Of Janis Joplin's Life Was Like

3 weeks ago | grunge.com | Kathy Benjamin

Janis Joplin is remembered today as rock and roll royalty. While her talent and stage presence had plenty to do with this, the fact that she tragically became a member of the infamous "27 Club" — the alleged inordinate number of celebrities who died at the age of 27 — cemented her legacy for generations to come. AdvertisementThe future star had humble beginnings. She was born on January 19, 1943, in Port Arthur, Texas, where she embraced the hippie lifestyle and did not fit in with her peers.
The Scandalous History of Arlington National Cemetery

3 weeks ago | mentalfloss.com | Kathy Benjamin

Things at Arlington got off to a rocky start—and controversies have continued in the centuries since. Arlington National Cemetery is some of the most hallowed ground in the United States. More than 420,000 fallen servicemen and women are buried there and are honored with a service every Memorial Day. But despite its great importance, the cemetery has had more than its share of scandals.
11 Battles That The Allies Actually Lost During WWII

3 weeks ago | grunge.com | Kathy Benjamin

Many of the most important battles of World War II are those that resulted in Allied victories. After all, the Allies would go on to win the war, so the biggest, most significant battles tend to be remembered as the ones they won as well. But during the early years of the war, especially, Allied victories were hard to come by. The Germans overran Europe at such a rapid pace that it seemed no army could stop them. This meant the Allies suffered loss after loss.
Famous People Who Died During WWII

1 month ago | grunge.com | Kathy Benjamin

Many famous people actually served during World War II. Some of them were unknowns when they signed up to fight and went on to become household names years after their time in the military. Others were already celebrities at the time hostilities broke out and put their successful careers on pause to serve their country before returning to their famous lives after the war ended.
Musicians Who Partied Way Too Hard

1 month ago | grunge.com | Kathy Benjamin

There are plenty of well-known male rockers who partied way too hard during their careers: Keith Moon, Ozzy Osbourne, every single member of the Rolling Stones, and Mötley Crüe ... the list goes on and on. But what about, well, everyone else? What ladies of rock could drink those guys under the table, and who were the hardest partiers of less famously debauched genres of music? There are some surprising answers to these questions, including country stars and famous classical composers.
Unexpected Cars You Didn't Know Former Presidents Once Owned

1 month ago | grunge.com | Kathy Benjamin

Some of the most iconic and infamous moments in presidential history occurred in cars. John F. Kennedy was assassinated while being driven through Dallas. Ronald Reagan was thrown into the presidential limo and rushed to the hospital after being shot.
What The Final Year Of Hitler's Life Was Really Like

2 months ago | grunge.com | Kathy Benjamin

Adolf Hitler's life is certainly one of the most minutely analyzed of any person in history. Everything from his childhood to his military service to his dream of being an artist has been poured over by historians. And those were all things that took place before he ever even joined the Nazi Party, let alone took over Germany. There is seemingly not a moment of his time after he became Führer that is unaccounted for or contains even a little bit of mystery.