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Category Archives: Bios and Memoirs
Hotel Splendide – Ludwig Bemelmans
(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned The comical 1941 out-of-print memoir of author and illustrator Ludwig Bemelmans (1898- 1962) has just been re-released by Puskin Press. Bemelmans would later write the Madeline children’s book series. However, this memoir covers his few … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, History, Immigration, Non-fiction
Tagged American History, humor, immigration, memoir, New York
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Uncle Charlie Killed Dutch Schultz: The Jewish Mob: A Family Affair – Alan Geik
(Reviewed by Don Jung) #CommissionsEarned There are a lot of family histories out there to read about, but this one is different. While Alan Geik’s parents were not directly in the mafia, many of their relatives and friends he met … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, History, Non-fiction, Our Best
Tagged Crime, gangsters, Mafia, Prohibition, WWII
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Hold the Line: The Insurrection and One Cop’s Battle for America’s Soul – Michael Fanone and John Shiffman
(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned “What sort of American tries to overthrow democracy? What kind of man becomes so consumed by a false belief that he drives across the country, storms the Capitol, and assaults police officers?” Those are pressing … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Non-fiction, Our Best
Tagged insurrection, January 6, law enforcement, police brutality, PTSD
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Virginia Bader: A Collage of Memories of The First Lady of Aviation Art – Jill Amadio
(Reviewed by Christopher J. Lynch) #CommissionsEarned We often take things for granted in this world. Younger folks assume that smart phones and the internet were always in existence. I too, thought that the specialized world of aviation art had always … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Our Best
Tagged aviation, Non-fiction, WWII
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I Feel Your Stare: An Autobiography – Cheryl Gillespie
(Reviewed by Christopher J. Lynch) #CommissionsEarned It is often said that a wise person walks a mile in another’s shoes. I Feel Your Stare by Cheryl Gillespie takes us on just such a journey. Born with JRA, (Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis), … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Our Best
Tagged blindness, JRA, memoirs
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Song Noir: Tom Waits and the Spirit of Los Angeles – Alex Harvey
(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned My first introduction to Tom Waits was in Jim Jarmusch’s 1985 film, “Down By Law”. I found him quite enigmatic, and as a singer/songwriter was drawn to his authenticity. While reading Song Noir, I realized … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Culture, History
Tagged beat generation, film noir, Los Angeles, music, songwriting
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Invisible Storm: A Soldier’s Memoir of Politics and PTSD – Jason Kander
(Reviewed by JD Jung) One would think that Jason Kander had it all. He completed his law degree from Georgetown University and was married to Diana, a girl he met when they were both seventeen. He served in the U.S. … Continue reading
Posted in American Politics, Bios and Memoirs, Politics
Tagged Afghanistan, mental illness, PTSD, veterans
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Black, White, and Gray All Over: A Black Man’s Odyssey in Life and Law Enforcement – Frederick Douglass Reynolds
(reviewed by Ann Onymous ) Each person in life faces many crossroads. From the day we’re born, to the day we die, we are faced with decisions. Each choice can influence our life’s journey. Which direction we take has an … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs
Tagged autobiography, corruption, drugs, police, race
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Love, Activism, and the Respectable Life of Alice Dunbar-Nelson – Tara T. Green
(Reviewed by Ann Onymous ) #CommissionsEarned This book was not the biography I expected. Alice Dunbar-Nelson (1875-1935) led an incredible life, full of love and activism indeed. This contribution into the oeuvre of African American history is from Dr. Tara … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, History, Social Justice
Tagged African American history, biography, New Orleans, Women's suffrage
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Taking Down Backpage: Fighting the World’s Largest Sex Trafficker – Maggy Krell
(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned “While a commercial sex transaction may seem consensual on the surface, the lopsided power dynamic, the history of trauma and abuse, and the lack of options often make the consent illusory. And sex without consent … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Non-fiction, Our Best, Social Justice
Tagged human trafficking, Non-fiction, rape, sex trafficking, Sexual abuse
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