An UnderratedRead Revisited: Visualize Yourself: Designing the Outcome of Your Life, One Issue at a Time – Aileen Nealie

Posted on December 22, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by Pat Luboff)


#CommissionsEarned

“This is you breaking free from your current reality. Dare to expand. Dare to grow. Design your path. You have a say in everything.”

Reading Visualize Yourself by Aileen Nealie is like giving your mind a long, cool drink of the purest water on a blazing hot day. In our current world, where we are constantly assaulted by negative and violent images and anxiety-producing advertisements, it’s a great relief to spend some time in the world of light and love that Ms. Nealie creates in her book.

And it’s in this world where she gives you easy, accessible instructions on how to create for yourself through the process of visualization.  With that groundwork laid in the first section of the book, you are ready to use the technique to address specific needs for healing in your life. There are visualizations to reduce anxiety, break free from depression, release fears, and more in the “Mental Health” section. Some of the other areas covered are life transitions, relationships, food, abundance, love, and spirituality.

For a book of less than 150 pages, it packs a big bunch of positive and useful ways to use your mind to enhance your life. Indulge! Everyone needs this book!

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: The Vices -Lawrence Douglas

Posted on December 15, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)


#CommissionsEarned

“It would be years before I would be prepared to accept his self-assessment [as a sick person], and even then, not fully. …he was handsome, wealthy, the youngest tenured professor at one of the nation’s most prestigious colleges, and already internationally known for his work; many people would have happily traded up to that level of sickness.”

Add art collector and ladies’ man to the many attributes of Oliver Vice.

Yes, our unnamed narrator, a visiting novelist at Harkness College, became fascinated with philosophy professor Oliver Vice. This would soon turn in to an obsession –not sexually– but in a way and extent that would destroy his marriage and take over a large part of his life. He would even spend many a Christmas Day with Oliver and his family, which included his obtuse brother who had a fascination with Winston Churchill and Adolph Hitler, as well as his rigid but attractive Polish mother. Regarding their first Christmas gathering he comments, “Whether I’d enjoyed myself was entirely irrelevant. I’d been drawn in. That was the point.”

At age forty-one, Oliver fell overboard from an ocean liner in an apparent suicide. This prompted the narrator to research Oliver’s life, and the secrets and lies of his family’s past. He takes us back to his initial meeting with Oliver Vice and through their years of friendship and female relationships. After Oliver’s death, he flew to Europe to search for his biological father’s family with whom Oliver had no relationship with.  However, through all of this we learn that our narrator may be trying to grasp on to something of himself.

He is not the only person drawn into the life of the Vices; the reader is sucked in also. It wasn’t just my quest to understand Oliver Vice, but the anticipation of each event and how he reacts to it.

Even so, what I particularly liked was that The Vices is full of contradictions. It’s not just in the complex characters–who are contradictions in themselves– but in the way the story is told. Though it is not a mystery, the plot is full of intrigue. It’s not particularly funny but laced with dark humor. Though many personal issues highlight the story–such as religion, personal identification, lies and guilt–nothing hits you in the face. It’s the subtleties that make the story. Then again, Author Lawrence Douglas seduces us with vivid imagery and sharp tone. Let’s just say that I couldn’t put the book down.

Were all of my questions answered? Maybe not, but that’s unrealistic anyway. Life isn’t that tidy.

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Many People Die Like You – Lina Wolff, translated by Saskia Vogel

Posted on December 11, 2023 by J D Jung

(reviewed by JD Jung)


#CommissionsEarned


Those who enjoy eclectic short stories that explore human nature are sure to relish the stories in Many People Die Like You. From bizarre relationships to unexpected power dynamics, this collection of fourteen stories takes readers on a journey through unconventional narratives that readers will not expect.

The book opens with “No Man’s Land,” a story that immediately sets the tone for the entire collection. The author ingeniously crafts endings that leave readers pleasantly surprised, a trait echoed in the title story, “Many People Die Like You,” where a professor taking his advantage is fooled in the end.

Set predominantly in Madrid and Valencia, Spain, with a standout tale “Misery Porn” rooted in Sweden, the stories offer a unique blend of settings that enhance the plot. Swedish author Lina Wolff, who use to live in Spain, does a magnificent job of exploring the weirdness of human relationships. While many stories feature misogynistic male characters grappling with the limits of their power over women, Wolff adeptly flips these power dynamics, revealing deeper truths about control and influence. This is often accomplished using dark humor. This is not to say that either gender always winds up the victor in these stories.

I wish I could say that every story is breathtaking, but unfortunately that is not the case. Some are so exceptional that they overshadow a few that are lackluster. This creates a contrast in the overall impact of the book. Despite this, Wolff’s skill in unraveling the peculiarities of human relationships remains consistently impressive.

Though Many People Die Like You features stories of strange lovers in even stranger relationships, I think that most readers will be able to relate to this collection on some level. After all, life and relationships can be complicated.

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Violets – Kyung-Sook Shin, translated by Anton Hur

Posted on December 4, 2023 by J D Jung

(reviewed by JD Jung)


#CommissionsEarned

“San’s attraction did not originate this summer. But rather it has lain in wait for millennia before bursting forth all at once. “

San was no stranger to abandonment. Her father left right after she was born, which made her mother the first divorcee in the village. In turn, her mother left before San was an adult. San was also abandoned by her only friend when she was of school age.

Now at twenty-three, she is navigating a new life in her own apartment in Seoul, working in a flower shop. San has always felt insignificant, and the bustling capital in 1990’s Korea doesn’t change that. Though a co-worker befriends her, the loneliness of the past still haunts her, and it is difficult for her to get close to anyone, or should I say to the people who truly care about her.

San’s attraction mentioned above, becomes an all-consuming obsession with a womanizing magazine photographer. Thoughts about him flood her mind whether she is asleep or awake. She even hallucinates that he is constantly with her. Unfortunately, when she is forced to face the truth, she engages in self-destructive behavior to try and erase her insecurities.

We, the readers, wonder if she will try and face the origination of her insecurities and feelings of abandonment. Will she find the courage for self-reflection?

As the story unfolds, we meet engaging and often quirky supporting characters. However, there is so much more to this skillfully written story. Violets unveils not only personal struggles but a broader exploration of societal themes such as loneliness, misogyny, and beauty standards. This is all in the context of a country’s evolving societal norms.

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: My Part of Her – Javad Djavahery, Preface by Dina Nayeri, Translated by Emma Ramadan

Posted on December 1, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

Exceptional

“For what reason did the people take to the streets to demand the Shah’s departure? I assure you that if we asked the question today, the majority of Iranians wouldn’t know how to respond. For liberty? I don’t think so. For a better life? I don’t think that’s it either. Because starting in 1979, they have been far less free, their lives more difficult than before, and yet they don’t rise up. So why was this country handed over to mullahs? In exchange for what? No one knows.”

Our narrator fondly remembers life in his seaside village the summer he was thirteen years old. He always awaited the arrival of his older distant cousin, with whom he was quite infatuated with. We enjoy the summer along with him, as he describes his youthful scheming, friends, family, and the colorful scenery along the Caspian coast. Though he was from a working-class family, life was good.

He is later tormented by his decision to become a left-wing activist, trying to free his country from the Shah and Western imperialism. “We wanted to defend the country against an enemy that we had invented ourselves. We were persisting in a revolution that was leading the country to chaos. “

He became a political fugitive, constantly on the run, as many of his friends had already died. He felt like a fraud. The once vibrant seaside town became empty, dark, and dreary.

Through this fictional story, My Part of Her sheds light on many questions I had regarding the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. The author, who has been in exile since the age of twenty, explains this conundrum in a very personal way with captivating characters, graphic events and a spellbinding story. This is all enhanced with his (and the translator’s) artistry of language.

Do not skip over the book’s preface as it gives insight to the events, characters, and their motivations. Dina Nayeri, who was a small child during that time and subsequently fled the country with her family, gives her perspective on the errors students and activists made in their protests against the Shah.

My Part of Her is an engrossing story along with essential lessons from the past that we must not forget. Studying History enables us to learn from our mistakes as to n

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Colorful Palate: A Flavorful Journey Through a Mixed American Experience – Raj Tawney

Posted on November 23, 2023 by J D Jung

(reviewed by JD Jung)


#CommissionsEarned


In Raj Tawney’s captivating memoir, Colorful Palate: A Flavorful Journey Through a Mixed American Experience, readers are treated to a poignant exploration of identity, family, and cultural diversity. Set against the backdrop of suburban New York, Raj’s narrative paints a vivid picture of his coming-of-age journey.

Raj was envious of those who were of just one ethnicity. They seemed to know “who” they were. His father immigrated from India and his mother was from the Bronx, of Puerto Rican and Italian heritage. Even his mother had problems integrating into his father’s family.

Despite that, he realized the importance of family and the food that brings them together. Any of the cultures in his upbringing could appear at mealtimes. Through heartfelt anecdotes, he unveils the significance of family bonds and the pivotal role that food plays in connecting generations. Each chapter is followed by a recipe which plays an integral part in the story. He learned much of the family history by helping his maternal grandmother in the kitchen. She related stories of growing up in the Bronx where people were segregated by national origin. She also lost part of her cultural connection upon moving to the suburbs.

One of the most compelling aspects of the narrative is Raj’s unlikely friendship with an elderly woman navigating her own challenges in a rapidly changing world that she felt less engaged in, while he was still trying to figure out who he was.

Even though I haven’t tried any of the recipes in the book yet, I consider Colorful Palate to be a celebration of diversity and resilience that I believe readers will appreciate.

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Dogboy v Catfish – Luke Gracias

Posted on November 19, 2023 by J D Jung
Reviewed by JD Jung)
#CommissionsEarned


When I first read the title, Dogboy v Catfish, I thought that it sounded silly, and was skeptical as to whether I would enjoy the book. I hope others are not turned off by it, as this novel about crime and deception is anything but inane.

Millionaire Lindsay “Dogboy” Kramer vanishes close to the eighteen-month mark of his marriage to a former Miss Australia finalist Katherine “Catfish” Fisher. She is a popular social media influencer and owns a designer clothing and accessory shop. This is her second marriage, as her first husband supposedly committed suicide in Thailand.

First, Katherine files for divorce, but her high-priced attorney feels that something just isn’t right. Weeks after his disappearance, Katherine claims that he is dead and wants access to his bank accounts and assets. That’s when the story gets interesting.

A Melbourne detective and inspector investigating the disappearance also feel something is shady. When Katherine finds that she can’t get her hands on the money, she uses her social media influence to try and change the legal system.

The two officers find more than what they bargained for, which takes them to Bangkok. What ensues is a whirlwind of drug smuggling, gun running, money laundering and murder.

In addition to the family law attorney with a conscience, there are a host of other fascinating characters that add depth to the story.

It is important that you read the “Author’s Note” following the story. Author Luke Gracias discloses his motivation for writing the book, and how a friend’s divorce and attempted suicide provided the basis for the book. The author also claims that the Australian family court system usually favors the women, some of whom are unscrupulous and set out to abuse the system. He believes that there is a connection to why seven out of nine suicide victims in Australia are men.

As I am unfamiliar with Australian family law and legal system, I can only attest that this fast-paced story will keep you engaged until the last page.

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An UnderratedRead Revisited:The Words That Remain – Stênio Gardel (Translated by Bruna Dantas Lobato)

Posted on November 16, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

#CommissionsEarned


“The river calmly flowed and cried its eternal murmur. Raimundo got up and looked at the empty sky. The shadows had taken over the blue as well. The stars must have fallen and become the seeds of reality at his feet.”

Raimundo could never forget his first love, Cicero. They both knew they were risking everything by being together. If their families found out they could be ostracized, beaten, or worse, killed.

Raimundo is in his seventies now and has lived life in the margins of Brazilian society. It’s been fifty years since he’s seen Cicero, and he is still holding on to an unopened letter from him. Growing up poor, Raimundo is illiterate, but he decides to finally learn to read in order to decipher the letter. Then again, should he destroy it instead? After all, Cicero knew he couldn’t read, so why would he even write to him?

Though poetic, the author also writes with haunting clarity. He structures the story with such skill, going back and forth between their early days and Raimundo’s present. Though we anxiously anticipate what he decides to do and possibly learn what ever happened to Cicero, it’s Raimundo’s life in between that keeps the reader captivated. We learn about a life of pain and longing, but also one of survival, family secrets, and how fear leads to violence. At only around 150 pages, the plot and characters are still fully developed.

The Words That Remain is a heart-wrenching story that I highly recommend.

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: The Vulture Fund – Jeff Buick

Posted on November 12, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by Don Jung)


#CommissionsEarned


Two unlikely murders that don’t appear to be related become the focus of Boston detective Curtis Westcoast and his team as they try to unravel one mystery after another. This is a murder mystery series that is fast-paced, suspenseful and full of twists and turns.

First, a woman with an India passport falls victim in a fatal drive-by shooting. The detectives uncovered a fake passport with very little information on her real identity. They found no cell phone but discovered that she worked in a building where she was the only occupant. The details are so obscure that fellow detective Aislinn must go to India to find out her next of kin and discover the nature of the secret job that she was working.

The second murder involves Mason Kalley, a hedge fund manager, who dies in his home from carbon monoxide poisoning. Ruled first as an accident, the case is reopened when Aislinn discovers that he was meeting frequently with the Indian national prior to her death.

The book is titled The Vulture Fund as the hedge fund was known for acquiring insolvent companies, reinventing their business model, and then selling them for huge profits. Mason Kalley was highly successful, but the detectives soon find his wife, his mistress, and his two kids all have possible motives on his premature death.

Slowly each motive and clue must be solved before it can lead to an exciting conclusion. I was mesmerized the entire time as each chapter led to more questions that need answers. I couldn’t put the book down.

Though I rated the others in the Curtis Westcott series: A Killing Game, and The Wrong Side of Murder, as well as the The Krubera Conspiracy, “A Must Read Now!” (5 bookmarks), I think the Vulture Fund is Jeff Buick’s best novel to date!

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Unlocking Your Inner Zelensky: Lessons We Can All Learn from an Unexpected Leader – Jessie Asya Kanzer

Posted on November 7, 2023 by J D Jung
Reviewed by JD Jung)
#CommissionsEarned

As a great admirer of the Ukrainian president, I was intrigued when I discovered the book, Unlocking Your Inner Zelensky: Lessons We Can All Learn from an Unexpected Leader. I didn’t know what to expect but I am happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed.

Author Jessie Asya Kanzer immigrated to the United States from Soviet Latvia and has crossed paths with Zelenskyy*. She shares her personal experiences and how they relate to Volodymyr Zelenskyy. She believes that he is a “profound philosophical leader of our generation”.

However, it is her analysis of his personality and how we can harness his strengths in our own lives that is the focus of the book. She goes into detail how Zelenskyy reveals authenticity, truth and honesty, and acts according to his core values. He is clear on his objectives and has overcome indecisiveness. Kanzer then details how we can do the same. She also explains his effective methods of communication and how we can develop these skills.

Even though Kanzer maintains that individuals must develop a particular strength or characteristic in their own lives in order to be able to project it to the world, I believe that some analogies are a stretch, relating the global to the individual. One example is comparing the act of choosing your own identity, (not the one predetermined for you) to that of how Zelenskyy is seeking to do that for Ukraine.

I also feel that the structure of the book could have been more consistent. Kanzer jumps around multiple topics. However, I found her study of different aspects of the Ukrainian war quite interesting.

Still, there’s a lot one can get out of Unlocking Your Inner Zelensky. As we look deep into ourselves, there’s much we can learn from the Ukrainian president and former comedian.

*The author uses the Ukrainian spelling of Zelenskyy with the double ”yy”, instead of the Russian spelling using the single” y”, in deference to what she says the Ukrainian president prefers.

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