Tag Archives: American History

The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America – Jeffrey Rosen

Posted on February 28, 2024 by J D Jung

(reviewed by JD Jung) “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” is a well-known phrase in the United States Declaration of Independence. But what did the “pursuit of Happiness” mean to the founding fathers? American legal scholar, Jeffrey Rosen uncovers … Continue reading →

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Hotel Splendide – Ludwig Bemelmans

Posted on December 12, 2022 by J D Jung

(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 →

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Jazz Age Cocktails: History, Lore, and Recipes from America’s Roaring Twenties – Cecelia Tichi

Posted on December 27, 2021 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned On January 16, 1920, the Volstead Act was enacted, which established Prohibition in the United States. Of course, people found a way around it and alcohol consumption and bootlegging flourished. Jazz Age Cocktails takes an … Continue reading →

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This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism – Don Lemon

Posted on March 16, 2021 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Racism is a cancer that has been metastasizing throughout this land ever since Columbus showed up. It’s persisted because the right people had the luxury of ignoring it. Not anymore.” In fact, Donald Trump, a blatant … Continue reading →

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A Short History of Presidential Election Crises: (And How to Prevent the Next One)- Alan Hirsch

Posted on October 23, 2020 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “The health of any democracy, no matter what its type of status, depends on a small technical detail: the conduct of elections.”   –  Spanish philosopher José Ortega y Gasset. Unfortunately, the United States electoral system has … Continue reading →

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Truth Has a Power of Its Own: Conversations About A People’s History – Howard Zinn, Ray Suarez

Posted on February 16, 2020 by J D Jung

(reviewed by JD Jung) “I think we should be de-emphasizing the attention paid in traditional history to great military heroes, to presidents, to Supreme Court justices, to members of Congress, because our history generally has been history pulled from top … Continue reading →

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Time Travel for Love and Profit – Jeff Abugov

Posted on May 22, 2017 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by Don Jung) If given the opportunity to go back in time to change the decisions you made in life, would you take it? Growing up in foster homes and in an environment where crime is the only way … Continue reading →

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America’s First Daughter: A Novel – Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie

Posted on March 3, 2016 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by Ishita RC) “Patsy, suffering strengthens our constitutions and builds inner fortifications so that we never fall prey to the same agony twice. We must take upon ourselves a smaller evil to defend against the greater evil. We must … Continue reading →

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