Author Archives: J D Jung
The Sable Cloak – by Gail Milissa Grant
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow South, readers are first taken to Greenston, South Carolina, in 1934. We meet Big Will who upon turning eighteen, must join the neighborhood’s vigilante group to keep justice … Continue reading
Posted in Historical Fiction
Tagged African American history, family, Jim Crow, racism, segregation, St. Louis
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An UnderratedRead Revisited: The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You: Stories – by Maurice Carlos Ruffin
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “In New Orleans, culture doesn’t come down from on high, it bubbles up from the street.” – Jazz Pianist Ellis Marsalis (1934-2020) This quote that opens the book epitomizes these stories, as we meet New Orleans residents … Continue reading
Posted in Revisited
Tagged African-American, gentrification, horror, New Orleans, race relations, society
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The Wind on Her Tongue – Anita Kopacz
(Reviewed by JD Jung) 1872 -Yemaya, who now lives in Cuba, is well known for possessing healing powers inherited from her Nigerian Yoruba Orisha lineage. Her eighteen-year-old daughter, Oya, as the Orisha of storm, wind and weather, also possesses intense … Continue reading
Posted in Historical Fiction, Spiritual/mystical
Tagged African-American, class, Historical fiction, New Orleans, racism, San Francisco, voodoo
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An UnderratedRead Revisited: The Lost Treasures of R & B – Nelson George
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “They were both Golden Gloves boxers and had that good foot work. They both did splits. Weren’t afraid to get on the floor. Not spinning like hip hoppers but they would get on their knees to sell … Continue reading
Posted in Revisited
Tagged corruption, crime fiction, Hip hop, music, poverty, rhythm and blues
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An UnderratedRead Revisited: American Refuge: True Stories of the Refugee Experience (Truth to Power) – Diya Abdo
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “When refugees leave, it is rarely, if ever, happy. And it is never something they choose to do. Their bodies, finding no other way to survive, split themselves from their souls, wave goodbye to them, on … Continue reading
An UnderratedRead Revisited:Shameless: Republicans’ Deliberate Dysfunction and the Battle to Preserve Democracy – Brian Tyler Cohen
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “You can’t understand the Trump phenomenon unless you understand the role that independent media on the right has played in terms of social media, in terms of amplification of his message, in terms of getting his … Continue reading
An UnderratedRead Revisited- Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility – by Rebecca Solnit
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Nothing is inevitable, and that’s crucial to remember in this fight.” Personally, I have felt both hopeless and helpless when it comes to preserving our planet and fighting climate change. Not Too Late convinced … Continue reading
Posted in Revisited
Tagged climate change, colonization, ecology, Indigenous peoples
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Invisible Helix – Keigo Higashino (Author), Giles Murray (Translator)
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “ If you’re searching for a crime thriller that grips you from the first page and doesn’t let go, Invisible Helix is the novel for you. When homicide detectives investigate a plausible murder: a man floating … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, Far Eastern Literature
Tagged crime thriller, family, homicide, murder, Tokyo
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The Silver Squad: Rebels With Wrinkles – Marty Essen
(Reviewed by Don Jung) Sometimes you want to read a feel-good book that isn’t violent and full of unrelated events that get you all confused. Well, this is one of those quirky stories with surprises along the way. When Barry … Continue reading
Posted in Light Fiction
Tagged humor, light fiction
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Second Pocket First – Gregory Grosvenor
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Issey had always been a thief, but not a particularly good one. The thrill of lifting someone’s property was overwhelming since he was a boy stealing mail. Lockpicking was his specialty, but as an adult working … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, graphic novels/illustrated humor, Humor & Satire, Light Fiction
Tagged Boston, Crime, gangsters, humor, Vermont
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