Author Archives: J D Jung
An UnderratedRead Revisited – The Scent of Burnt Flowers – Blitz Bazawule
(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned It’s the mid-1960s and an African American couple, Melvin and Bernadette are on the run. Melvin sees that their only chance is to flee the U.S. Back in college, Melvin saved the life of a … Continue reading
They Call Me Produce Pete: Food, memories, and cherished family recipes from America’s favorite expert on fruit and vegetables – Produce Pete Napolitano, Susan Bloom
(Reviewed by Heidi A. Swan) #CommissionsEarned I picked up They Call Me Produce Pete because, like the author, I believe “if you eat right, you’re gonna live right.” I was completely unaware of Pete Napolitano’s status as a beloved weekly … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Food & Cooking
Tagged cookbook, fruits, memoirs, vegetables
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They Got Daddy: One Family’s Reckoning with Racism and Faith – Sharon Tubbs
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “This story would reveal parts of who I am, as a Black woman in America, by discovering who my grandfather was.” This was not her original intention though. She wanted to learn more about her grandfather’s … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, History, Non-fiction, Social Justice
Tagged African American history, Alabama, memoirs, race relations, racism
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An UnderratedRead Revisited: Busted Valentines and Other Dark Delights – Frank De Blase
(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned “‘Twas the night before the night before Christmas and Jack Frost was pissed.” That’s the intro to my favorite story, “The Night Before the Night Before Christmas” in Busted Valentines and Other Dark Delights. But … Continue reading
An UnderratedRead Revisited: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 Revisited
Tagged autobiography, corruption, drugs, police, race
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An UnderratedRead Revisited: 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 Revisited
Tagged African American history, biography, New Orleans
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An Underratedread Revisited: Have Black Lives Ever Mattered? – Mumia Abu-Jamal
(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned “The unity of the people is the greatest weapon against the silence, fear, and oppression imposed by the system.” “…organizing makes a difference, protest has impact; for without the pressure of protest, there would be … Continue reading
Posted in Revisited
Tagged African American history, Black lives matter, BLM, police, racism, social justice
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Central Places – Delia Cai
(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned Twenty-seven-year-old Audrey Zhou is leading a life most of us would be envious of. Living in New York City as a sales rep for a newspaper, she has many friends and is engaged to a … Continue reading
Posted in Immigration, Modern Literary Fiction
Tagged immigrants, relationships
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A Death in Valencia – Jason Webster
(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned When I visit a city for the first time, I like to go to a local English-language bookstore—if I’m lucky enough to find one— to discover novels featuring the town, incorporating its culture into the … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged corruption, crime fiction, gentrification, murder, Spain, Valencia
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An Exceptional UnderratedRead Revisited: The Dying Crapshooter’s Blues- David Fulmer
#CommissionsEarned Atlanta, 1923: In the midst of Prohibition, the city is seething with corruption, bootlegging, narcotics, gambling, and counterfeiting scams. This would seem the perfect scenario for Joe “Indian Joe” Rose to drift into town, as he does every year … Continue reading
Posted in Revisited
Tagged blues, crime fiction, Historical fiction, jazz
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