Author Archives: J D Jung

An UnderratedRead Revisited: One for the Money (Cat Caliban Series Book 1) – D.B. Borton

(Reviewed by Pat Luboff) #ComissionsEarned ”Suspicion is second nature to any woman who’s raised three kids.” I’m going to say something about this book that I don’t think I’ve ever said about a book: I loved every word! It gave … Continue reading

Posted in Revisited | Tagged , | Comments Off on An UnderratedRead Revisited: One for the Money (Cat Caliban Series Book 1) – D.B. Borton

An UnderratedRead Revisited: Christmas Eve Can Kill You – William Marantz

(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned For many of us, ushering in the New Year serves as a letdown, following the joyous Christmas season. For Izzy Miller (aka Muddy Rivers, aka Val Virgo), the season represents the low points of his … Continue reading

Posted in Revisited | Tagged , , | Comments Off on An UnderratedRead Revisited: Christmas Eve Can Kill You – William Marantz

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

(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned “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 … Continue reading

Posted in Revisited | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on An UnderratedRead Revisited: My Part of Her – Javad Djavahery, Preface by Dina Nayeri, Translated by Emma Ramadan

The Endless Rose – Carlos Maleno (translated by Eric Kurtzke)

(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned “Then he thought of that woman, of her writing, that disappeared into itself—chaotic, brutal, savage, suicidal—like automatic writing, or the writing of a lunatic.” Thirty-seven-year-old publisher Roberto Fate was totally mesmerized as he read a … Continue reading

Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The Endless Rose – Carlos Maleno (translated by Eric Kurtzke)

An UnderratedRead Revisited: A Drinkable Feast: A Cocktail Companion to 1920s Paris- Philip Greene

(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommisionsEarned “When spring comes to Paris the humblest mortal alive must feel that he dwells in paradise.”                                      – … Continue reading

Posted in Revisited | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on An UnderratedRead Revisited: A Drinkable Feast: A Cocktail Companion to 1920s Paris- Philip Greene

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 , , , , | Comments Off on Hotel Splendide – Ludwig Bemelmans

The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You: Stories – Maurice Carlos Ruffin

(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommisionsEarned “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 … Continue reading

Posted in Short stories | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You: Stories – Maurice Carlos Ruffin

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, Reviewers' Top Picks | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Uncle Charlie Killed Dutch Schultz: The Jewish Mob: A Family Affair – Alan Geik

An UnderratedRead Revisited: 1414º- Paul Bradley Carr

Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned “Be fair to the rapists; don’t feed the trolls; investigate the victims; don’t spook the advertisers; if in doubt, stay quiet…” These were the Bay Area Herald’s rules for investigating powerful tech companies, and Raum … Continue reading

Posted in Revisited | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on An UnderratedRead Revisited: 1414º- Paul Bradley Carr

American Refuge: True Stories of the Refugee Experience – 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

Posted in Immigration, Reviewers' Top Picks, World Issues | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on American Refuge: True Stories of the Refugee Experience – Diya Abdo