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UnderratedReads is devoted to discovering underrated books and under-represented authors. We highlight hidden gems from around the world–honest reviews only, never pay-to-play.
Author Archives: J D Jung
The Delivery – K.M. Halpern
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Was it better to be sad in a world that made sense or happy in a world that did not.” When forty-six-year-old Wilbur came home from work one day, his grumpy, over-bearing wife Sarah informed him … Continue reading
Posted in More fiction
Tagged 1950's, book reviews, humor, short books
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An UnderratedRead Revisited: The Third Hotel: A Novel – Laura van den Berg
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “The foundation of horror is a dislocation of reality, a dislocation designed to reveal the reality that has been there all along, and such dislocations happen all the time. “ That was according to the fictional … Continue reading
Posted in Revisited
Tagged cinema, Cuba, death, grief, Havana, Latin America, surrealism
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In Celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month
( by JD Jung) To commemorate National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15) in the United States, we at UnderratedReads want to re-introduce you to a sample of the exceptional “underrated” books written by Latin American authors that … Continue reading
Posted in Let's talk
Tagged book reviews, Colombia, Cuba, immigration, Latin American Lit, latinx, Mexican literature, Mexican-American, Mexico, Peru, South America
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Beware the Mermaids – Carrie Talick
(Reviewed by Don Jung) What happens when you are content with your current life, but circumstances force you to make unexpected changes? Fifty-seven-year-old grandmother, Nancy, thought she was happy, but then caught her husband with another woman on their yacht. … Continue reading
Posted in Modern Literary Fiction
Tagged boats, divorce, friendship, infidelity, sea, women's fiction
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The Dark Remains – William McIlvanney and Ian Rankin
(reviewed by JD Jung) October 1972, Glasgow –Detective constable Jack Laidlaw is reassigned to the Glasgow crime squad. Though he has a sixth sense on what is happening on the streets, the higher ups feel he needs “handling”, as he … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged British crime, Glasgow, noir, Scotland
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The Total FilmMaker – Jerry Lewis, Foreword by Maltin Leonard
(Review and poem by Betty Jo Tucker) Way back in the 1950s and 60s, I was an avid Jerry Lewis fan. I enjoyed watching his silly characters doing nonsensical things in movies like “The Delicate Delinquent,” “The Nutty Professor” and … Continue reading
Posted in Non-fiction, Reviewers' Top Picks
Tagged comedy, film, Filmmaking, Jerry Lewis, movies
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Here, Right Matters: An American Story – Alexander Vindman
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Regardless of any impact on the president, the domestic and foreign policy consequences, or personal costs, I had no choice but to report what I’d heard. That duty to report is a critical component of U.S. … Continue reading
Posted in American Politics, Bios and Memoirs, History, Immigration, Non-fiction, Politics and Social Justice, Reviewers' Top Picks, World Issues
Tagged Donald Trump, ethics, immigration, impeachment, military, Russia, Soviet Union
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Becoming Trader Joe: How I Did Business My Way and Still Beat the Big Guys – Joe Coulombe with Patty Civalleri
(Reviewed by Don Jung) Becoming Trader Joe is a true story about a marketing genius who went against conventional mega grocery store chains to create his own style of branding, with a name with unusual food products. Joe Coulombe started … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Business, Non-fiction
Tagged Business, marketing, Trader Joe
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