Category Archives: Culture
Black as Hell, Strong as Death, and Sweet as Love: A Coffee Travel Guide – Steven P. Unger (Author), Ruth St. Steven (Photographer)
(Reviewed by JD Jung) For those who consider coffee more than just a morning ritual, Black as Hell, Strong as Death, and Sweet as Love is a rich and aromatic journey through time, culture, and continents. Blending travel writing with … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Food & Cooking, History, Travel
Tagged coffee, Costa Rica, Cuba, culture, Hawaii, history, Jordan, Miami, New Orleans, San Francisco, travel
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Your Pasta Sucks: A “Cookbook” – Matteo Lane
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “…my romance with pasta has been my longest and best relationship.” What can you expect from a cookbook written by a gay Italian, Irish and Mexican American stand up comedienne from Chicago? Plenty! Matteo Lane writes … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Food & Cooking, Humor & Satire, Non-fiction
Tagged comedy, humor, Italy, LGBTQ, pasta
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The Deceived Ones – Judith Krummeck
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Luck always seems to be against the man who depends on it.”- Ukrainian proverb Vira Blyzinska fled to Poland from her home in Ukraine due to the Russian invasion. She brought little with her … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Modern Literary Fiction
Tagged culture, family, immigration, Romance, Ukraine
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Violets – Kyung-Sook Shin, translated by Anton Hur
(reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned “San’s attraction did not originate this summer. But rather it has lain in wait for millennia before bursting forth all at once. “ San was no stranger to abandonment. Her father left right after she … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Far Eastern Literature, World Literature
Tagged culture, Korea, mysogeny, Seoul
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Colorful Palate: A Flavorful Journey Through a Mixed American Experience – Raj Tawney
(reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned In Raj Tawney’s captivating memoir, Colorful Palate: A Flavorful Journey Through a Mixed American Experience, readers are treated to a poignant exploration of identity, family, and cultural diversity. Set against the backdrop of suburban New … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Culture, Food & Cooking
Tagged diversity, family, India, multiculture, New York City
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January – Sara Gallardo, translated by Frances Riddle
(reviewed by JD Jung) January (Enero) first published in Spanish in 1958, follows the daily life and thoughts of sixteen-year-old Nefer, who finds she is pregnant after a rape. Nefer works on the family farm, and lives in the shadow … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Latin American Literature, Lost and almost forgotten, Skinny reads
Tagged abortion, Argentina, class, culture, rape
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Sweet Undoings – Yanick Lahens (translated by Kaiama L. Glover)
(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned “Nowadays, in the cities, you’ve got to drink it all in, the honey and the bile. All in the same cup.” Judge Raymond Berthier has just been murdered, and his nineteen-year-old daughter, Brune, is grieving … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, Culture, World Issues
Tagged corruption, Crime, culture, Haiti, Haitian literature, murder
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Which Side Are You On – Ryan Lee Wong
(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned Why did Reed’s grandparents want him to have the best education? “His answer: “So I could participate in the great American ladder climb, where East Asians hoard resources and try to become white at the … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Modern Literary Fiction
Tagged Asian American, Los Angeles, New York, political activism, race relations, social justice
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Song Noir: Tom Waits and the Spirit of Los Angeles – Alex Harvey
(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned My first introduction to Tom Waits was in Jim Jarmusch’s 1985 film, “Down By Law”. I found him quite enigmatic, and as a singer/songwriter was drawn to his authenticity. While reading Song Noir, I realized … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Culture, History
Tagged beat generation, film noir, Los Angeles, music, songwriting
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