Category Archives: Bios and Memoirs
Splice of Life: A Memoir in 13 Film Genres – Charles Jensen
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Splice of Life: A Memoir in 13 Film Genres is structured in essays, each representing a “splice” of writer and cinephile Charles Jensen’s life. Each story is interwoven with a particular film that he studies in … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Non-fiction
Tagged essays, film, film noir, LGBTQ, memoirs
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The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History – Karen Valby
(Reviewed by JD Jung) At the start of the Covid 19 pandemic, five original dancers from the Dance Theater of Harlem formed the 152nd Street Black Ballet Legacy Council. Lydia Abarca, Gayle Mc-Kinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Marcia Sells, and Karlya Shelton … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, History, Non-fiction
Tagged ballet, black history, dancers, racism
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The Notebooks of Sonny Rollins -Sonny Rollins, Sam V.H. Reese (Editor, Introduction)
(Reviewed by JD Jung) In 1959, twenty-eight-year-old tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins disappeared for two years with the purpose of practicing and improving his craft. He wrote down his thoughts on technical aspects of the saxophone, “rethinking musical concepts”, as well … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Non-fiction
Tagged jazz, music
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Benetton: A true story – Francesco della Barba
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Benetton: A True Story offers a fascinating journey through the history of one of the most iconic fashion brands of the 1980s. Written by Francesco della Barba, the Executive Vice-President of Benetton USA, this memoir provides … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, History, Non-fiction
Tagged Britain, Business, fashion, Italy, memoirs
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Me and The Times: My wild ride from elevator operator to New York Times editor, columnist, and change agent (1967-97) -Robert W. Stock
(Reviewed by Jay Gendron) Me and the Times is the story of Robert Stock’s journey from humble beginnings to the position of NYTimes editor and columnist. It is chronological, for the most part, but takes many detours into … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs
Tagged journalism, memoirs
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Nein, Nein, Nein!: One Man’s Tale of Depression, Psychic Torment, and a Bus Tour of the Holocaust – Jerry Stahl
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Why stay in this country, listening to mere Proud Boy-esque neo-Nazis, when you could go to the source, to Poland and Germany, and experience the birthplace of actual Nazi-Nazis? How better to soak up fascist antibodies?” … Continue reading
Safe: A Memoir of Fatherhood, Foster Care, and the Risks We Take for Family – Mark Daley
(Reviewed by Jay Gendron) Mark Daley takes us through a courageous, heartbreaking journey in Safe: A Memoir of Fatherhood, Foster Care, and the Risks We Take for Family. This book serves as an indictment of the foster care system in … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Non-fiction, Our Best
Tagged foster care, memoir
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Enjoy Me Among My Ruins – Juniper Fitzgerald
(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned “After a divorce and a doctorate, a global pandemic and a murder, after a smattering of death threats, a lot of books, and even more booze, I found myself offering up my past with a … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs
Tagged addiction, memoirs, prostitution
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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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Lifeline to a Soul: The Life-Changing Perspective I Gained While Teaching Entrepreneurship to Prisoners- John K. McLaughlin
(Reviewed by Christopher J. Lynch) #CommissionsEarned It’s not often that you read a book that sounds like you might have written it yourself, especially a memoir. But that’s exactly how I felt reading John K. McLaughlin’s brutally honest and heartfelt, … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs
Tagged memoirs, prison
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