Category Archives: Bios and Memoirs
The House of Hidden Meanings – Ru Paul
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Much as we seek power in every corner of our lives, it’s always already in us; it’s impossible to be powerless if you recognize that you yourself are power. Life is power. Finding that power … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs
Tagged Drag, LGBTQ, memoir, success
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They All Swore an Oath: Stories from Everyday Heroes in our Midst – Christopher J. Lynch
(Reviewed by Don Jung) They All Swore an Oath is a collection of interviews between author Christopher Lynch and our unsung American war heroes from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the recent Persian Gulf conflict. … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Non-fiction, WWII
Tagged military, Vietnam War, WWII
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How To Burn A Rainbow: My Gay Marriage Didn’t Make Me Whole, My Divorce Did – Karl Dunn
(Reviewed by John Heilman) How To Burn a Rainbow is an honest and well-written tale of the author’s journey through the world of divorce. Author Karl Dunn describes the moment he told his husband he wanted a divorce and … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs
Tagged divorce, LGBTQ, memoir
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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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