Category Archives: History
The Folly of Realism: How the West Deceived Itself About Russia and Betrayed Ukraine – Alexander Vindman
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Without Ukraine, Russia is a country; with Ukraine, it’s an empire.” Without an independent Ukraine we will see an acceleration of authoritarianism. This war is a fight between authoritarianism and democracy. So how did we get … Continue reading
Posted in American Politics, History, Non-fiction, Our Best, Politics
Tagged authoritarianism, democracy, Russia, Ukraine
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Ugliness – Moshtari Hilal, Translated from the German by Elisabeth Lauffer
(Reviewed by JD Jung) In this deeply personal book, author Moshtari Hilal interweaves memoir, history, and sociology to explore the painful realities of feeling “ugly” in a world that prioritizes symmetry and Eurocentric beauty standards. Born in Kabul, Afghanistan … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, History
Tagged Afghanistan, beauty, culture, Eugenics, fascism, Middle East, plastic surgery, ugliness
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Dying For Gold: The True Story of the Giant Mine Murders – Lee Selleck & Francis Thompson
(Reviewed by Christopher J. Lynch) This is an exhaustive book…but it needs to be to properly tell the story of one of the worst labor disputes in Canadian history. In the early 1990s, the remote town of Yellowknife, in Canada’s … Continue reading
Posted in History, Non-fiction
Tagged Canadian history, labor
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Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World – Anne Applebaum
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “The autocracies want to create a global system that benefits thieves, criminals, dictators, and the perpetrators of mass murder. We can stop them.” Historian and journalist Anne Applebaum, suggests what democracies can do to save their … Continue reading
Posted in History, Non-fiction, Politics, Social Justice, World Issues
Tagged autocracy, China, democracy, dictatorship, Iran, murder, politics, Russia, Venezuela
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On Heroism: McCain, Milley, Mattis, and the Cowardice of Donald Trump – Jeffrey Goldberg
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Why do so many politicians and public servants continue to support a man who has little regard for the military, no regard for the Constitution, and holds dictators in such high regard? Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor in … Continue reading
Posted in American Politics, History, Non-fiction, Our Best, Politics, Social Justice
Tagged military, political history, President, Trump
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Black Pill: How I Witnessed the Darkest Corners of the Internet Come to Life, Poison Society, and Capture American Politics – Elle Reeve
(Reviewed by JD Jung) I’ve been amazed how CNN correspondent Elle Reeve has put herself in risky situations to get a story as well as to obtain the perspective of potentially dangerous people. This is even more evident in her … Continue reading
Posted in American Politics, Bios and Memoirs, History, Non-fiction, Politics, Social Justice
Tagged alt-right, January 6, neo-fascism
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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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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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The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America – Jeffrey Rosen
(reviewed by JD Jung) “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” is a well-known phrase in the United States Declaration of Independence. But what did the “pursuit of Happiness” mean to the founding fathers? American legal scholar, Jeffrey Rosen uncovers … Continue reading
Posted in American Politics, History, Non-fiction, Philosophical reads
Tagged American History, happiness, justice, philosophy, racism, slavery
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C’mon, Get Happy: The Making of Summer Stock -David Fantle and Tom Johnson
(Review and poem by Betty Jo Tucker) #CommissionsEarned Summer Stock, a movie I love, now a book on the making of. Ring cowbells and shout hooray What a great read to have today! Questions answered? Oh, yes indeed. Everything fans … Continue reading
Posted in History, Non-fiction
Tagged movies
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