-
-
About
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.
Category Archives: Non-fiction
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, Non-fiction
Tagged comedy, humor, Italy, LGBTQ, pasta
Comments Off on Your Pasta Sucks: A “Cookbook” – Matteo Lane
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, Politics and Social Justice, Reviewers' Top Picks
Tagged authoritarianism, democracy, Russia, Ukraine
Comments Off on The Folly of Realism: How the West Deceived Itself About Russia and Betrayed Ukraine – Alexander Vindman
Cellar Rat: My Life in the Restaurant Underbelly – Hannah Selinger
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Hannah Selinger graduated from Columbia University but found herself working as a server at a hometown dive. She eventually moved back to New York and found employment at some of the most trendy, high-end restaurants. First … Continue reading
Posted in Non-fiction
Tagged abuse, memoirs, New York City, restaurants
Comments Off on Cellar Rat: My Life in the Restaurant Underbelly – Hannah Selinger
My Bully, My Aunt, and Her Final Gift – Harold Phifer
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Hal endured a tumultuous upbringing under the cruel hand of his Aunt Kathy. While his mother suffered from severe mental illness, it was Aunt Kathy who had to step in to raise him and … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Non-fiction
Tagged abuse, death, family dysfunction, mental illness
Comments Off on My Bully, My Aunt, and Her Final Gift – Harold Phifer
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
Comments Off on Ugliness – Moshtari Hilal, Translated from the German by Elisabeth Lauffer
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
Comments Off on Dying For Gold: The True Story of the Giant Mine Murders – Lee Selleck & Francis Thompson
We Are Not Here to Be Bystanders – Linda Sarsour
(reviewed by Ann Onymous ) The title of this book calls each of us, doesn’t it? “What does it mean when we say we are social justice activists, and organizers committed to justice and equality for all people?“ I asked … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Non-fiction, Social Justice
Tagged Islamophobia, Palestine, racism, Xenophobia
Comments Off on We Are Not Here to Be Bystanders – Linda Sarsour
Low-Hanging Fruit: Sparkling Whines, Champagne Problems, and Pressing Issues from My Gay Agenda – Randy Rainbow
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Who would write a Dear John letter to social media in order to get control over his attention span and basically his entire life? And how do you even navigate the damn thing? Or how about … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Humor & Satire, Non-fiction
Tagged comedy, essays, social media, Social satire
Comments Off on Low-Hanging Fruit: Sparkling Whines, Champagne Problems, and Pressing Issues from My Gay Agenda – Randy Rainbow
That Librarian – Amanda Jones
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “We are just collateral damage to them in their quest, and so are the students who do not fit into the mold of what they deem acceptable which is white, straight Christians. I pray for the … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Non-fiction, Social Justice
Tagged book banning, censorship, Christian, homophobia, racism
Comments Off on That Librarian – Amanda Jones
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 and Social Justice, Social Justice, World Issues
Tagged autocracy, China, democracy, dictatorship, Iran, murder, politics, Russia, Venezuela
Comments Off on Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World – Anne Applebaum