Category Archives: Non-fiction

Black as Hell, Strong as Death, and Sweet as Love: A Coffee Travel Guide – Steven P. Unger (Author), Ruth St. Steven (Photographer)

Posted on April 15, 2025 by J D Jung

(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, Reviewers' Top Picks, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Black as Hell, Strong as Death, and Sweet as Love: A Coffee Travel Guide – Steven P. Unger (Author), Ruth St. Steven (Photographer)

Your Pasta Sucks: A “Cookbook” – Matteo Lane

Posted on April 4, 2025 by J D Jung

(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 , , , , | 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

Posted on March 29, 2025 by J D Jung

(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 , , , | 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

Posted on March 25, 2025 by J D Jung

(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 , , , | Comments Off on Cellar Rat: My Life in the Restaurant Underbelly – Hannah Selinger

My Bully, My Aunt, and Her Final Gift – Harold Phifer

Posted on March 11, 2025 by J D Jung

(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 , , , | Comments Off on My Bully, My Aunt, and Her Final Gift – Harold Phifer

Ugliness – Moshtari Hilal, Translated from the German by Elisabeth Lauffer

Posted on March 6, 2025 by J D Jung

(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 , , , , , , , | 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

Posted on March 2, 2025 by J D Jung

(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 , | 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

Posted on February 23, 2025 by J D Jung

(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 , , , | 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

Posted on November 1, 2024 by J D Jung

(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 , , , | Comments Off on Low-Hanging Fruit: Sparkling Whines, Champagne Problems, and Pressing Issues from My Gay Agenda – Randy Rainbow

That Librarian – Amanda Jones

Posted on October 17, 2024 by J D Jung

(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 , , , , | Comments Off on That Librarian – Amanda Jones