Colorful Palate: A Flavorful Journey Through a Mixed American Experience – Raj Tawney

Posted on November 23, 2023 by J D Jung

(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 York, Raj’s narrative paints a vivid picture of his coming-of-age journey.

Raj was envious of those who were of just one ethnicity. They seemed to know “who” they were. His father immigrated from India and his mother was from the Bronx, of Puerto Rican and Italian heritage. Even his mother had problems integrating into his father’s family.

Despite that, he realized the importance of family and the food that brings them together. Any of the cultures in his upbringing could appear at mealtimes. Through heartfelt anecdotes, he unveils the significance of family bonds and the pivotal role that food plays in connecting generations. Each chapter is followed by a recipe which plays an integral part in the story. He learned much of the family history by helping his maternal grandmother in the kitchen. She related stories of growing up in the Bronx where people were segregated by national origin. She also lost part of her cultural connection upon moving to the suburbs.

One of the most compelling aspects of the narrative is Raj’s unlikely friendship with an elderly woman navigating her own challenges in a rapidly changing world that she felt less engaged in, while he was still trying to figure out who he was.

Even though I haven’t tried any of the recipes in the book yet, I consider Colorful Palate to be a celebration of diversity and resilience that I believe readers will appreciate.

Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Culture, Food & Cooking | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Colorful Palate: A Flavorful Journey Through a Mixed American Experience – Raj Tawney

Dogboy v Catfish – Luke Gracias

Posted on November 19, 2023 by J D Jung
Reviewed by JD Jung)
#CommissionsEarned


When I first read the title, Dogboy v Catfish, I thought that it sounded silly, and was skeptical as to whether I would enjoy the book. I hope others are not turned off by it, as this novel about crime and deception is anything but inane.

Millionaire Lindsay “Dogboy” Kramer vanishes close to the eighteen-month mark of his marriage to a former Miss Australia finalist Katherine “Catfish” Fisher. She is a popular social media influencer and owns a designer clothing and accessory shop. This is her second marriage, as her first husband supposedly committed suicide in Thailand.

First, Katherine files for divorce, but her high-priced attorney feels that something just isn’t right. Weeks after his disappearance, Katherine claims that he is dead and wants access to his bank accounts and assets. That’s when the story gets interesting.

A Melbourne detective and inspector investigating the disappearance also feel something is shady. When Katherine finds that she can’t get her hands on the money, she uses her social media influence to try and change the legal system.

The two officers find more than what they bargained for, which takes them to Bangkok. What ensues is a whirlwind of drug smuggling, gun running, money laundering and murder.

In addition to the family law attorney with a conscience, there are a host of other fascinating characters that add depth to the story.

It is important that you read the “Author’s Note” following the story. Author Luke Gracias discloses his motivation for writing the book, and how a friend’s divorce and attempted suicide provided the basis for the book. The author also claims that the Australian family court system usually favors the women, some of whom are unscrupulous and set out to abuse the system. He believes that there is a connection to why seven out of nine suicide victims in Australia are men.

As I am unfamiliar with Australian family law and legal system, I can only attest that this fast-paced story will keep you engaged until the last page.

Posted in Australian Literature, Crime, Mystery and Thrillers | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Dogboy v Catfish – Luke Gracias

An UnderratedRead Revisited:The Words That Remain – Stênio Gardel (Translated by Bruna Dantas Lobato)

Posted on November 16, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

#CommissionsEarned


“The river calmly flowed and cried its eternal murmur. Raimundo got up and looked at the empty sky. The shadows had taken over the blue as well. The stars must have fallen and become the seeds of reality at his feet.”

Raimundo could never forget his first love, Cicero. They both knew they were risking everything by being together. If their families found out they could be ostracized, beaten, or worse, killed.

Raimundo is in his seventies now and has lived life in the margins of Brazilian society. It’s been fifty years since he’s seen Cicero, and he is still holding on to an unopened letter from him. Growing up poor, Raimundo is illiterate, but he decides to finally learn to read in order to decipher the letter. Then again, should he destroy it instead? After all, Cicero knew he couldn’t read, so why would he even write to him?

Though poetic, the author also writes with haunting clarity. He structures the story with such skill, going back and forth between their early days and Raimundo’s present. Though we anxiously anticipate what he decides to do and possibly learn what ever happened to Cicero, it’s Raimundo’s life in between that keeps the reader captivated. We learn about a life of pain and longing, but also one of survival, family secrets, and how fear leads to violence. At only around 150 pages, the plot and characters are still fully developed.

The Words That Remain is a heart-wrenching story that I highly recommend.

Posted in Revisited | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on An UnderratedRead Revisited:The Words That Remain – Stênio Gardel (Translated by Bruna Dantas Lobato)

An UnderratedRead Revisited: The Vulture Fund – Jeff Buick

Posted on November 12, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by Don Jung)


#CommissionsEarned


Two unlikely murders that don’t appear to be related become the focus of Boston detective Curtis Westcoast and his team as they try to unravel one mystery after another. This is a murder mystery series that is fast-paced, suspenseful and full of twists and turns.

First, a woman with an India passport falls victim in a fatal drive-by shooting. The detectives uncovered a fake passport with very little information on her real identity. They found no cell phone but discovered that she worked in a building where she was the only occupant. The details are so obscure that fellow detective Aislinn must go to India to find out her next of kin and discover the nature of the secret job that she was working.

The second murder involves Mason Kalley, a hedge fund manager, who dies in his home from carbon monoxide poisoning. Ruled first as an accident, the case is reopened when Aislinn discovers that he was meeting frequently with the Indian national prior to her death.

The book is titled The Vulture Fund as the hedge fund was known for acquiring insolvent companies, reinventing their business model, and then selling them for huge profits. Mason Kalley was highly successful, but the detectives soon find his wife, his mistress, and his two kids all have possible motives on his premature death.

Slowly each motive and clue must be solved before it can lead to an exciting conclusion. I was mesmerized the entire time as each chapter led to more questions that need answers. I couldn’t put the book down.

Though I rated the others in the Curtis Westcott series: A Killing Game, and The Wrong Side of Murder, as well as the The Krubera Conspiracy, “A Must Read Now!” (5 bookmarks), I think the Vulture Fund is Jeff Buick’s best novel to date!

Posted in Revisited | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on An UnderratedRead Revisited: The Vulture Fund – Jeff Buick

Unlocking Your Inner Zelensky: Lessons We Can All Learn from an Unexpected Leader – Jessie Asya Kanzer

Posted on November 7, 2023 by J D Jung
Reviewed by JD Jung)
#CommissionsEarned

As a great admirer of the Ukrainian president, I was intrigued when I discovered the book, Unlocking Your Inner Zelensky: Lessons We Can All Learn from an Unexpected Leader. I didn’t know what to expect but I am happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed.

Author Jessie Asya Kanzer immigrated to the United States from Soviet Latvia and has crossed paths with Zelenskyy*. She shares her personal experiences and how they relate to Volodymyr Zelenskyy. She believes that he is a “profound philosophical leader of our generation”.

However, it is her analysis of his personality and how we can harness his strengths in our own lives that is the focus of the book. She goes into detail how Zelenskyy reveals authenticity, truth and honesty, and acts according to his core values. He is clear on his objectives and has overcome indecisiveness. Kanzer then details how we can do the same. She also explains his effective methods of communication and how we can develop these skills.

Even though Kanzer maintains that individuals must develop a particular strength or characteristic in their own lives in order to be able to project it to the world, I believe that some analogies are a stretch, relating the global to the individual. One example is comparing the act of choosing your own identity, (not the one predetermined for you) to that of how Zelenskyy is seeking to do that for Ukraine.

I also feel that the structure of the book could have been more consistent. Kanzer jumps around multiple topics. However, I found her study of different aspects of the Ukrainian war quite interesting.

Still, there’s a lot one can get out of Unlocking Your Inner Zelensky. As we look deep into ourselves, there’s much we can learn from the Ukrainian president and former comedian.

*The author uses the Ukrainian spelling of Zelenskyy with the double ”yy”, instead of the Russian spelling using the single” y”, in deference to what she says the Ukrainian president prefers.

Posted in Non-fiction, Your Best Self | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Unlocking Your Inner Zelensky: Lessons We Can All Learn from an Unexpected Leader – Jessie Asya Kanzer

An UnderratedRead Revisited: Confessions of a Gentleman Killer – Johnny Payne

Posted on October 31, 2023 by J D Jung

(reviewed by JD Jung)

“If I didn’t kill them afterward, you’d say I was the perfect client, boyfriend, husband, or lover. And believe me, that’s the man I want to be, the man I tried to be. And failed.”

It’s 1849 London and after two years and fourteen killings, Kilcairn is reevaluating his life. The newspapers refer to him as “The Gentleman Killer” based on his method of killing his victims. But these murders are only part of the story.

Kilcairn was from a family of Irish sheep farmers, but highly educated in London. He was the son-in-law of a powerful businessman and eventually became the assistant to the future British Prime Minister.

So, what would drive such as successful man to commit such depraved acts of violence?

Confessions of a Gentleman Killer takes us through the life of Kilcairn from his own perspective. The story grabs the reader from the beginning and doesn’t let go. I found some of the events from Kilcairn’s professional life so remarkable, that I forgot (though only briefly) that he was a serial killer. This is not to say that I sympathized with him or understood his actions, but I gained a larger picture of him.

This dark story itself is fascinating enough. It explores issues of class within nineteenth century British society. However, if you’re like me, you’ll wonder what drove him to commit these murders. The author explores the killer’s psychology and presents enough background information for readers to come up with their own conclusions. In fact, I think that was done on purpose. I have my own ideas, but I don’t want to give anything away.

I highly recommend Confessions of a Gentleman Killer for fans of historical crime fiction that blends both psychology and sociology within the story.

Posted in Revisited | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on An UnderratedRead Revisited: Confessions of a Gentleman Killer – Johnny Payne

An UnderratedRead Revisited:Blind Dates: Weird Stories – Harambee K. Grey-Sun

Posted on October 29, 2023 by J D Jung
Reviewed by JD Jung)
#CommissionsEarned


Being close to Halloween, I was in search for a good horror read. So, when I started reading these stories, I was expecting them to center on blind dates gone tragically wrong. Or maybe the traditional “woman gets picked up by sociopathic man who then strangles her”. I was wrong on both counts.

Blind Dates – Weird Stories is a collection of nine works of speculative fiction focusing on flawed individuals where often the supposed victim isn’t as apparent as it seems. And not always female. These diverse stories combine horror and the supernatural, along with psychological and ethical issues. Love is defined in different ways, by those with varying motives and weaknesses.

My favorite is “Love Among the Ultramoderns”, where the twists will shock you. In “Silver Green”, revenge takes on a twist. I feel that not all are keepers though. However, the good ones overshadow the not-so-good ones.

What they all have in common though, is that they’re well written and multifaceted. All the senses are engaged, especially by way of scent and aroma.

As you start to read these tales,  throw away your expectations. If you’re like me and are looking for an enjoyable, eclectic read, Blind Dates – Weird Stories is the one for you.

Posted in Revisited | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on An UnderratedRead Revisited:Blind Dates: Weird Stories – Harambee K. Grey-Sun

January – Sara Gallardo, translated by Frances Riddle

Posted on October 24, 2023 by J D Jung

(reviewed by JD Jung)

Exceptional
January (Enero) first published in Spanish in 1958, follows the daily life and thoughts of sixteen-year-old Nefer, who finds she is pregnant after a rape.

Nefer works on the family farm, and lives in the shadow of her sister and the other girls in the Argentine village. There seems to be no one she can turn to. She doesn’t get along with her mother and is afraid to confide in her local priest. She contemplates visiting the infamous woman who is known to perform abortions, though they are illegal.

The late Argentinian author Sara Gallardo wrote this in a very personal tone. Though we learn the story through Nefer’s perspective, her feelings are not static. We witness her confusion, but also her anger, jealousy, and desperation. Why couldn’t this “secret” inside her be from the man she loves, though he never notices her? For this, she despises the pretty wealthier girls from the village. However, through all of this, Nefer refuses to be a victim.

What is so fascinating about January is that the story is not only very human and genuine, but also significant in a historical, cultural, and sociological sense.

January was Gallardo’s first novel and remains a very significant work of literary fiction. We are fortunate that it has just been translated into English.

Posted in Culture, Latin American Literature, Lost and almost forgotten, Skinny reads | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on January – Sara Gallardo, translated by Frances Riddle

An UnderratedRead Revisited:The Wishing Pool and Other Stories – Tananarive Due

Posted on October 18, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

 


You’ll keep looking over your shoulder as you read these eerie stories of horror, with a little science fiction sprinkled in, in The Wishing Pool and Other Stories.

The title piece, “The Wishing Pool” features Joy, a woman returning home to North Florida to visit her father who is suffering from dementia. She reminisces about her childhood there and the small pond, where one must be careful what they wish for.

Author Tananarive Due not only tackles childhood fears but also aging and the fear of mortality. Throughout this collection of fourteen chilling stories, she also explores issues of race, family, and society. Such is the case with “Haint in the Window”, where Darryl, who runs a bookstore, is faced with a security guard who is racially profiling him. That is, in addition to dealing with the ghosts provoking him in the shop.

While these two superb stories are just examples of the haunting tales in “Part I: Wishing”, my favorites are those in “Part II: The Gracetown Stories”. As mentioned in the section title, the setting for these is Gracetown, a swamp-filled rural town in North Florida. From getting lost on Route 9 to working as a housekeeper for an elderly white man hiding damning secrets, readers will identify with many of the characters as it will bring up some of their deepest fears. In “Migration”, Jazmine cannot make sense of her actions nor remember all her secrets and transgressions as she may be suffering from schizophrenia on the one hand or possessed by a demon on the other.

In “Part III: The Nayima Stories”, we witness a grim, dystopian future where decades of plague lead to totalitarianism and shortages of every kind.

These stories feel hauntingly real and invoke such powerful images that the reader is completely invested in the characters and their dire situations. It is also amazing how Due is able to develop her unique characters in such a short amount of time.

The Wishing Pool and Other Stories will provide a unique experience in the horror genre. Highly recommended!

Posted in Revisited | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on An UnderratedRead Revisited:The Wishing Pool and Other Stories – Tananarive Due

C’mon, Get Happy: The Making of Summer Stock -David Fantle and Tom Johnson

Posted on October 12, 2023 by J D Jung

(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 and readers need.
A book of details surprising
that make a reader want to sing.

Judy and Gene get lots of space.
They worked together at a pace
They loved each other and it shows.
Their friendship worked — as this fan knows.

Other helpers are detailed too.
Read this book and find out who.
All songs and dances get their due.
Favorite? “You Wonderful You”

Cast and everyone behind screen
All of them manage to be seen.
A barnyard musical like this
now history we should not miss.

Posted in History, Non-fiction | Tagged | Comments Off on C’mon, Get Happy: The Making of Summer Stock -David Fantle and Tom Johnson