They Got Daddy: One Family’s Reckoning with Racism and Faith – Sharon Tubbs

Posted on February 16, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

Exceptional
“This story would reveal parts of who I am, as a Black woman in America, by discovering who my grandfather was.”

This was not her original intention though. She wanted to learn more about her grandfather’s legal battles and his subsequent kidnapping, that all started in 1954. Initially this research was to be strictly historical. However, it did prompt her to connect what happened then to what she and others are going through today. From this research, she learned more about herself.

Author Sharon Tubbs obtained her information from interviews, newspaper articles and filings at government offices. She met some relatives for the first time and others she hadn’t seen in years.

This absorbing account not only reveals to us of the racial incidents that happened to her family in Alabama in the mid-twentieth century, but how this past affects people today, no matter where they live. For example, she interviewed her grandfather’s brother, who at eighty-nine years old and living in Indiana felt unsafe based of what happened decades ago in Alabama. The people who could serve retribution were already dead. This fear also affects subsequent generations. This leads to the question; how can we repair “cultural trauma”?

This fear is not unfounded. For example, she describes what happened to her brother in a 1984 McDonald’s parking lot in Indiana. Just as disturbing, her nephew explained to her the continual racist attacks that he experiences during online gaming parties. Unfortunately, he says he has learned to live with it.

Tubbs structures the book going back and forth between what happened to her grandfather, her past, the role of the Church and life today. This is engaging to the reader as we learn about life from her perspective while we eagerly await to find out what finally happens to her grandfather.

They Got Daddy is a must- read for all people so that we can appreciate those who have experienced life differently than we have as individuals. Though we will never completely comprehend what others go through, this will give us a glimpse and a better understanding.

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: Busted Valentines and Other Dark Delights – Frank De Blase

Posted on February 14, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)


#CommissionsEarned

Exceptional

“‘Twas the night before the night before Christmas and Jack Frost was pissed.”

That’s the intro to my favorite story, “The Night Before the Night Before Christmas” in Busted Valentines and Other Dark Delights. But what does that holiday story have to do with Valentines? Let’s just say that all of these thirteen gritty, dark, short stories have a cheating/devious lover or feature photographer/investigator/extortionist/hustler, Frank Valentine. What could be better for the cynic on Valentine’s Day?

What other elements do these stories share? All of them include the desperate and degenerate or those who live on the fringes of society. You’ll meet loners, drinkers, hookers, strippers, mobsters and crooners. There are musicians and card sharks. Let’s not forget women who fall for Elvis impersonators and of course our Santa character.  The stories take place in seedy locations from New York City to Memphis to Las Vegas.

Though some of the stories are predictable, it’s the rhythmic, crisp dialogue and graphic story-telling that seduces the reader.

It’s actually difficult to pick a favorite piece from this 168-page compilation. From the eerie “Neon Boneyard” and the revengeful “State of Grace” to the offbeat “Mystery Train” and the big twist in “Busted Valentine”, they’re all twisted in a sordid way.

Most of all, this book is fun. If you’re looking for something deep and thought-provoking, pass on this gem. However, if you’re in desperate need of a quick escape from the stress of work or daily life, Busted Valentines and Other Dark Delights is the perfect diversion.

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An UnderratedRead Revisited:Black, White, and Gray All Over: A Black Man’s Odyssey in Life and Law Enforcement – Frederick Douglass Reynolds

Posted on February 11, 2023 by J D Jung

(reviewed by Ann Onymous )


Each person in life faces many crossroads. From the day we’re born, to the day we die, we are faced with decisions. Each choice can influence our life’s journey. Which direction we take has an impact. At each opportunity we have a chance to make a choice – large or small – and the results drive our path forwards. Life is NOT black or white. Life is full of gray.

Black, White & Gray All Over is the perfect title for this detailed autobiography. This is not historical novel; this is the life that Frederick Douglass Reynolds has experienced, including all the challenges he faced as a child. Born in Detroit, Michigan, Reynolds went on to serve as a Marine in Southern California. A son, a brother, a husband, a father, he served in the city of Compton as a police officer and then in Compton’s Sheriff’s Department. This book explains the corruption within the Compton city council and the police department over many years.

This is a fascinating book but a very difficult read and not for everyone. In addition to corruption, it’s a gruesome account of drugs and killing. Detective Reynolds gives his insight into all that went on in the police department. The timing of this book is important. Reynolds worked in many different areas, under different conditions, including being personal bodyguard for Clarence Avant, and various musicians across the years. He investigated the mishandling of weapons and drugs by both “officials” and “criminals.” It’s not clear (black or white) who was who.

After reading this account, we are reminded of how, in the blink of an eye, life can be altered. Losing fellow officers, rescuing a child, finding a lost son, he dedicated his heart and soul to the job. It’s an important story to tell the world.

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: Love, Activism, and the Respectable Life of Alice Dunbar-Nelson – Tara T. Green

Posted on February 7, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by Ann Onymous )


#CommissionsEarned

Exceptional
This book was not the biography I expected.

Alice Dunbar-Nelson (1875-1935) led an incredible life, full of love and activism indeed. This contribution into the oeuvre of African American history is from Dr. Tara T. Green. The biography is very detailed and complete, not just a brief summary of an amazing woman.

The author, Dr. Tara T. Green, shares a lot with Alice Dunbar-Nelson. Both women were born in New Orleans, both proud members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, both educators, both very involved in African American literature and protest movements, and women’s professional organizations. Both proud Louisiana women descended from that complex history of slavery of people – in the South – and throughout the United States.

Dr. Green’s carefully, deliberate choice to include the word ‘respectable’ in the title makes
reference to ‘respectability politics.’ The phrase was coined by Dr. Evelyn Brooks
Higginbotham in her book: Righteous Discontent: The Women’s Movement in the Black Baptist Church (1993). The beginning of this biography delves deeper into this subject.

Ms. Dunbar-Nelson lived at a time where ‘respectability’ was certainly expected/required of women, especially African American women before the turn of the century. She did not fit easily into the prescribed ‘behavior’ of women in America at that time. She was well educated, a teacher, self-sufficient, and self-supporting. She had a turbulent first marriage to Paul Laurence Dunbar and then married twice more. She had affairs with both men and women. She had to deal with being judged as a fair-skinned woman of color, a self-employed, independent divorcee, and a pioneer in women’s suffrage.

This book is tailored to a very specific audience. But all historians, not just scholars of African American history, will benefit greatly from Dr. Green’s extensive research. Dr. Green’s other books are also available to help all of us understand and grow into the future.

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An Underratedread Revisited: Have Black Lives Ever Mattered? – Mumia Abu-Jamal

Posted on February 3, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)


#CommissionsEarned

Exceptional

“The unity of the people is the greatest weapon against the silence, fear, and oppression imposed by the system.”

“…organizing makes a difference, protest has impact; for without the pressure of protest, there would be no counterforce against bigotry in American society.” 

Mumia Abu-Jamal wrote these words in 1999 and 2012, respectively. He studied the history and current state of social justice in the United States in his collection of essays, Have Black Lives Ever Mattered?. These were written from 1998 through 2016 while serving a life term.

He challenges the history that we are taught and not taught. In fact, I was not aware of some historic events such as “The Christiana Resistance” which took place on September 11, 1851. I didn’t just take Abu Jamal’s word on these events; I subsequently researched them.

We are reminded of instances where police shot unarmed teens as well as the killings of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice and others killed without due process. He also goes into the history of slave patrols and their similarity to the police.

He gives examples of how the criminal justice system is tainted throughout the country (including the FBI) and how laws are not administered equally. Jurors can often be manipulated, and appellate courts corrupted. And how was justice not served for the murder of Trayvon Martin?

There is so much in this book, that I can’t even scratch the surface here. However, I do want to note the essay, “Words vs. Deeds” written in 2015. Here he asks which is worse: racist words or racist actions? The example given is when a chapter of Fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon was suspended, and some members expelled after they were filmed singing a racist song. Abu-Jamal felt a better way to handle the situation was for the university to mandate that these offenders attend a history class of the roots of social injustice.

Though Have Black Lives Ever Mattered? was published in 2017, it is very timely. At only 144 pages, I can’t say that it is a quick read. It will initiate one to further research the history provided and really think about social injustice and our vision for the future

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Central Places – Delia Cai

Posted on January 30, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

#CommissionsEarned


Twenty-seven-year-old Audrey Zhou is leading a life most of us would be envious of. Living in New York City as a sales rep for a newspaper, she has many friends and is engaged to a witty and handsome man from a wealthy family.

In contrast, Audrey is from Hickory Grove, Illinois, a small Midwestern town, where she hasn’t been back to for eight years. As the daughter of working-class Chinese immigrants, she felt like an outsider. Add to that, she always had a contentious relationship with her mother and didn’t understand her father.

When her fiancé Ben wants to meet her parents, which means spending Christmas in Hickory Grove, Audrey panics. She is desperately trying to leave her past behind, especially Hickory Grove which she feels was toxic and suffocating.

But what ensues is what no one, especially Audrey herself expects. She not only sees her parents after all this time, but also runs into old friends in which she has unresolved issues with. The visit brings out tensions and irrational and self-destructive behavior. But there’s more to it.

Though I couldn’t understand all of Audrey’s choices, I did relate to wanting to leave one’s past behind and the people and memories that come with it.

Central Places takes a common, relatable situation and makes it one that most will enjoy reading and find difficult to put down.

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A Death in Valencia – Jason Webster

Posted on January 26, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

#CommissionsEarned


When I visit a city for the first time, I like to go to a local English-language bookstore—if I’m lucky enough to find one— to discover novels featuring the town, incorporating its culture into the story. A Death in Valencia does just that as it combines the history and culture with an intriguing tale of crime, murder, politics, and corruption.

Is the death of a noted paella chef, the kidnapping of an abortion provider, the crumbling of an apartment building, and the demolition of fishermen’s houses in order to pave the way for redevelopment, somehow related? Oh yes, and this all happens days before the Pope is to visit the city.

Max Cámara, chief inspector of the Grupo de Homicidios of the Policia Nacional, is intent on solving each of these cases. Unfortunately, his own past and his current emotional state find ways of creeping in and clouding his judgment.

Author Jason Webster explains the role of each of the police forces in Spain in the beginning of the book, which is essential in order for us to learn the competition that takes place between them in the story. Could some members of one of them be part of GAL, an ultra-conservative terrorist group that is taking credit for the kidnapping?

Webster also alludes to corrupt judges and other government officials who are left over from the Franco era, as politicians fight over Spain’s new identity. On a lighter note, we also learn of the city’s culinary delights, like Valencia’s particular version of paella.

Even if you have never physically been to Valencia, you’ll enjoy the virtual trip as you read this exciting crime story with complex characters.

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An Exceptional UnderratedRead Revisited: The Dying Crapshooter’s Blues- David Fulmer

Posted on January 23, 2023 by J D Jung

Atlanta, 1923: In the midst of Prohibition, the city is seething with corruption, bootlegging, narcotics, gambling, and counterfeiting scams. This would seem the perfect scenario for Joe “Indian Joe” Rose to drift into town, as he does every year or so, to try to make some cash.

Actually, Joe couldn’t have picked a worse time to show his face in Atlanta. He’s well known among the cops and thieves of this town, and too much is going down. Though his skin is of a copper complexion, no one knows whether he’s actually an Indian, but the cops figure that he gets along too well with blacks to be totally white. The city’s women also know him well, and they hold a weakness for his charismatic but dangerous demeanor. It’s gotten him into trouble before—either with a jealous husband, a protective brother, or a jilted woman.

Joe’s troubles begin when he lands on an old acquaintance, Little Jesse Williams, who was just shot by one of the city’s beat cops. Blind Willie, who carries a guitar on his shoulder and always has a tune in his head, comes onto the scene about the same time. Though Jesse was a gambler, pimp, and petty thief, there seems to be more to this shooting. Willie begs Joe to get the whole story—but is there one? After all, it’s not the first time a black rounder was shot by a drunken white cop. But Joe’s suspicions rise as too many witnesses wind up dead.

However, he should lay low. On the wealthy side of town, some jewels are reported stolen from the Payne mansion, and Captain Grayton Jackson, who was passed over for police chief, is pressured to solve the case. His anger is fueled by the fact that the new mayor wants to clean up the city. Unfortunately, Rose has crossed Jackson too many times, and he’d make the perfect fall guy.

The Dying Crapshooter’s Blues is a captivating novel that keeps you hooked at every page. David Fulmer will pull you in to the seedier side of life, and you’ll become entrenched in this fascinating period of American history. The numerous subplots—from the neglected wife who’s plotting to destroy her husband to the New York music producer on a mission to discover raw southern talent—add depth to the story. Don’t worry, though—you’ll have no problem keeping track of them all.

You’ll also appreciate the book’s authentic characters, complete with all of their human flaws. In fact, “bad” Joe Rose will seduce any female reader—though I don’t know if that was Fulmer’s intention.

This enticing story—as well as its complex characters and fascinating historical perspective—will surely enthrall all fans of crime novels, no matter their gender. You can’t go wrong with this one.

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The Words That Remain – Stênio Gardel (Translated by Bruna Dantas Lobato)

Posted on January 17, 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.

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: Women with Big Eyes – Angeles Mastretta, (Translated by Amy Schildhouse Greenberg)

Posted on January 12, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)


#CommissionsEarned

Exceptional

“A shiver ran down Paulina Trasloheros’s back. This man was horrible, excessive, outrageous. To exorcise him, she would have to commit a string of sins for which she could never repent. Not even when he decided to return to New York, where they lay success, a success that could not diminish the fury that would be the life of a great musician clogged up in a parlor in Puebla because of something as ethereal as love.”

Aunt Paulina’s story is only one of the many personal and mesmerizing short stories of women from Puebla, Mexico in Women with Big Eyes.

Though these are fictional characters–and I won’t reveal the names, so as to not give anything away– women will be able to understand and often identify with many of these “aunts”, who are not related to the author but rather are adult women who have lived full lives. Many lived with regrets, questioning their feelings and lamenting over missed opportunities. Others became secure with their unpopular decisions and owned up to the consequences.

One aunt left her husband and was the subject of the town’s mean- spirited gossip. Then an event occurred that allowed people to discover her true character. One professional found love later in life, lost it and couldn’t get past the grief.  That is, until a quirky woman introduced her to an even quirkier method of getting over her former lover.

One married aunt was tormented by a forbidden love. Another had to deal with a father who went crazy after the revolution. One had an extramarital affair and was relieved when she discovered that her husband was having one also. These are just a few examples of the over thirty stories.

A common thread is that most of these women were trying to reconcile their true self and desires with their religion and culture. Many thought they were going crazy. Most of the men in these stories weren’t abusive; in fact, they were quite loving. It’s just that the women grew restless.

Author Angeles Mastretta is able to illustrate the culture and feelings in such detail with just a few pages. Since these stories are short, you can put down Women with Big Eyes and pick it up whenever you like. The problem is that I found the stories so spellbinding, that I couldn’t put the book down. Perhaps that will be the case with other readers, also.

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