(Reviewed by JD Jung) “When refugees leave, it is rarely, if ever, happy. And it is never something they choose to do. Their bodies, finding no other way to survive, split themselves from their souls, wave goodbye to them, on the fragile hope that soon, they will meet again.” Dr. Diya Abdo knows this firsthand…
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Sign of the Cross is a gripping religious thriller that blends suspense, historical conspiracy, and theological intrigue. Calvin Donovan, a Harvard Divinity School professor who wrote a book on the history of Stigmata, was asked by the Vatican to travel to Rome to determine whether a young Italian priest, Padre Gio,…
(Reviewed by JD Jung) When I picked up Pereira Maintains at Paperback Exchange in Florence, Italy, I had no idea how relevant this novel would feel today. Set in Portugal in the summer of 1938, during the rise of fascism in Europe, Antonio Tabucchi’s novel is a powerful reminder that sometimes we have to stop…
What I appreciate about The Ingredients of Emotional Maturity is its emphasis on understanding ourselves rather than constantly trying to “fix” ourselves. The authors explain how much of our behavior, reactions, and inner dialogue can be traced back to childhood. Instead of ignoring our psychological pain, they encourage us to acknowledge it and have compassion…
(Reviewed by JD Jung) What happens when a former punk-rock singer reaches her forties, her children have left home for college, and suburban life suddenly feels like a cage? That’s where Joan finds herself in this wonderfully original and often hilarious novel about identity, conspiracy theories, and finding your way back to yourself. Once the…
(Reviewed by JD Jung) "That's why I'm listening to the city tonight, with Chet Baker playing softly in the background." Another book I picked up while visiting Bologna, Italy, was Almost Blue by Carlo Lucarelli at Feltrinelli Librerie. It turned out to be one of the most gripping noir crime novels I've read…
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Edward C. Sellner's Kindred Spirits brings together two unlikely figures—Trappist monk Thomas Merton and Beat Generation icon Jack Kerouac. This well-researched biography explores how Buddhist thought influenced each man's spiritual journey. Both men battled depression, wrote compassionately about society's outsiders, and were influenced by Zen scholar D.T. Suzuki and the concept…
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Set on the outskirts of Dublin in 2025, Buyer Beware follows Ellie as she moves into the first home she's ever owned. Unfortunately, it's cold, filthy, and falling apart, and with little money to spare, she can barely afford to live there. Then strange things begin happening. Someone seems to break into…
Reviewed by Don Jung) From Lompoc With Love is the sixth in a series of spy thrillers that is fast paced with nonstop action that takes you around the world. James Flynn is a retired “secret agent" who is trying to get back to a normal life in Switzerland with his girlfriend. A lovely Russian agent…
