(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Luck always seems to be against the man who depends on it.”- Ukrainian proverb Vira Blyzinska fled to Poland from her home in Ukraine due to the Russian invasion. She brought little with her except for her viola da gamba. Unfortunately, her twin brother, Sevastyan, stayed behind to serve…
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Splice of Life: A Memoir in 13 Film Genres is structured in essays, each representing a “splice” of writer and cinephile Charles Jensen’s life. Each story is interwoven with a particular film that he studies in its own context and how it relates to a certain event or period in his…
(Reviewed by JD Jung) At the start of the Covid 19 pandemic, five original dancers from the Dance Theater of Harlem formed the 152nd Street Black Ballet Legacy Council. Lydia Abarca, Gayle Mc-Kinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Marcia Sells, and Karlya Shelton embarked on a journey to reclaim their rightful place in the narrative of ballet. They…
(Reviewed by JD Jung) In 1959, twenty-eight-year-old tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins disappeared for two years with the purpose of practicing and improving his craft. He wrote down his thoughts on technical aspects of the saxophone, “rethinking musical concepts”, as well as those on perseverance, and self-improvement and control. These notes are at the beginning of…
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “I’ve spent years in therapy pushing dark memories into a black corner where, without light, I though the wild things could not grow. I was wrong. Left alone and ignored, I’ve provided ideal conditions for them to flourish.” And allow others to manipulate us with their “truth”. In All Who Wander, we…
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Benetton: A True Story offers a fascinating journey through the history of one of the most iconic fashion brands of the 1980s. Written by Francesco della Barba, the Executive Vice-President of Benetton USA, this memoir provides an insider's perspective on the rise and evolution of this Italian clothing company. Della Barba…
(reviewed by JD Jung) 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…
(Reviewed by JD Jung) One would think that Jason Kander had it all. He completed his law degree from Georgetown University and was married to Diana, a girl he met when they were both seventeen. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives while still in his 20s. He was then elected to the office…
(reviewed by John Heilman) Leader, Not a Boss is great for new managers. Although the book doesn't break new ground, it is a well-organized primer on effective management practices. The author uses his own experience managing teams in sales and logistics to help demonstrate the difference between bossing people around versus effectively developing and managing…
(Reviewed by Jay Gendron) Me and the Times is the story of Robert Stock's journey from humble beginnings to the position of NYTimes editor and columnist. It is chronological, for the most part, but takes many detours into seemingly random musings about famous people he met along the way. Stock is a self-effacing…
