My Neighbour Osama Bin Laden – Yslar Tatuky

Posted on August 31, 2019 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned What happens when one puts Osama bin Laden and Salman Rushdie at the same dinner table? Yslar Tatuky is such a person as he has grand, though idealistic, hopes for humanity in his novel, My Neighbour Osama Bin Laden. Tatuky, who plays himself in the story, returns to Okriba, Georgia…

Read More →

Posted in Historical Fiction, Humor & Satire, Philosophical reads, Politics and Social Justice, Slavic Literature, World Issues, World Literature | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on My Neighbour Osama Bin Laden – Yslar Tatuky

Mr. Siegel Writes to Washington – Rich Siegel

Posted on August 28, 2019 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by Don Jung) Mr. Siegel sends a weekly letter to various Republican politicians on what they are doing wrong. This collection of letters to each Republican senator (including multiple ones to speaker McConnell) is filled with a satirical look at the problems that the U.S. Senate faces, and he describes his zany comments on…

Read More →

Posted in American Politics, Humor & Satire, Non-fiction, Politics and Social Justice | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Mr. Siegel Writes to Washington – Rich Siegel

An UnderratedReadRevisited: Obama’s Legacy: What He Accomplished as President – Michael I. Days

Posted on August 25, 2019 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) During Trump's recent rant to reporters on the White House lawn, he panned President Obama numerous times, even more than usual. He, as well as his supporters, refuse to acknowledge the vast accomplishments of the Obama presidency, even though the facts stare them right in the face. Therefore I am happy…

Read More →

Posted in Revisited | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Arid – Anne Joyce

Posted on August 17, 2019 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by Jeyran Main) Arid is a dystopian futuristic story and environmental cautionary tale where a group of moguls has created an unbearable living situation. Joshua, Xiomara, and others are all fighting to simply survive the situation and to provide vital resources, such as water. The Purifiers who are the ones forced out of their…

Read More →

Posted in Sci-Fi/Speculative/Fantasy/Mythology | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Arid – Anne Joyce

Shades: Detroit Love Stories – Esperanza M. Cintrón

Posted on August 13, 2019 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) It’s the 1960s and we follow two women into a bar who just want a diversion from the hardships of everyday life. From there, Shades draws us in and takes hold of us through the entire eighteen interwoven stories. We learn the raw truth about girlfriends, lovers, family and just trying…

Read More →

Posted in Short stories | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Shades: Detroit Love Stories – Esperanza M. Cintrón

The 6:41 to Paris – Jean-Philippe Blondel, (Translated from the French by Alison Anderson)

Posted on August 10, 2019 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “What I feel now is pure hatred. And that surprises me---because I’m not like that, particularly toward someone I haven’t seen in what must be at least twentyfive years…I can’t help but sneak looks at him.” Forty-seven-year-old Cécille Duffant is traveling on the 6:41 train back to Paris as she often…

Read More →

Posted in French Literature, Modern Literary Fiction, World Literature | Tagged | Comments Off on The 6:41 to Paris – Jean-Philippe Blondel, (Translated from the French by Alison Anderson)

Revisited-Loaded: A Disarming History of the Second Amendment – Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Posted on August 7, 2019 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “The militias referred to in the Second Amendment were intended as a means for white people to eliminate Indigenous communities in order take their land, and for slave patrols to control Black people.” American historian Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz argues that understanding the history and reasoning behind the Second Amendment is crucial in…

Read More →

Posted in Revisited | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Revisited-Loaded: A Disarming History of the Second Amendment – Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Secrets To Being Amazing: What confident people don’t do – Denise Wijayaratne

Posted on August 5, 2019 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Self- awareness is the first step to change, and to a better world.” “Find the good things you like about yourself and focus all your time on that. If somebody says something unpleasant about you, ask yourself if that’s true. If the answer is yes, then the next question is, what…

Read More →

Posted in Your Best Self | Tagged , | Comments Off on Secrets To Being Amazing: What confident people don’t do – Denise Wijayaratne

Dark Cure: Lifesaving medical research or dangerous genetic modification? – Cameron K. Moore

Posted on August 1, 2019 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by Matt McAvoy) Dark Cure  is not really what I was expecting, but the surprise was a rather welcome one. Whilst I was anticipating some sort of medical-corporate legal thriller, this is actually a fully-fledged actioner, somewhere between “Die Hard” and “Universal Soldier”, though with a great deal more maturity; the more fun part…

Read More →

Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers | Tagged | Comments Off on Dark Cure: Lifesaving medical research or dangerous genetic modification? – Cameron K. Moore

PREACHER AND CO – Brendon Boone

Posted on July 29, 2019 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by Christopher J. Lynch) There’s an old saying in writing, ‘Readers don’t care about stories, they care about people.’ And that’s exactly what author Brendon Boone does; he makes us care about his characters from the very first page. A historical novel set at the conclusion of the Civil War in the Deep South,…

Read More →

Posted in Historical Fiction | Tagged , | Comments Off on PREACHER AND CO – Brendon Boone