Discovering Literary Gems Discovering Literary Gems Underrated Reads

California Rain – Frank McAdams

Posted on November 20, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

Set against the backdrop of 1950s America, California Rain delivers a gripping noir thriller that blends the intrigue of political scandal, the fight for justice, along with the glamour of old Hollywood. With an evocative sense of time and place, this novel keeps readers hooked from the very first page.

At its core, California Rain is a story about loyalty and truth. Investigative reporter, Mike Foyle of the New York bureau of the Los Angeles Beacon, learns that his friend, Bernie Crusher, who saved his life while in combat during WWII, died of an apparent suicide in Los Angeles. Crusher was covering a House subcommittee hearing on Communist influence in Hollywood.

Foyle asks to go to Los Angeles to cover Bernie’s assignment, but what he really wants is to find out if his death was a suicide. Based on the minimal information he has, his doubts are high. Though he attends the subcommittee hearings, he investigates his true purpose on the side. Of course, his superiors at the newspaper aren’t happy with his deviation from the original assignment. They are also suspicious of his alliance with a young female entertainment reporter, who wants to break the gender rules, and report on serious news stories. That’s not to say that his attendance at the hearings is a waste; he learns that there’s more going on in that subcommittee hearing; and it may affect an upcoming congressional race.

One of the novel’s strongest elements is its rich cast of characters. Foyle is a classic noir protagonist—cynical but righteous. Each supporting character adds to the story, and their motivations make sense.

The setting itself is as much a character as anyone else, with the novel immersing us in a Los Angeles steeped in danger and allure. From the charged atmosphere of the subcommittee hearings to the smoky newsroom and local bars, every location feels alive.

California Rain takes us on an exciting ride through corrupt politics, old Hollywood, and murder. Don’t worry, no spoilers here. However, the ending will surprise you.

Pieces: Maddy Reynolds in the Crosshairs – John Netti

Posted on November 10, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

Detective Maddy Reynolds was so burned out from her job that she decided to take early retirement and move to the small, quiet town of Berry Lake, New York. Little did she know that her peaceful life would be disrupted, and her past police work would follow to haunt her.

Bodies of dead women in this town start to appear at a rapid rate with an organ extracted from each body with surgical precision. This could only be the work of serial killer, Amos Whitfield, who is still on the loose. Whitfield settles into a community long before he kills, so he’s been there awhile, taking on another identity. Maddy, who researched Whitfield in the past, soon realizes that she is a target as he leaves her a gruesome “present”.

Pieces takes readers on a roller coaster ride, that doesn’t stop. From the beginning, the plot grabs you and never lets go. The multiple supporting characters not only add depth to the plot, but also provide riveting side stories. In fact, I think that some, such as FBI agent Hannah Bates, could stand on their own in a novel.

This novel has all the pieces of an enticing crime story. Highly recommended.

Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers | Tagged Crime, New York, serial killers | Leave a comment

A Relevant Poem by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Posted on November 7, 2024 by J D Jung

Pity The Nation (2007)- Lawrence Ferlinghetti (1919-2021)

(inspired by Khalil Gibran)

Pity the nation whose people are sheep,

and whose shepherds mislead them.

Pity the nation whose leaders are liars, whose sages are silenced

and whose bigots haunt the airwaves.

Pity the nation that raises not its voice,

except to praise conquerors and acclaim the bully as hero

and aims to rule the world with force and by torture.

Pity the nation what knows no other language but its own

and no other culture but its own.

Pity the nation whose breath is money

and sleeps the sleep of the too well fed.

Pity the nation – or, pity the people who allow their rights to erode

and their freedoms to be washed away.

My country, tears of thee, sweet land of liberty.

Posted in What the...? | Tagged poetry | Leave a comment

A Must Read Now! -On Heroism: McCain, Milley, Mattis, and the Cowardice of Donald Trump – Jeffrey Goldberg

Posted on November 4, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

Why do so many politicians and public servants continue to support a man who has little regard for the military, no regard for the Constitution, and holds dictators in such high regard? Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor in chief of The Atlantic gives us clues.

There are some though, who refuse to compromise their values, and their oaths to the Constitution. Goldberg provides us with examples, history and quotes from prior interviews in his recent book, On Heroism: McCain, Milley, Mattis, and the Cowardice of Donald Trump.

He begins the book by relaying his time with the late senator John McCain, who downplayed his service and years as a POW during the Vietnam War. The bulk of the book are essays, starting in 2019, of two military leaders: Defense Secretary James Mattis, who resigned in December of 2018, and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Mark Milley.
We learn how these heroes guided Trump to resist his worst impulses. Chairman Milley tried to teach Trump the difference between battlefield aggressiveness and war crimes, unfortunately to no avail. In fact, Trump’s idea of the military has not evolved since he became president. He continues to show contempt for soldiers, seeks to politicize the military and use them against American citizens. It says a lot when White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Mattis made a pact with each other that one of them would always remain in the country, so that President Trump would never be left unmonitored.

I consider myself to be knowledgeable of current politics, but I learned so much more about the Trump presidency and the actions of these men to protect our country amidst chaos. Goldberg does not use broad generalizations; he provides specifics. The worries about the nuclear arsenal still resonate with me.

Personally, I am afraid of another Trump presidency where no heroes will be in the White House to provide these guardrails. At barely over a hundred pages, there is no excuse for any American voter not to read this book.

Posted in Revisited | Tagged American History, American politics, Donald Trump, heroism, military | Leave a comment

Still a Grim Favorite! Revisited: Mygale – Thierry Jonquet (translated by Donald Nicolson Smith)

Posted on October 29, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

Ah, revenge can be so sweet. Now mix it with obsession and a touch of madness, and it turns utterly twisted and bizarre. Such is the case with the intense and fascinating novel, Mygale, written by the late French crime novelist Thierry Jonquet.

Richard Lafargue, a successful, well-respected plastic surgeon carries a dark secret. He locks Eve, the stunning woman he lives with, in her bedroom. If that isn’t enough, he forces her to turn tricks in a Paris apartment once a month while he watches. As you can assume, she despises him as much as he does her. Acquaintances would never figure out their sordid life as they both seem so content at the lavish parties, they attend with the Paris elite.

In the underbelly of society, we meet twenty-one-year-old Alex Barny. Though he has never been in prison or even in front of a court, he made a living by thumping people for his ’employers’. Strong and impulsive, he figured that he could make more money by committing his own crimes. But now he’s on the run. While robbing a bank he killed a cop and, in the process, caught a bullet in his thigh. He keeps scolding himself, not for the crime, but for his stupidity. If his longtime friend, Vincent, was around, he would have thought things through and planned the perfect bank robbery. However, Vincent was nowhere to be found.

The lives of Alex, Richard, and Eve intertwine but not in the way that you would expect. Jonquet takes the reader back in forth between the three and their stories and you shudder as you begin to figure it all out. Though the ending makes perfect sense, it is hardly what you expect.

Mygale takes the psychological thriller to an entirely new level. This novel is so unique, seedy and gritty, that you won’t be able to put it down. It will also linger in your mind long after you’ve read the last page. Surprisingly, at only 120 pages the narrative is concise but with elaborate detail while the characters are completely fleshed out.

This translated version of Mygale is part of the City Lights Noir collection. It’s a perfect read for this time of year. Still one of my favorites!

Posted in Revisited | Tagged Crime, French noir, horror, Paris, revenge | Leave a comment

An UnderratedRead Revisited: Send Her Back and Other Stories – Munashe Kaseke

Posted on October 26, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

This collection will captivate you as soon as you start reading. “Send Her Back” is just one of twelve riveting tales centering around women who immigrated to the U.S. from Zimbabwe. In that specific title, a young woman who has just been accepted into medical school is in fear of being deported.

But each of these works of fiction is so different from one another. Some elaborate on cultural differences. One woman doesn’t understand issues of race in America. She wants to stand out, so she becomes a Trump supporter. After working in the U.S., another woman goes back home to visit family and realizes that even though she misses her homeland, she and the country have changed. A U.S green card holder from Zimbabwe visits Mozambique and gets a big culture shock. Some of the women who experience bad behavior from their American boyfriends, incorrectly chock it up to cultural differences.

Some stories are so heart wrenching that you’ll think about them for days. One woman works four jobs and sleeps in her car, just so she can send money to her ungrateful family. In another story, a single mother can’t relate to her American-born teenager who thinks life would be better in another family.

One story that may seem familiar is the adult who arrived in the U.S. at the age of five but can only stay if she remains a student. This is a problem in the U.S., and the author personalizes it by adding depth and nuance as she does with every story.

There’s the abused wife who anxiously awaits the death of her elderly Zimbabwean husband. A successful stockbroker sends home for her husband only to be humiliated by him once he arrives. Then there’s the cold Minnesota winter that acts an abusive partner. These stories take place in diverse American states and cities, such as North Dakota, Indiana, San Francisco, and Baltimore.

Though these women may live lives quite dissimilar to your own, you’ll find certain aspects that you can relate to. The characters are painted with color and emotion and are very real.

These stories are so engaging that you can’t wait to discover what events the next one unfolds.

Posted in Revisited | Tagged illegal immigration, immigration, short stories, Zimbabwe | Leave a comment

That Librarian – Amanda Jones

Posted on October 17, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

“We are just collateral damage to them in their quest, and so are the students who do not fit into the mold of what they deem acceptable which is white, straight Christians. I pray for the hate, lies, and attacks to end for the sake of our profession, my friends, and our marginalized community members, but the haters just keep spewing their hate.”

On July 19, 2022, librarian Amanda Jones spoke against book banning and censorship at a Livingston Parish Library Board meeting. She wanted to advocate for children and those from marginalized sectors such as LGBTQ+ and BIPOC youth. Little did she know that the meeting would change her life, physically, mentally and emotionally. Jones relates her ordeal and the threats that libraries face all over the nation in her memoir, That Librarian.

She has lived in her small Louisiana town her entire life, but soon after that speech, she received death threats accusing her of acts such as teaching eleven-year-olds about anal sex and giving erotica to six- year- olds. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

She filed an unsuccessful anti-defamation lawsuit against members of Citizens for a New Louisiana, a book-banning group, who spread these lies through social media. This was to regain control over her life and take back her reputation.

What I particularly appreciated was her honesty. I could feel her pain throughout the book. Those who she thought were her friends, turned against her. However, she did find support through fellow librarians throughout the country.

I also appreciate that Jones gives advice on how other librarians can fight censorship, and online bullying. Her 2022 speech that started all of this is included at the end of the book. You will be astonished on how this speech promoting love and inclusion, could have been met with such hate from those espousing to be devout Christians, like herself.

Jones could have simply recoiled and given up, just to make her life bearable. Instead, she chose to fight for what is just and right—racism and homophobia. Amanda Jones is a true hero, and we can learn a lot from her. A must-read!

Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Non-fiction, Social Justice | Tagged book banning, censorship, Christian, homophobia, racism | Comments Off

An UnderratedRead Revisited: The Fitful Sleep of Immigrants – Orlando Ortega-Medina

Posted on October 14, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

“We were a family of emigrants, on the move from generation to generation. Forced to flee our homes because of intolerable situations imposed on us by those in power. The United States was meant to be the last stop on that journey.”

Such is the case of thirty-six-year-old attorney and recovering addict Marc Mendes. His father is Rabbi Gabriel Mendes who fled Aleppo, Syria with his grandmother in the late 1930s to escape violence against Jews. They ended up in Cuba, and twenty-three years later his parents left Cuba due to religious intolerance and settled in Los Angeles in a Sephardic community.

Marc later moved to San Francisco with his partner, paralegal Isaac Perez, a refugee from El Salvador (which is a heart-breaking story of itself). In 1997, six years into their relationship, Isaac is threatened with deportation. Will Marc help him fight it, or move back with him to El Salvador, or possibly request asylum in another country? Remember, this is before same-sex marriage was legal in the United States.

There’s more to it though. A handsome former client stalks Marc and challenges his relationship with Isaac as well as his sobriety. But Marc carries another dark, painful secret that we slowly learn the truth about.

There are so many layers that add depth to this story. It may sound like there’s a lot here, but all elements are interwoven flawlessly. From religion to addiction to immigration, to social commentary, they’re all deeply thought out. This is especially true of the family dynamics that play out in unexpected ways. And we can’t forget that’s it’s also a riveting thriller.

Author Orlando Ortega-Media started writing a memoir but came to the realization that “a memoir forced in anger made for an unpleasant read.” Twenty years later he reimagined it as a novel. Perhaps this is the reason that the story seems so personal.

In any event, The Fitful Sleep of Immigrants is a must-read for those who wish to delve into the human condition, as well as enjoying an exciting thriller.

Posted in Revisited | Tagged addiction, crime fiction, family, immigration, Judaism, LGBTQ, San Francisco | Comments Off

The Propagandist – Cécile Desprairies, translated by Natasha Lehrer

Posted on October 10, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

Our protagonist had to navigate between truth and lies, reality and denial for her entire childhood. Now as an adult and a historian, she must face these truths and the role her mother played in Fance during the German occupation.

Growing up in the 1960’s, she remembers her mother Lucie gossiping with family members and other women, but also speaking in soft voices about the past. What she later discovers is that her mother was nicknamed “The Propagandist”, for designing Nazi pamphlets and posters and demonstrating solid dedication to the cause.

Our historian tries to learn why her mother became antisemitic and embraced Nazi ideology. She remembers her fondly reminiscing about her earlier life and Friedrich, her first husband. As we read further, we discover that he studied genetic biology and was fascinated with racial science. He maintained “Jews, no better than laboratory mice.”

This autobiographical novel will keep readers glued to each page. We learn the family dynamics, such as how some family members promoted the Nazi cause, but would have been the first to be exterminated, and how our protagonist’s father Charles showed no resentment of his wife’s continual love for Friedrich.

Our protagonist tries to remain objective as her role as historian, but we see glimpses of this cracking. From her account, I saw her mother as evil, but I don’t know if that was her intent. Still, how does a daughter reconcile how her mother betrayed her Jewish neighbors and felt no remorse decades later, even at the point of stealing their property?

Author Cécile Desprairies is a historian specializing in the Nazi occupation of France. Readers of WWII history will find The Propogandist fascinating; however, the personal views of these conspirators and how it impacted the lives of those close to them will be of even greater interest.

Posted in French Literature, Historical Fiction, WWII | Tagged anti-antisemitism, France, Nazism, propaganda, WWII | Comments Off

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