As of October 2011, I created an index of books I reviewed here. I will continue to list books I am currently reading here, but I will not attempt to write capsule reviews or even to link to them. For that you should check the index of books I reviewed. Movie Reviews will continue to be listed and annotated as before. See also my 2018 reading list, 2017 reading list, 2016 Reading/Watching List, my 2014 Reading/Watching List, my 2013 Reading/Watching List, 2012 Reading/Watching List, 2011 Reading/Watching List, 2010 Reading/Watching List, 2009 Reading/Watching List, 2008 Reading/Watching List , 2007 Reading/Watching List my previous Sept 2004 to Oct 2005 reading list or my Nov 2005 to Nov 2006 Reading List , so definitely check that out as well. See also my Best of 2006 for a scoop about favorites. See also Writers who have Changed Me. A few remarks. I’m reading several books at a time, and to be honest, sometimes I don’t read all of them depending on the content or my interest. Usually however, it’s been a matter of attention span and what other projects I’ve been doing. Also, you might want to check my favorite novels, and my Amazon.com wishlist. Also here’s an annotated photo of my bookshelf Also, I haven’t read most of these books, but I’ve been setting up Amazon lists of classic Texas novels (100 novels and counting). You also might enjoy reading my Amazon list of Unforgettable Forgettable Novels. Also see my Best of 2017 list. I’ve also started adding my book inventory to librarything.com. At the bottom of this page you will find a list of movies I’ve been watching.
Starting in late 2018 I started writing a weekly Robert’s Roundup column of ebook deals. This actually gives you a better idea of what I’ve been reading.
Reading
- Terrarium by Valerie Trueblood. Incredible compilation of short stories.
- Squeezed by Alissa Quart.
- Strangers to Superfans by David Gaughran
- Tiny Shoes Dancing by Audrey Kalma.
- Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe by Steven Novella
- Success with the gentle art of verbal self-defense . Suzette Haden Elgin
- Stories by Frank O’Connor
- What Confucius Really said. By Chris Wen-chao Li. Irreverent translation of Analects using US idiom and pop culture references.
- Four Chinese Classics. Translated by David Hinton. Considered the best translations.
- 55, Underemployed and Faking Normal by Elizabeth White.
- Power of Delight: Lifetime in Literature, Essays 1962-2002 by John Bayley.
- Philosophical Detective by Bruce Hartman
- Hell and Back: Reflections on Writers and Writers (compilation of essays) by Tim Parks
- Process: Writing Lives of Great Authors by Sarah Stodola
- Teaching College by Norman Eng
- How Not to be wrong by Jordan Ellenberg
- Mania by Ronald Collins and David Skover
- Novel: Survival Skill by Tim Parks. (Gosh, I need to start reading some fiction!)
- Nothing Gold can Stay by Ron Rash
- Clem Anderson by R.V. Cassill
- Ends of the World by Peter Brannen
- Falter by Bill McKibben
- Pictures of the Journey Back by Jack Matthews. Light-hearted early novel (More).
- Finding Wisdom in East Asian Classics, edited by Theodore de Bary.
- Another Shot. Joe Kita.
- Teaching Brain by Vanessa Rodriguez
- Wake of Forgiveness by Bruce Machart
- Authentic Confucius by Annping Chin.
- AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order by Kai-Fu Lee
- How to Kill Hitler by Andrew Stanek. Very clever comedy sci-fi.
- Light the Dark: Writers on Creativity, Inspiration and the Artistic Process. Edited by Joe Fossler
- Falter by Bill McKibben. Brilliant as usual.
- My Heart for Hostage by Robert Hillyer.
- Jesuit Guide to (almost) everything by James Martin.
- I never met a story I didn’t like by Todd Snider.
- Monarchy of Fear by Martha Nussbaum
- Squeezed: why our families can’t afford America by Alissa Quart.
- Beauty and the Inferno. Essays by Roberto Saviano
- Sampled various things by Harvey Havel
- Best. Movie. Year. Ever by Brian Raftery. 1999
- Emanuel poems
- Physics of Sunset by Janet Vandenburg. A great California novel with social satire,
- The art of X-ray reading : how the secrets of 25 great works of literature will improve your writing
- World We Imagine (essays) by Mark Schorer
- Nothing Remains the Same by Wendy Lesser. Great litcrit.
- Art of thinking clearly by Rolf Dobelli
- Pocket history of sex in 20th century by Jane Vendenburg
- Memories of the White House by Col. William H.
- Click here to kill everybody by Bruce Schneier
- Writing in General and the Short Story in Particular by Rust Hills. Insightful guide to writing.
- Connecting the Coincidence by Bernard Breitman
- Pocket History of Sex in the 20th century by Jane Vandenburgh
- Vaclav Havel: Civil Responsibility in the Postmodern Age by James F. Pontuso; Political philosophy comes to Rick’s : Casablanca and American civic culture
- Memoirs of Elias Canetti: The Tongue Set Free, The Torch in My Ear, The Play of the Eyes
- Various collections by Rose Maru
- American Amnesia by Jacob and Paul Pierson
- Vaclav Havel — plays.
- Jane Yolen. How to fracture a fairy tale.
- Exhalation by Ted Chiang
- How Fascism Works by Jason Stanley
- Maggie Brown & others by Peter Orner.
- 1941: Year Germany lost the war. by Andrew Nagorski. Not serious history (it’s written by a journalist), but still a great narrative which explores Hitler’s tactical and strategic mistakes.
- 1001 Movies you must see before you die, Edited by Steven Jay Schneider.
- Quirky: remarkable story of traits, foibles and genius of breathingtaking innnovators.
- Philosophy of Ruin by Nicholaus Mancusi
- Becoming Superman by Michael Stracynski. Wow, readable memoir.
- End of Europe by James Kirchick
- Galileo’s Mistake by Wade Rowland
- Hype by Nina Shapiro
- Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver (considered to be one of the best cli fi novels).
- Hitler’s Furies by Wendy Lower
- Flights by Olga Tokarczuk
- Autobiography of Red
- Too Bright to Hear Too Loud to See
- Battleborn
- Man vs. Nature by Diane Cook
- Woman Looking at Men Looking at Women: Essays on Art, Sex, and the Mind. Siri Hustveldt
Watching
- Shape of Water. Mediocre adult version of ET with some interspecies smooching going on. The quirky nostalgia makes it somewhat watchable.
- Red Dwarf Season 6. (Rewatched). As brilliant as remembered, though Season 7 flags a bit.
- Will and Grace Season 1.
- Laurel and Hardy collection.
- Talledega Nights (for third time)
- Game Night
- Jeffersons TV show Seasons 1 and 2
- Irish Rebellion. PBS Documentary.
- Happy-go-lucky. Mike Leigh starring Sally Hawkins of Shape of Water fame (She’s funny and very expressive). Now one of my alltime fave movies.
- Will and Grace Season 2.
- Quakser has a cousin in the Bronx
- Monty Python season 1
- Rewatched Life of Brian and Holy Grail
- Continuum, Netflix series. Update: In Season 3, and I’m really liking this sci fi thriller!
- Knock down the house. Netflix special about progressive Dems.
- When they see us. Dramatization about Central Park Five.
- Derry Girls.
- Chernobyl. Dramatization.
- Dead to us.
- Kim’s Convenience. Canadian sitcom.
- Guilty dir by Gustav Möller. (Police thriller about phone dispatcher).
- Time Lapse, Again.
- Doctor Who Season 10. Much better than previous seasons. Aha, am watching Season 11 now.
- Ben is Back (starring Julia Roberts). Fine script and acting, good family drama (with minor complaints).
- Yesterday (at the cinema!) Fun but mediocre movie about life without the Beatles, some nice touches thrown in though.
- Wendy and Lucy
- Rhinoceros, film version starring Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel.
- Rosehaven. Delightful sitcom about Tasmanian real estate agents!
- What we do in the shadows. The TV series is just as good as the movie!
- Stan & Ollie. Good biopic.
- Stress and the Body (Great Courses). I watched the entire series while packing and moving!
- They shall not grow old. Peter Jackson. Amazing documentary reconstructing WW1 footage.
- Black Klansman
- Star Trek Discovery (TV series)
- Last Black Man in San Francisco
- Hate U Give.
- Bodyguard TV series
- The Boys.. Israeli/Palestinian tv series
- Funny Ha Ha
- Night in Casablanca
- Late Night starring Mindy Kaling
- Green Book. I loved this movie and thought the accusations against it were wrong-headed.
- Goliath TV series (Amazon Prime). Season 3. Legal Procedural in Twin Peaks style.
- Golden Girls (season 1)
- Casablanca (again)
- Luce
- The Crown (Season 3)
- Marriage Story. Baumbach and Company
- Better than Us
- Dollar (Lebanese series on Netflix)
- Bandersnatch
- Into thin air. Well done 1985 made-for-TV movie about a missing teenager starring Ellen Burstyn.
- Brian Banks
- Klute. Ugh, boring, dated!
- Late Night. Overrated Mindy Kaling/Emma Thompson comedy.
- Good Boys. Overrated comedy about middle school boys. It did end at a good place, and some of the adventures were fun, but that is all.
- Booksmart. Latest incarnation of nerds-becoming-cool, except this time the nerds are girls.
- Get Smart. Season 1. Still brilliant!
- Searching directed by Aneesh Chaganty