Category Archives: books

Me and E-books

Posted on February 3, 2015 by Rick Robinson

Sometimes I embrace change and other times, not so much. The “not so much” particularly applies to electronic books. I really prefer ink-on-paper books, and that’s that. I love the feel, the heft, the look, the smell…okay, I’m getting all … Continue reading →

Posted in books | Tagged | 34 Comments

New Arrivals, Christmas edition

Posted on December 27, 2014 by Rick Robinson

“Santa” was very generous this year, but then, that’s no surprise as I was very good all year long. I’ll start out with the mystery fiction: The Black Lizard Big Book of Locked-Room Mysteries edited by Otto Penzler [Vintage Crime/Black Lizard 2014 trade paper, … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, books, fantasy, graphic novel, Jazz, mystery | 12 Comments

Revised: November Reading Plan

Posted on November 8, 2014 by Rick Robinson

I guess plans are made to be revised, just as rules are made to be broken, or so “they” say. My plan WAS to finish up a couple of library books, then read short stories for the rest of the … Continue reading →

Posted in books, reading | 17 Comments

November Reading Plan

Posted on November 2, 2014 by Rick Robinson

For some reason, November seems like a good month to have some kind of organized Reading Plan. Over on her fine blog The Little Red Reviewer, Andrea had a post about November reading plans, and I thought it was a grand … Continue reading →

Posted in books, reading | 10 Comments

ffb: Willy and Joe

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Rick Robinson

This is the 155th in my series of forgotten or seldom read books These are far more than a couple books of cartoons. The contents of these books are a documentary of the ground soldiers’ life in European theater World … Continue reading →

Posted in art and illustration, books, New Arrivals | 12 Comments

Concrete Angel by Patricia Abbot

Posted on September 17, 2014 by Rick Robinson

Patricia Abbott, short story writer extraordinaire, will be releasing her debut novel, with Polis Books, in the Summer of 2015. “Eve Moran has always wanted “things” and has proven both inventive and tenacious in both getting and keeping them – … Continue reading →

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ffb: More Than Honor by David Weber, David Drake & S.M. Stirling

Posted on June 12, 2014 by Rick Robinson

this is the 148th in my series of forgotten or seldom read books  More Than Honor by David Weber, David Drake, & S.M. Stirling, BAEN Books, 1998 paperback, three science fiction novelettes “Climbs Quickly scurried up the nearest trunk, then paused at the … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Friday Forgotten Book, science fiction | Tagged | 12 Comments

ffb: Blue Murder by Brett Halliday

Posted on May 29, 2014 by Rick Robinson

this is the 147th in my series of forgotten or seldom read books  Blue Murder by Brett Halliday, Dell 1973 mass market paperback – mystery – Mike Shayne Davis Dresser created the pseudonym Brett Halliday and the series character Michael Shayne for the … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Friday Forgotten Book, mystery | Tagged , | 11 Comments

ffb: English Country House Murders Thomas Godfrey, Editor

Posted on May 22, 2014 by Rick Robinson

this is the 146th in my series of forgotten or seldom read books  English Country House Murders, Thomas Godfrey, editor, Mysterious Press, 1989 – paperback, 22 short stories “There you are, after a day with overripe household bills or baby nappies, fatigued and … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Friday Forgotten Book | Tagged | 16 Comments

ffb: The Man In My Grave by Wilson Tucker

Posted on May 15, 2014 by Rick Robinson

this is the 145th in my series of forgotten or seldom read books  The Man in My Grave by Wilson Tucker, © 1956, Rinehart & Co. [Detective Book Club edition] hardcover mystery (other edition pictured) Wilson Tucker is known mostly for his science … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Friday Forgotten Book, mystery | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Library Book Overwhelmed-ness

Posted on February 15, 2014 by Rick Robinson

Does this happen to you? This happens every now and then: books on hold at the library all pop up at once. Right now, between the two of us, we have seven library books in the house, a couple of … Continue reading →

Posted in books | 18 Comments

New Arrivals, Current Reading November 25 – December 1, 2013

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Rick Robinson

NEW ARRIVALS: None. There’s nothing on order. Unless I get a book as a gift, I’m done for the year, which is good. Heaven knows I don’t need any more books. MY CURRENT READING: I know this is getting boring … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Current Reading, mystery, New Arrivals, science fiction | 16 Comments

New Arrivals, Current Reading November 18 – 24, 2013

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Rick Robinson

NEW ARRIVALS: Well, a big week. In response to a post on Kage Baker’s In the Company of Thieves that Andrea Johnson put up on her fine blog, Little Red Reviewer, I commented that I loved The Bird of the River. The … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Current Reading, fantasy, mystery, New Arrivals, Pulp | Tagged , | 9 Comments

Recent Arrivals: e-books

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Rick Robinson

As most of you know, I don’t buy many digital books. There are two reasons for that, 1) I think the growth of e-publishing is part of the reason – a big part – that I don’t have much selection … Continue reading →

Posted in books | 8 Comments

New Arrivals, Current Reading November 11 – 17, 2013

Posted on November 17, 2013 by Rick Robinson

NEW ARRIVALS: A friend sent a book he thought I might enjoy. Thanks, Jeff! No other new arrivals. Tales From the Spaceport Bar edited by George H. Scithers and Darrell Schweitzer [Avon 1987 mass market paperback, used, gift] – science … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Current Reading, mystery, New Arrivals, science fiction | 21 Comments

New Arrivals, Current Reading November 4 – 10, 2013

Posted on November 10, 2013 by Rick Robinson

NEW ARRIVALS: Something new, something used and a pre-order arrived. Here they are: Spectrum 20 edited by Cathy & Arnie Fenner [Underwood Books November 2013 oversized paperbound, new] – art. The 20th volume in the Spectrum series delineating the entrants and award … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Current Reading, mystery, New Arrivals, science fiction | Tagged , , , | 16 Comments

Which One to Read?

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Rick Robinson

I have this big stack of books hanging onto the top of my To Be Read pile, which means they’ve landed on the nightstand. They all have bookmarks in them, meaning I’ve read at least a few pages, sometimes a lot … Continue reading →

Posted in books, reading | 33 Comments

ffb: Ask A Policeman — a guest post by Art Scott

Posted on October 10, 2013 by Rick Robinson

this is the 122nd in my series of posts on forgotten or seldom read books Ask A Policeman by The Detection Club, © 1933 multiple author mystery A month ago Rick reviewed The Floating Admiral, the Detection Club’s 1931 first go at … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Friday Forgotten Book, mystery | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

ffb: Eleven

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Rick Robinson

this is the 121st in my series of posts on forgotten or seldom read books Eleven by Patricia Highsmith © 1970, Doubleday 1970 hardcover, this edition: 1978 Penguin mass market paperback, mystery-horror short story collection I expect there will be much praise and … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Friday Forgotten Book, mystery | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

A Book Procurement

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Rick Robinson

Last week I was searching for some information on a science fiction author. The author wrote only one novel but many short stories, so I found a lot of science fiction collections and anthologies along with lists of stories which … Continue reading →

Posted in At Home in Portland, books, science fiction | Tagged | 20 Comments