Amazon.com: Old Songs in a New Cafe: Robert James WALLER: Books

More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's Robert James Waller Page

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

15 Reviews

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.6 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What an amazing biography!, March 12, 2002

By

J. Huntington (Jeonju, South Korea) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Old Songs in a New Cafe: Selected Essays (Hardcover)

Reads a tremendous lot like Robert Fulghum, but beyond that...

Through essays, the presumably all true story of a man who lived as if he was born with a detailed, incredibly accurate set of instructions and near-Godlike wisdom. Learns pool and billiards as an eleven-year-old kid and beats the town champ. Takes up basketball, making his high school team as a freshman and becoming a good major-school college player. Starts a loving marriage in college that remains super-strong over 25 years later. Plays guitar, and with his small combo is chosen for national TV appearances with Charles Kuralt and Robert Kennedy. Despite all his independent thought, establishes a solid - actually distinguished - career in academia. And, in the decade after this book, writes a novel that may have sold more copies - and tickets to its subsequent movie - than ANY in the 1990's!

And guess what? NONE of this - not even a SCRAP of it, according to the essays - ever misled him or cost him anything! He didn't drop out of school to hustle pool, ignore academics to over-concentrate on basketball, discover his wife who he chose at age 22 didn't fit his ever-evolving life at age 50, go for a low-paying full-time music career, QUIT music altogether and lose the fun of playing recreationally, or constrict his thinking by getting it in line with the PC work setting of a university.

Not only did he seem to be always doing the exact right thing at the right time, he avoided every trap there was.

Amazing! Have never seen a life so comprehensively superb since Jennifer Beals' in Flashdance, and she was FICTIONAL!

So, Robert James, we have two ways to interpret you. You can be one of the most premier renaissance men of our time, or an archly annoying "perfect" person akin to Martha Stewart. So, my challenge to you is - write an essay, telling us in detail, how in at least one instance YOU, not circumstances, luck or the people around you - have FAILED. Have you done it? Can you do it?

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse | Permalink

Comment Comment

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful, May 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Old Songs in a New Cafe: Selected Essays (Hardcover)

I have read this book several times, love to take it on vacation. These stories are wonderful, heartfelt. A nice reminder of my own childhood growing up in Indiana. We have dusty roads, and favorite pets, and enjoy the quite life here too. It's beautifully written by a wonderful Author. Sure wish he would write more!

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse | Permalink

Comment Comment

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The wind beneath Robert Kincaid's wings..., April 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Old Songs in a New Cafe: Selected Essays (Paperback)

If you ever read "The Bridges of Madison County" and wondered how could someone create such an amazing story,or how it would be wonderful to know a person like Kincaid - You will be excited to find out that Robert Kincaid is actually Robert James Waller himself! In this autobiographic book Waller lets us all take a glimpse into his personal life and discover what a special person he is.You'll learn about his childhood,growing up adventures,family and hobbies. And you'll see Kincaid is not just an imaginary figure but a side of Waller's personality. I was fascinated to learn so much about Waller and his "reclusive life of words and imagination".

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse | Permalink

Comment Comment

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 15 customer reviews...

Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars arrived too late
It took the book over a month to get here! The condition was pretty accurately described though. So, you can order from the seller with confidence,if you're not in a hurry :-)

Published 18 months ago by Y. G., piano teacher

5.0 out of 5 stars I Still Like The Old Ways
Robert James Waller has a unique gift of describing the ordinary extraordinary in the simplest things in life. Read more

Published on November 2, 2009 by Old School

5.0 out of 5 stars fabulous item
Item was shipped timely in great condition. I would buy from this seller again. The book is fabulous, I especially like the story titled "Romance", I could read it over and over... Read more

Published on December 13, 2007 by Teri A. Claiborne

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book
Since this is a group of essays, it is easy to pick up and read any particular portion at will. I've read "... Read more

Published on December 1, 2006 by Leo Free

5.0 out of 5 stars Robert James Waller - A Mentor for Writers
I found "Old Songs in a New Cafe" to be the choice selection of Waller's essays. Waller is a master of dressing emotions in words and a new experience. Read more

Published on October 24, 2006 by Trish New

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Read
I enjoyed reading this biography of writings by Robert James Waller. I, too, felt he was very similar to Robert Fulghum in his approach to life; a reverence for all that is... Read more

Published on March 5, 2004 by Leslie C

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, Absolutely Beautiful
I was 15 years old when I was first introduced to this book and author. The essay "Slow Waltz for Georgia Ann" was the most touching story iv ever hurd. Read more

Published on March 8, 2000 by Jocelyn Montgomery

4.0 out of 5 stars Waller has once again turned out a fine piece of reading!
Waller has again, in his uncanny way, connected with the reader. Stories about a boys rite of passage (Rite of Passage in Three Cushions), and an unlikely cat (A Canticle for... Read more

Published on April 21, 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Most refreshing...
Waller makes everyday situations so interesting. His essay on Romance is one of my all-time favourite readings. I have passed it on to many newlywed friends. Read more

Published on October 6, 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars Robert James Waller Is Inspiring!
Several years ago I attempted to read "The Bridges of Madison County" but the mood wasn't right. Read more

Published on September 10, 1998

› See all 15 customer reviews...

Inside This Book (learn more)
Browse and search another edition of this book.

First Sentence:
Like some rumpled alien army awaiting marching orders, the brown trash bags hunker down on the patio in a column of twos. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
one good road, jump shot

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
The Des Moines Register, Charlie Uban, Cedar Key, Orange Band, Lady Smith, New York, Sweet's Marsh, Wabash Cannonball, Harriet Smith, Perry Burgess, Allen Kruger, Burma Hump, Levy County, New Orleans, Charles City, Diane Roupe, Hump Lost, Kenny Govro, Wayne Endres

New!
Concordance | Text Stats

Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!