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Robert Jacoby

Goodreads Author

Born

Euclid, Ohio, The United States

Website

http://www.robert-jacoby.com

Genre

Poetry, Literature & Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs

Influences

Flannery O'Connor, Joseph Conrad, Dylan Thomas, William Goyen ...more

Member Since

February 2011

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Robert Jacoby is a poet, novelist, memoirist, and lifelong journaler. His work explores memory, faith, trauma, and the long work of making a life through words.

He is the author of four books, including the novels There Are Reasons Noah Packed No Clothes (2012) and Dusk and Ember (2019), and the nonfiction works Never Stop Dancing: A Memoir (2019) and Escaping from Reality Without Really Trying (2011).

There Are Reasons Noah Packed No Clothes
Dusk and Ember
Never Stop Dancing: A Memoir
Escaping from Reality Without Really Trying

His poetry, fiction, and nonfiction have appeared in numerous literary magazines, and his flash fiction piece “The Span of Blood” was selected as runne ...more

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Popular Answered Questions

How do you deal with writer’s block?

Robert Jacoby I don't know what writer's block is. …moreI don't know what writer's block is. (less)

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I am keen on your new book which is available to read on NetGalley. However, I note that in your earlier work it says: " is the story of 19-year-old Richard Issych, " - There are Reasons Noah Packed No Clothes was published in 2012 and Dusk and Ember due out later this year has 19-year-old Richard Issych, I'm thinking I need to read Noah first and wonder if he'll ever reach 20? I like to read chronologically.

Robert Jacoby Hi Richard,

Thank you for your interest in my new novel, "Dusk and Ember," and thank you for asking this important question.

The short answer is: It may…moreHi Richard,

Thank you for your interest in my new novel, "Dusk and Ember," and thank you for asking this important question.

The short answer is: It may be best to read the books in the order I wrote them. In that case, yes, read “There Are Reasons Noah Packed No Clothes” (2012) before you read “Dusk and Ember” (2019).

My long explanation is (and without giving too much away—no spoiler alerts here—it’s safe to continue reading):

Most of the action in the new novel “Dusk and Ember” takes place about 6 months before the novel “Noah.” I say “most of the action” because I do make use of flashbacks to present back story, in both novels, and there is some overlap. How could there not be? It’s the same character. But as I started working on "Dusk and Ember" (the new novel), I did not return much to the old novel (“Noah”) to check on this or that detail of a memory. This was deliberate because I wanted to convey the sense of our fluid memories, of how we can have different takes on a past event from a different point in our future lives. I also very much intended for both novels to stand alone as their own separate works. In other words, for me, it’s not necessary to read them “in chronological order”; that is, “Dusk and Ember” first and “Noah” second. If someone does that and finds “errors” in the recollections, the memories, of the character, that’s on me. Chalk it up to human fallibility and our faulty memories, of me and the fictional character.

Will Richard ever reach 20? I like to think so.

Will I ever write about him again? I don’t think so. I never intended to make a series with the character Richard Issych and his world. But I can’t say for sure. If you’d like a little more on this, read my “Letter to My Editor,” which I wrote soon after completing work on Dusk and Ember, here: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog....

Again, thank you for asking this important question. I’m sure I’ll need to refer to my response here as more people discover my books. :)(less)

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Robert Jacoby’s books

Average rating: 3.66 · 158 ratings · 84 reviews · 5 distinct works

	There are Reasons Noah Packed No Clothes 3.60 avg rating — 63 ratings — published 2012 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Never Stop Dancing: A Memoir by John Robinette (Goodreads Author), Robert Jacoby (Goodreads Author) 4.62 avg rating — 37 ratings — published 2019 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Escaping from Reality Without Really Trying: 40 Years of High Seas Travels and Lowbrow Tales 3.42 avg rating — 36 ratings — published 2011 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Dusk and Ember 2.88 avg rating — 25 ratings — published 2019 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	There Are Reasons Noah Packed No Clothes 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Robert Jacoby's Blog

New essay: “The Pressure of Story”

What does it feel like to carry a story before it’s written, to live inside it while you’re writing it, and finally to let it go?

My new essay is about the peculiar pressure, delight, and release of writing fiction.

Read "The Pressure of Story" on Substack.

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Published on September 01, 2026 04:37 • Tags: writing

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Robert is Currently Reading

Robert Jacoby rated a book it was amazing

The Unseen Realm

by Michael S. Heiser

bookshelves: currently-reading, my-favorites

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Aug 04, 2026 04:27PM

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The Art of War—Spirituality for Conflict: Annotated & Explained

by Thomas Cuong Huynh (Goodreads Author)

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Robert Jacoby rated a book it was amazing

The Republic of Plato

by Plato

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Robert’s Recent Updates

Robert Jacoby wrote a new blog post New essay: “The Pressure of Story” What does it feel like to carry a story before it’s written, to live inside it while you’re writing it, and finally to let it go? My new essay is about Read more of this blog post »
Sep 01, 2026 04:37AM · like
Robert Jacoby made a comment on his review of The Unseen Realm " Up to page 190. Excellent. He brings so much scholarship to bear, on complex topics, and pulls from so many resources...it's breathtaking. Heiser remi ...more "
Aug 04, 2026 04:30PM · see review
Robert Jacoby rated a book it was amazing The Unseen Realm by Michael S. Heiser	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 04, 2026 04:27PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Unseen Realm by Michael S. Heiser. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Unseen Realm by Michael S. Heiser <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Robert Jacoby rated a book it was amazing The Republic of Plato by Plato	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Robert Jacoby rated a book it was amazing The Art of War—Spirituality for Conflict: Annotated & Explained by Thomas Cuong Huynh (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 04, 2026 04:27PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Art of War—Spirituality for Conflict by Thomas Cuong Huynh. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Art of War—Spirituality for Conflict by Thomas Cuong Huynh <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Quotes by Robert Jacoby (?)

“Everyone uses their own dictionary.”
― Robert Jacoby, There are Reasons Noah Packed No Clothes

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“The way I always kind of look at it: everything’s important and nothing’s important. If you’re gonna have a drama, have it over something that’s worth the time. Some people take it more seriously than others, like a Lowell. But we all end up the same.”
― Robert Jacoby, Escaping from Reality Without Really Trying: 40 Years of High Seas Travels and Lowbrow Tales

2 likes

“The human race puzzles me, with striving for freedom, and then basically just giving it away.”
― Robert Jacoby, Escaping from Reality Without Really Trying: 40 Years of High Seas Travels and Lowbrow Tales

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Making Connections: 15. ESCAPING FROM REALITY WITHOUT REALLY TRYING: 40 YEARS OF HIGH SEAS TRAVELS AND LOWBROWS TALES by Robert Jacoby	4	33	Jan 11, 2012 01:15PM
Making Connections: 536. ESCAPING FROM REALITY WITHOUT REALLY TRYING: 40 YEARS OF HIGH SEAS TRAVELS AND LOWBROWS TALES by Robert Jacoby	3	59	Oct 17, 2012 03:37PM
Indie Book Club: Need a Review?	374	287	Apr 15, 2013 02:46PM
Making Connections: 640. THERE ARE REASONS NOAH PACKED NO CLOTHES by Robert Jacoby	3	160	Aug 19, 2014 01:32AM

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Robert’s Quotes

“Perceptive observers saw civilization thinned to a mere veneer, with barbarism surging just beneath the surface, straining for release.”
― Bruce Brander, Staring into Chaos: Explorations in the Decline of Western Civilization

tags: end-of-the-west

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“Everyone uses their own dictionary.”
― Robert Jacoby, There are Reasons Noah Packed No Clothes

5 likes

2 likes

“An interesting captain on there, McNamara. Th e United States Lines had three captains. Every company had their captains that were notorious, and U.S. Lines had McNamara. Later on, McNamara, he dies, and the Wilmington Union Hall for Masters, Mates and Pilots—cuz he was captain, he would come out of that hall—they had a party
when he died. Baked a cake.
It wasn’t every day you got to lose one like him.
Some people took this more seriously than others is the only way I can phrase this.”
― Robert Jacoby, Escaping from Reality Without Really Trying: 40 Years of High Seas Travels and Lowbrow Tales

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