85 ratings | 69 reviews | avg rating:4.21

more photos (1)

Robert’s Year In Books

Robert’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Robert’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

Go to Robert’s 2025 Year in Books

Robert Schneider’s Followers (294)

Robert’s Bookshelves

to-read (21)
currently-reading (2)
read (89)
did-not-finish (0)
autobiography (11)
biography (3)
childrens (2)
detective (1)
fantasy (7)
fiction (21)
See all bookshelves »

Robert’s Friends (147)

Blair

1,438 books | 306 friends

Jim Fonseca

1,245 books | 5,001 friends

669 books | 704 friends

ErinFlight

2,103 books | 42 friends

Manasi Soman

998 books | 103 friends

Avinash John Varghese

97 books | 135 friends

Harald Felgner

5,927 books | 631 friends

Faith Cantrell

2,561 books | 1,491 friends

More friends…

Robert Schneider

Goodreads Author

Website

http://bey0ndbelief.com

Twitter

bey0ndbelief

Genre

Memoir, Nonfiction

Member Since

March 2008

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/bey0ndbelief

edit data

Combine Editions
Robert Schneider’s books

Average rating: 5.0 · 1 rating · 1 review · 1 distinct work

Zero to Ha-Ganna
by

Robert Schneider (Goodreads Author),

Glen M. Wilson

it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2022

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

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

Robert is Currently Reading

Robert Schneider is currently reading

The Wonder Paradox: Embracing the Weirdness of Existence and the Poetry of Our Lives

by Jennifer Michael Hecht

bookshelves: currently-reading, philosophy, religion, self-help

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, 2023 01:11PM

Robert Schneider is currently reading

Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink

by Elvis Costello

bookshelves: currently-reading, autobiography

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

Robert Schneider said: " My review may be colored.
I attended my first rock concert in 1985, at the Dublin National Stadium, in Dublin, Ireland. More of a shabby boxing arena than a stadium I discovered as I mounted the steps, stage right, to climb to my obstructed view seat. My review may be colored.
I attended my first rock concert in 1985, at the Dublin National Stadium, in Dublin, Ireland. More of a shabby boxing arena than a stadium I discovered as I mounted the steps, stage right, to climb to my obstructed view seat. The band played to a seated crowd of 2000, and no song brought any energy from the floor. So Elvis Costello slammed his guitar down on the stage and walked off after 5 songs.

For the first time that night, I could see everything Elvis did...backstage, the only place I could see. He was livid. Pacing, stomping, punching the walls. What was going on? After about 10 minutes he walked back to face the agitated crowd.
"I'm sorry folks, I've got a bit of a sore throat the doctor had to attend to. He says the only way I'm going to make it through this show is if we can get some heat and humidity in here. So please, everyone come up as close as you can!" The venue erupted!

In seconds I went from pathetic high seats to a spot directly in front of the stage, four rows back, staring up into Elvis' nostrils; nearly feeling the sweat drops spray me as they hit the stage. I listened to the man sing ballads, dirges and rockers; rockabilly (Sour Milk Cow Blues) and torch songs (Alison). I listened to the audience sing-along with every single song of an artist I had never heard before. I heard the drunken idiot shout out over Costello's solo performance of "Shipbuilding," "Play some fuckin' real music!!" And I pumped my fist to the closer "Pump It Up!" as if I'd heard the Attractions play it a thousand times before.

You always remember your first. And since then I've purchased nearly every album he put out. Elvis Costello has been the soundtrack of my life from age 19-50. As such, I was a little hesitant to buy a 680 page autobiography. How much of it would I already know? What could he add?

Turns out, it doesn't matter. First of all, most of the stories (I'm only on page 400 at this point) are fresh and insightful background to the life behind the songs. Most of this book is brand new to me. More importantly, Costello is as good a writer as he is a lyricist and song writer, with a deft touch for flashback and theme, drawing long term links through a series of events over decades, like stringing popcorn for the Christmas Tree.

I honestly can't say how this book might play for a person who has no interest or background with Costello, but it is an absolute gem in my eyes. Quality, and quantity!! (Did I mention 680 pages?) ...more "

Jul 05, 2016 06:01PM · see review

rss
Robert’s Recent Updates

Robert Schneider is now friends with Avinash John Varghese
Dec 17, 2025 07:04PM · like
Robert Schneider wants to read Unreality and Its Discontents: The Struggle Against Christian Nationalism by Critical Art Ensemble	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
Dec 17, 2025 06:48PM · like
Robert Schneider is now following Liz Conway's reviews
May 29, 2025 06:00PM · like
Robert Schneider rated a book it was amazing Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life by Lulu Miller	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
Miller completes the trifecta, weaving a pulsing historic “who-done-it,” together against a backdrop of her personal struggles, all in service of revealing — in perfect metaphor — important, human truths undergirding our nations sometimes heinous pas ...more
May 29, 2025 05:47AM · like · see review

More of Robert's books…

Robert’s Quotes

“What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens, God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything

tags: evidence, skepticism

395 likes

“I know of no society in human history that ever suffered because its people became too desirous of evidence in support of their core beliefs.”
― Sam Harris, Letter to a Christian Nation

tags: faith, skepticism

468 likes

“The only lies for which we are truly punished are those we tell ourselves.”
― V. S. Naipaul, In a Free State

2736 likes

“I'd tried to straighten him out, but there's only so much you can do for a person who thinks Auschwitz is a brand of beer.”
― David Sedaris

tags: beer, ignorance, naked

170 likes

“Every gathering has its moment. As an adult, I distract myself by trying to identify it, dreading the inevitable downswing that is sure to follow. The guests will repeat themselves one too many times, or you'll run out of dope or liquor and realize that it was all you ever had in common.”
― David Sedaris, Naked