My (Self-Imposed) Reading List, Thesis Writing and Reading in French - August TBR

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A TBR video on some of the esoteric books I've been reading to keep myself alive in academia.

Other Resources:
My new course on keeping a writer's diary:
Selected Writings:
My Essays:
My playlist on Reading:
My collaborative novel about Melbourne: There's A Tale To This City:

Chapters:
Intro: 00:00
Sponsor: 02:08
1: Of Grammatology: 05:22
2: Theory & Practice: 07:29
3: Glas: 09:39
4: The Thief's Journal: 11:48
5: Fear and Trembling: 13:13
6: Critique and Postcritique: 14:53

BABE WAKE UP NEW ROBIN VIDEO JUST DROPPED

i’m taking my own steps into architecture academia rn it’s nice to know i’m not walking through hell alone

[geizerpape.]

Hey man, just wanna say I’m a big fan of what you do. You’ve helped me grow and change a lot of things in my life in very short time. Whenever you publish a video, write an essay or do any of your work, don’t forget you’re helping others, even from overseas.

[pedromartinperez]

I don't want to study literature or take the same career path as most of this community does, I'm learning marketing. However I love this channel and all of Robin's videos because they give me insight, expand my vocabulary, and provide culture to my life. This channel is helping me pick better books, appreciate literature, and again just creates a subconscious culture of knowledge that influences how I go about my day.

[theotheratticus]

Seeing Kierkegaard in there was a really nice surprise!
I'm really into his philosophy and love to see who he influenced.
I hope you'll like the read!

[mikevanoverbeek]

You have a certain elegance to your videos, I love it!

[jasminegold]

I'm constantly surrounded by non-academics whom I struggle to have conversations with. When I talk with them it's like I'm trying to communicate with a brick wall. I've always felt that it's us vs them. I feel like we are on two different planets speaking different languages. Some part of me wants to seal the gap between us and "normal people." But at the same time, I love being part of this "mad scientist" or the "contemporary philosophers" group. At this point in my rather short and inexperienced life I don't know what to do.

[bill_jennings]

Ok Robin, last comment, I promise. We definitely need to find a new way for readers to find something positive, or meaningfull to them, in what they're reading. Or has everything that can be said already been said? I recall back in my days at university that there was an idea that there is nothing that can be imagined that hasn't already been imagined by now. I didn't buy that concept then, and I still don't today. Thoughts, ideas, and concepts evolve, just as our imaginations, hopes, and dreams evolve. Finding the bridge between academia and the everyday person is a challenge.

[anna]

Perfect timing for this video… stuck at home with a sick child slowly going nuts!!! Thanks for giving me something to watch and think about!

[padmeasmr]

Im writing my MA thesis on Sartre and Diderot aesthetics about theater. I could summarize it like this: the paradox on the actor between being and nothing. I talk about alienation and also about the concept of human comedy and parallelisms between author-actor-philosopher. I read a lot of the books in french, but also english (Im italian). Noone has ever written anything on Diderot and Sartre lol but I'm loving writing it so far. Id do well in a phd program but the acedemic path doesn't really inspire me for many reasons. Still its good to follow a channel like yours talk about such fascinating topics. Thank you ❤

[marinetacurto]

As a Literary theory student I've read some of Derrida's work and I suffered and enjoyed it at the same time. It's been a year or so since I last read some of his work for my master's degree and now thanks to your video I kinda miss it.

[bill_jennings]

I remember very well what it was like to be in the academia world. Boy, that was a long time ago for me, but sounds like it hasn't changed much. Thanks Robin

[tudorbertea]

Thank you, Robin, as your YouTube work is valuable, enjoyable, educational and I think - original.
Impressive..

[claudias]

Derrida 😳 The first thing I read in grad school was Derrida. We spent an entire session discussing the difference between difference and différance as part of an intro to critical theory class. I remember thinking it would be similar to critical theory classes I had taken as an undergrad… … … After the initial mental shock, I actually enjoyed Derrida’s work.

[Ayesha_F]

Thoroughly enjoyed this different turn in your channel's content! Looking forward to the next video too!

[leestewart]

As someone who decided to teach high school English instead of doing a PhD, I appreciate your thesis topic. Look forward to hearing more about it.

[hillcatrogers]

My MA theis advisor encouraged me to go into a PhD program but I balked. I have been working in public education as a teacher for the last seven years. I am thankful I rejected academia because I have had a far greater impact on students than if I enter higher education.

[mossbabyy]

Thank you for making this and for providing neutral observations on academia. I've been interested in pursuing literature at the grad level and this documentation is super valuable to me.

[eleonoralydia]

You are totally right about translations. I have had a similar experience but for different reasons. The thing is that the translator needs to have a deep understanding of both languages (original and translation), what the author is attempting to convey, but also things like culture and history and how that can be properly communicated through the use of language without taking too many liberties. Then there are things that cannot be translated at all. There is always something that is lost in a translation. The more difficult the language and the fewer the people who speak it, the more that is lost. This is why I have stopped buying books in Greek unless they are written by a Greek or Cypriot author. The rest I buy in English and some in German. It really makes a huge difference.

[jennshar]

Watching this makes me glad I chose doing an MLIS rather than MA in English😭 I would love to read some of this stuff… but if I had to get a grade on it, my brain would have a melt down