Robert L Schwarz
I refer sometimes to my friend Robert Schwarz of Kendalia. He is probably the best writer you’ve never heard of. I have this page so that you can get his books. I think I am brilliant, and I was quick to admit that Robert is a better writer than I. The final paragraph in Out of the Nam is the most powerful closing of a book I have ever read. I asked him if he got a lot of comments on it: he said no one had ever mentioned it. That is because, as he says, a writer has to make them feeeeeeel it! and it does, and it is terrifying.
In R L and other stories, Robert tells the story of the lives of cedar choppers, told from first hand experience, is the only telling of this group of people you will find in print. The chapter “He spoke in colors” is awesome, and you I will put it on my blog at some point. Robert’s writing is authentic and true will change your view of some things.
The reason I do this is because Robert doesn’t own a computer or a smart phone, his books are not on Amazon or Kindle or Nook, and he doesn’t really have email (rlschwarz@yahoo.com and it goes to a friend). Robert writes with a pencil in a spiral notebook, often on the hood of his old beat up pickup truck when he is out hauling hay or cedar posts. These are Robert’s descriptions of his books:
Out of the Nam is a collection of 36 stories and narratives, each a separate entity unto itself that will let you experience the war in the Nam from being drafted into the army to suffering the horrific life altering aftereffects. These stories – sometimes boring – exciting – terrifying – depressing – moving – provoking – will allow you to feel what it is like to be immersed in an experience so completely – immersed in the war in Nam so completely – that you the individual cannot tell where the outward experience ends and your own inner natural being begins as all the guys felt – all the guys who were there.
R L and other stories is a collection of stories and narratives of plain everyday working people engaged in commonplace actions like roping wayward calves and hauling square bales of hay down the road to turn over a few bucks and loading 200 pound ten foot long cedar logs onto semi-trailers and standing tall for family honor and living in canvas tents and shacks out in the cedar brakes and penning unruly bulls and having cold flood water wash into the truck cab at a creek crossing and facing financial hard times and suffering terrific injuries out in the middle of nowhere — and so much more.
Through these stories we learn all over again that we are not alone in this life — others have gone before us and have experienced the same of like difficulties as we face each day. From them we learn to live day to day and find fulfillment in life.
Robert will ship you a copy of either book for $11.50 plus $6.00 shipping if you write him at PO Box 441, Kendalia, TX 78027. I have copies of both and often have them with me at book signings.
robertcdeming 
Hi Robert, I was wondering if you knew how I can directly contact Mr. Schwarz. I’m a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. I have read his books and would like to incorportate them into a new class under development that explores the human dimension of the Vietnam War (as opposed to a military history class). I read here that he does not have a smart phone or computer. Could I possibly write him the old fashion way, by good ole pen and paper?
Robert is best reached by phone at (210) 863-8751. His mailing address is PO Box 441
Kendalia TX 78027
Thank you so much, Robert. I will try to reach him by phone and will also drop him a line by snail mail. I am hoping to be able to purchase about 30-60 of his books for a class. Thanks again,,,Colleen
Send me your email address. I’m rcdeming@gmail.com He probably has copies of his books, but if not enough, I have a box as well. I spoke with him on the phone today, he said that 50 years after Vietnam he still doesn’t understand what it did to him. He is a very intelligent and well educated
and kind man. When you read his stories you can see the influence of Faulkner, which he read in Vietnam. I think the last paragraph of Out of the Nam is the most powerful closing of a story I’ve ever read.
Hope Robert is doing well. I was one of his students for a few short weeks but he was my husband’s teacher for a number of classes as well as they spent time together cedar-chopping. Once this virus has passed I would like to visit Robert, surprise my husband and get both of Robert’s books.
I have the e-mails of a number of Robert’s students that would love to see him again and also get his books. I will forward your website to them as most of us did not realize he wrote a second book. I always wanted to get the first one but just never got to it…
Tell him we think of him,
Connie & Michael Krause
512-517-8578 -Michael has retired and we are taking care of the ranch
I have copies of two of his books. Robert is a brilliant writer.
Hello-
I have all 3 copies of Robert’s books. He was one of my favorite teachers at Canyon HS. There is no doubt he is one of a kind and wish there were more people like him.
He was instrumental in helping me get my book written & published, it was something I had only dreamed of and he helped make it a reality.
If you know him, when you read his books you’ll know how much intensity he puts into his writing. There is history and life lessons to learn from his books that only he can put a proper perspective on.
I am so happy to hear you are his connection to modern technology. Thanks for sharing this information with all of us.
Vicki Ploch
I have all 3 of his books, Robert and I worked together. he autographed his first book and gave it to me as a gift. I last spoke to Robert back about 3 years ago. Hope he’s doing well. Luis (wizard) Flores Jr
In 2012, I bought the book and he signed it. Today I’m moving a bookshelf n remembered how impressed I was with the stories. I can’t recall where I was when I got the book but I can recall how the stories made me feel n how much our young men went through at that time. God bless the author ( RL Schwarz)