Fiction | Essays | Reviews
FICTION
- The Photograph from Arlington Literary Journal (October 2023)
- Packing Out from Men Matters Online Journal (December 2022)
- Selections from Spectators: Flash Fictions paired with photography by Tom Patton. (In 2017, Rob and Tom paired together for a gallery installation at the Morris Graves Museum of Art in Eureka, California.)
ESSAYS
- “The Bukowski of the Susquehanna” and “In the Lime Tree Arbor” (flash memoirs) appear in Traverse: Literature, Arts, and the Environment, August 2024.
- “Beyond ‘Errand’: Raymond Carver and the Art of Homage.” Rob’s hybrid personal essay/scholarship from the Raymond Carver Review. (Spring 2020)
- “What drew you to the novella form?” Rob answers One Question at Hypertext Magazine (May 2019)
- On artistic inspiration via images, Rob’s blog entry for The Story Prize (September 2017)
- “Trusting Your Artistic Sixth Sense,” Rob’s essay on writing published online at Psychology Today (2012)
BOOK REVIEWS & NOTICES
- Kirkus Reviews on Welcome Back to the World: “Davidson’s prose is by turns clever and soulful, capturing his characters at their most curmudgeonly before dragging them, often against their will, toward greater vulnerability. Though the novella is the strongest entry, there’s not a bad one here. An impressive set of stories from a skilled observer of the human animal.” March 2025
- Readers’ Favorite praises Welcome Back to the World in a 5-star review: “Welcome Back to the World is for short story aficionados who love concise, character-driven narratives that delve into the unpredictable nature of human behavior. There is so much to love about this book.” March 2025
- The Chico Enterprise-Record lauds the “Zen-like subtlety” of the stories in Welcome Back to the World. November 2024
- Peace Corps Worldwide praises What Some Would Call Lies, noting “Davidson’s profound insight into the minds and thought processes of human beings, and his ability to bring sympathetic characters to life.” April 2020
- “Davidson’s prose is meticulous… A pair of tales that will entertain, transport, and move readers.” Kirkus Reviews on What Some Would Call Lies, March 2019
- “A fascinating collection… extraordinary works that are a pure treat to read.” Reader Views reviews What Some Would Call Lies, February 2019
- “Two novellas that brilliantly explore the tricks of memory in coming to terms with the past.” Chico Enterprise-Record reviews What Some Would Call Lies, published 26 December 2018
- Kirkus Reviews: Spectators is “Flash fiction at its best that’s definitely worth a look.” Published 23 August 2017
- Watershed Review published a nice Spotlight feature in advance of Rob’s reading at Chico State in fall 2017
- Read Dan Barnett’s review of Spectators: Flash Fictions, published 22 July 2017 in the Chico Enterprise-Record
