Audiobook Sample
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- Title: Foolish Dictionary
- Author: Charles Wayland Towne
- Narrator: LibriVox Volunteers
- Length: 01:45:39
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 01/01/2017
- Publisher: LibriVox
- Genre: Comedy, Satire & Parody
- ISBN13: SABLIB9788159
Picture this: I’m winding my way through the sun-scorched dunes of the Atacama Desert, the horizon shimmering like a mirage, when I first popped in my earbuds to listen to an audiobook that felt like a companion for the road ahead. It wasn’t “The Foolish Dictionary” that day – García Márquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude” had me spellbound then – but the memory lingers as I dive into Charles Wayland Towne’s quirky 1904 creation, narrated by the eclectic crew of LibriVox Volunteers. There’s something about the vastness of a desert and the playful absurdity of a satirical dictionary that feels oddly harmonious – like the landscape itself is in on the joke.
“The Foolish Dictionary”, penned under the pseudonym Gideon Wurdz, isn’t your typical reference book. It’s a short, mischievous romp through the English language, redefining words with a wink and a nudge. Published at the turn of the 20th century, it’s an artifact of its time – brimming with satire, parody, and a dash of social commentary that occasionally veers into territory modern listeners might find jarring. The book promises ‘an exhausting work of reference to un-certain English words,’ and it delivers, though not with scholarly precision. Instead, it’s a treasure trove of corny humor, bizarre observations, and definitions that twist the familiar into something delightfully strange. Think of it as a linguistic funhouse mirror – distorted, amusing, and sometimes uncomfortable.
For me, this audiobook experience stirs up echoes of evenings in Oaxaca, where I once stayed with a family whose grandmother spun stories under a flickering lantern. Her voice had this gravitational pull – pausing just long enough to let the weight of her words settle, then leaping into the next twist with perfect timing. The LibriVox Volunteers, bless their collective hearts, don’t quite reach that level of mastery. With multiple narrators taking on this slim volume – it clocks in at just over an hour – there’s a patchwork quality to the performance. Some voices shine with playful gusto, leaning into the absurdity of lines like ‘Bachelor: A man who has no wife to lose’ with a conspiratorial chuckle. Others feel flatter, as if they’re reading a grocery list rather than a comedic gem. The audio quality, true to LibriVox’s grassroots ethos, is functional but unpolished – think community theater rather than Broadway.
The content itself is a mixed bag of delights and dilemmas. Towne’s wit dances across the pages, poking fun at language and society alike. Entries like ‘Alarm Clock: A device to wake us up just in time to go to bed’ land with a timeless chuckle, while others feel like relics of a bygone era – quaint at best, cringe-worthy at worst. Section 10, in particular, stumbles into racial stereotypes that hit the ear like a sour note. LibriVox’s commitment to preserving the text unedited is admirable, but it leaves these moments raw and exposed. As someone who’s spent years chasing stories across cultures, I can’t help but wince – though I also see the value in grappling with history as it was, not as we’d wish it to be.
The audiobook unfolds like a quirky roadside attraction – you’re not sure if it’s brilliant or just bizarre, but you’re glad you stopped to check it out. The humor leans heavily on wordplay and subversion, a bit like Ambrose Bierce’s “The Devil’s Dictionary”, which came along a couple of years later. Both share a knack for skewering norms with a sharp tongue, though Towne’s take feels lighter, less biting. Where Bierce wields satire like a scalpel, Towne’s more of a jester tossing confetti – fun, fleeting, and occasionally messy.
The listening experience hinges on how much you enjoy the DIY charm of LibriVox. There’s no single narrator to carry you through, no polished production to smooth the edges. Instead, it’s a chorus of voices – some warm and engaging, others stilted or rushed. You can almost feel the enthusiasm of volunteers who love books enough to record them for free, and that’s a kind of magic all its own. For a free audiobook, it’s a steal – accessible on platforms like Audiobooks.com or LibriVox.org, ready to download and tuck into your next journey.
What strikes me most is how this little book captures the elasticity of language – how words bend and stretch under the weight of human whimsy. It’s a theme I’ve chased from market stalls in Lisbon to campfires in Patagonia: the way we tell stories shapes the world we see. Towne’s satire might not always land with today’s crowd, but its playful spirit still sparks a grin. It reminds me of a time when I swapped puns with a street vendor in São Paulo – simple, silly, and somehow profound.
This isn’t a flawless gem, though. The dated bits can grate, and the narration’s inconsistency might pull you out of the moment. Yet for fans of comedy, satire, and parody – or anyone who loves a good linguistic detour – it’s worth a listen. I’d recommend it to the curious, the word-nerds, and the travelers who don’t mind a bumpy ride. Pair it with a lazy afternoon or a long drive, and let its oddball charm wash over you.
Reflecting on it now, “The Foolish Dictionary” feels like a postcard from 1904 – a snapshot of humor and hubris, mailed forward to us with a stamp of imperfection. It’s not transformative like those desert tales of magical realism, nor as intimate as a grandmother’s fireside yarn. But it’s a quirky companion nonetheless, one that invites you to laugh at language and maybe at yourself. For me, that’s enough to keep it in my audiobook rotation – right alongside the stories that have carried me across continents.
Until the next tale finds us, safe travels and happy listening,
Marcus Rivera
