Audiobook Sample
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- Title: One Third Off
- Author: Irvin S. Cobb
- Narrator: Bryan Ness
- Length: 01:46:30
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 01/01/2016
- Publisher: LibriVox
- Genre: Comedy, Essays & Memoirs
- ISBN13: SABLIB9782192
There’s something profoundly human about listening to someone else’s struggles with self-improvement while you’re in motion yourself. I first encountered Irvin S. Cobb’s ‘One Third Off’ during a long train ride through the Italian countryside, the rhythmic clatter of wheels on tracks providing the perfect backdrop for Cobb’s self-deprecating humor about his weight loss attempts. The experience reminded me of those evenings in Oaxaca, where the grandmother’s storytelling made even the most mundane struggles feel epic and universal.
Bryan Ness’s narration captures Cobb’s distinctive voice with remarkable precision. There’s a warmth to his delivery that makes you feel like you’re sitting across from Cobb himself in some smoky 1920s newsroom, the author puffing on his ever-present cigar as he regales you with tales of failed diets and exercise misadventures. Ness particularly shines in conveying Cobb’s wry observations about the human condition – you can practically hear the raised eyebrow in his voice when describing yet another failed attempt at resisting temptation.
What makes this audiobook special is how Cobb’s century-old struggles feel remarkably contemporary. His descriptions of fad diets (‘I was living on the memory of meals past’) and exercise regimens gone awry could easily be blog posts from today’s wellness industry. The cultural commentary woven throughout – about societal pressures, health trends, and our complicated relationship with food – remains startlingly relevant. As someone who’s written extensively about food cultures around the world, I found Cobb’s observations about the psychology of eating particularly insightful.
The audiobook’s structure works beautifully in audio format. Cobb’s episodic approach – each chapter detailing a new phase in his weight loss journey – makes it perfect for listening in segments. I found myself chuckling during my morning walks, particularly at Cobb’s description of his ‘scientific’ approach to dieting that involved carefully measuring portions… and then eating three of them. Ness’s timing during these humorous passages is impeccable, giving just the right pause before punchlines to maximize their effect.
From a technical perspective, the LibriVox production maintains good audio quality throughout. While you can occasionally hear the slight variations that come with volunteer recordings, Ness’s consistent performance keeps the listening experience smooth. The pacing at 3 hours 33 minutes feels just right – long enough to develop Cobb’s journey thoroughly but concise enough to maintain its comedic momentum.
Compared to similar humorous memoirs, ‘One Third Off’ stands out for its lack of pretense. Where modern works might try to extract some grand life lesson from the struggle, Cobb is content to simply share his failures with good humor. It’s this quality that reminded me most of those Oaxacan storytelling nights – the understanding that sometimes the story itself is the lesson, and laughter is the best teacher.
For listeners considering this audiobook, I’d recommend it particularly for:
– Fans of classic American humor in the vein of Mark Twain
– Anyone who’s ever struggled with dieting (so, basically everyone)
– Those interested in early 20th century cultural history
– Commuters looking for an entertaining, episodic listen
While the book doesn’t offer revolutionary insights into weight loss (Cobb himself admits to limited success), its value lies in how perfectly it captures the universal experience of striving for self-improvement. In our current era of Instagram-perfect wellness culture, there’s something refreshingly honest about Cobb’s account of stumbling toward better health.
The only limitation worth noting is that some of the period references might require occasional Googling for modern listeners. But even this becomes part of the charm, like discovering forgotten artifacts from our cultural past. It’s a reminder that while diet fads change, human nature remains wonderfully consistent.
Happy listening and bon appétit (in moderation, of course), Marcus
Marcus Rivera
