Herbie

by Rich Cohen

Every life reaches that crucial intersection, the place where you must choose your fate, or have it chosen for you. For best-selling author Rich Cohen (The Fish That Ate the Whale, The Last Pirate of New York), it came in a writing workshop senior year in college, when, at 17, he had to knuckle under to a ruthless professor or make a righteous, self-defeating stand.

The story of that decision and the resulting struggle takes us from the winter streets of Chicago to the candy-colored bars of New Orleans to the glory of late 20th century Manhattan, while raising certain fundamental questions: What’s the difference between constructive and destructive criticism? What can a father do to help his child and when has he gone too far? Is it worth telling a bully to f--k off even if it may determine the direction of the rest of your life?

You will meet indelible characters along the way, especially Herbie, the author’s father (author of the classic business book You Can Negotiate Anything) who wears two watches, one on each wrist, because, as he says, "A man with one watch thinks he knows the time, while a man with two watches can never be sure."

At once funny and serious, this story is perfect for any parent wanting to help their kids find their way in the world, or for any kid who just wants to be free.

©2019 Rich Cohen (P)2019 Audible Originals, LLC.

Genres: Audiobook, Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, Humor, Autobiography, Parenting

Audible Audio

Published September 19, 2019

About the author

RICH COHEN is the author of Sweet and Low (FSG, 2006), Tough Jews, The Avengers, The Record Men, and the memoir Lake Effect. His work has appeared in many major publications, and he is a contributing editor at Rolling Stone. He lives with his family in Connecticut.

For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Coh...

Reviews

[Alaina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Herbie was an okay audiobook. Thankfully it was pretty short and had it's funny moments. I honestly didn't know much about Rich Cohen.. and I don't think I've ever read one of his books before this. Doesn't mean I never will but it was interesting to learn about him and his struggles with writing. I'm honestly really impressed when someone writes a book because I have no idea how they actually do it. My mind is a complete mess and if I ever tried to write a book I'm sure it was be one big confusing hot mess.. so yeah, I'll just leave the professionals to writing amazing books for me to read.

[Jeremy Woods · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me thinks maybe the professor was right. Sorry dude.

[Mack · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Herbie” in large part revolves around author Rich Cohen’s struggle with a professor of creative writing. It’s funny and poignant how it becomes a writer anyway. 😄😄

[Alan (the Lone Librarian rides again) Teder · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Father, the Negotiator
Review of the Audible Original audiobook (September 2019)
Note: Some foul language.

[3.5 rounded up]
Rich Cohen's Herbie is a series of anecdotes relating to Cohen’s father Herb Cohen, known as the author of You Can Negotiate Anything: How To Get What You Want (1980). Even the stories of Rich Cohen’s own writing and career become the basis for Herb’s reaction to them, primarily as a case for his argument that his son should instead be applying to law school. The centrepiece of the memoir is a conflict that Rich had with a writing professor in his early college years. Rich stopped caring about the incident shortly afterwards, but his father kept pursuing it beyond any sort of normal persistence, simply in order to make a point with the college faculty that youthful creativity should not be stifled.

The memoir was quite entertaining and was narrated well by the author.

Herbie was originally released in September 2019 and was also one of 10 Audible Original audiobooks available free for Audible members in the month of June 2020. It is available to everyone for a standard price.

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coming of age story? Father and son tale? Whatever you want to call it, this is a nice way to spend a couple of hours watching Rich Cohen figure out the direction he wants his life to take. There’s nothing deep or profound or even particularly memorable here, but it’s two hours I enjoyed none-the-less. If you need to idle a way a couple of hours and don’t want to think too deeply, give Herbie a try.

If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.

[Emily Gillis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This audiobook was free and only two hours so I figured why not, which is the same kind of eh feeling I have after listening. It was pleasant enough but it felt like it tried to cover too much ground for its length and therefore had very brief anecdotes. I don’t regret listening, again, free, but I wouldn’t pay to listen to this or recommend it to friends.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story well enough told. Three and a half stars, for what it's worth.

Rich Cohen’s dad was quite a character. The setting is not one I can remotely relate to myself, but there is a universality to it. When does the father go too far in defending his kid? When is it no longer about the kid?

Actually, I was really hoping Herb would eviscerate that scumbag sociopath of a professor. That man desperately needed to lose his job and never have power over impressionable young people again.

[Michael Huang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasantly surprising little story about the environment in which the author’s dad and himself grew up with vivid characters. His dad grew up with plenty street smartness and can talk himself into anywhere. (He published a book called “How to negotiate anything”) Among his friends is a Lawerence Zeiger who was given a new name (Larry King) because his old one is “too Brooklyn, too Jewish”. The Dad eventually move to Midwest and became an executive in a company. He keeps pressuring the author to study law. But the author likes literature. In Tulane, an English department professor mercilessly bullies students who he doesn’t like, all under the pretense to prepare them for reality. The author read a profanity-filled poem mocking the professor in class. From then on, the professor revenged by always giving work submitted by the author B without any sign of even reading. When the farther heard about it, he started a crusade to extract an apology from the professor — years after the author has graduated and moved on. The multi year crusade eventually led to some apology. The point? Next time that jerk wants to bully some poor student, he’ll think twice: what if he has a crazy father.

[Cintia Aleixo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just couldn't like the author...he is a special snow flake, full of entitlement. I would probably like his father better and maybe...just maybe his professor has a point...

[Patti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I had expected.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audible monthly freebie. I went into this not knowing who Rich Cohen is. I almost stopped within the first 45 minute and then it really grabbed me and started covering some really pertinent (to me) life issues/lessons. Glad I continued on as I love getting different perspectives that make you go hmm.. These monthly selections are so hit and miss but I like changing things up and I’m always in search of that gem.. this was pretty good.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short story/essay is a delightful companion on a short hike or stroll in the park. As a freebie from Audible, it worth the price. I enjoyed Cohen's style and will probably venture into some of his more ambitious efforts.
This tale involves a page of his life...and a sweet chapter of a father-son relationship. You'll find that Herbie is more than just a souped-up VW!

[Ann T · Rating 2 out of 5]

Herbie is the nickname of the author's father, which was given to him by a group of Herbie's friends, who all had nicknames. The preface of this book centers around a professor that Rich Cohen had in college and who didn't like anything that Rich wrote. It was taken to a point that Herbie got involved with the school and professor working to do anything to change Rich's grade. It was his drive in this challenge, that ultimately put so much stress on Herbie that he had a series of heart attacks all the while, Rich asks his father to not worry about it anymore and to just leave it alone.

Just okay for me. I hate foul language that is constantly used over and over. Once in awhile I understand but sometimes authors use it too much and I just get annoyed. It happened here in this book but really only in the beginning. It wasn't as much as others I have read, that I also have put down, so I was able to continue and finish.

[Amy Magan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This probably deserves 2.5 stars, but I'm not feeling generous. Here's my brief summary: arrogant, privileged rich kid raised by an arrogant obnoxious dad gets his feelings hurt in college. So he behaves like an ass and before he's over it he gets his ass of a dad to take up the pitchfork. This did nothing to make me want to read any of his other books. I'll admit to being intrigued by some of his "talk of the town" articles for The New Yorker and will give him props for some good turns of phrase. But it won't be one I'll read again or even remember, except maybe for how much I didn't like it.

[Nancie Lafferty · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5* Entertaining audio anecdote concerning a Dad’s crusade to rein the creativity destroying actions of a bad professor. Interesting glimpses into a father/son relationship and the things that shape a person’s life. Short, enjoyable listen.

[Tracy King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, free audiobook on Audible, 3-1/2 ***, rounded up. His father is a character, his professor is a soul-sucking never-was. It would have been even better if it was more tightly focused on the class situation. That was the best part.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Free Audible Original.

[Michael Powers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book about the relationship between a father and son. However, the vulgarity kept me from giving it 5 stars.

[Aurora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some parts were funny to listen to, especially when he read his poem about his teacher and how obsessive his dad was. A good story, and I liked the narrator.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept my attention from start to finish.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generally pretty unremarkable.

Lots of small racism.

Lots of small comments on things which have been Described at large.

It’s ok. But there are hundreds of works which are better.

[TPLL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and worth every minute! I listened to this but will be seek out more of Rich Cohen’s work. Listening to the heartfelt story of Rich, his dad, and his quest to be a writer was entertaining, funny, and enjoyable. Rich’s resistance to becoming a lawyer was quote worthy given that I love being a lawyer. I laughed out loud more times that Rich probably intended and that was partly his delivery in reading. I would like to have Jelly Man framed in my office.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun. I have an evil professor story, myself, and was interested in whether they’d be similar. My story is more about the evil professor and a rival student, this is more about his dad, but for good reason.

[Ida Wilcox · Rating 3 out of 5]

This totally put me to sleep.

Some parts were good but I just couldnt stay awake.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dad will do whatever it takes to help his son, even when it's not wanted or needed.

[عدنان العبار · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's a book where he talks about his father and the father's confrontation with a horrible professor that taught him in college. The book is simple and nice. It's like your father telling you a story. Okay, that's nice to listen to, but that's it.

I'm sad to say that both the father's and the son's lives were empty, but I am in no position to judge. All I can say is that I listened to this book in a very tough period in my life, and this book has not added nor removed anything from me. It wasn't a waste of time, though, since I listened to it while driving and this is better than the radio. But I would never recommend this book to anyone (because why would I?), and I am sure to forget about it very very soon.

(In fact, I will remove this from the read section to the small-reads section.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tribute to a father, the pain of tearing away from family expectation to blunder along a new path, the courage to endure a nemesis' control, and the love of family that provides unexpected even unwanted aid are all here in this beautiful story in Rich Cohen's life. Envy may be felt when you experience the detail of Cohen's description of his father. I wondered if I could explain my father with the honesty and breadth that Cohen has in Herbie. Enjoy a smile, the consternation, the bewilderment, and pride of a son - read Herbie.

[Soo · Rating 4 out of 5]

2024/12/31 Notes:

Woah! I'm glad I finally read this. A bio full of snappy character, bright colors and strong emotions. It was like listening to half of a deep chat you may have with a bestie. Just enough to understand the topic and get a clear picture of the event.

Can a bio be realistic, whimsical and angsty? Herbie managed to be all of that and a pleasant surprise as a well written and energetically told memories.

Onto the next reading rampage! 🤗

[Frank Privette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This audiobook is little better than average. It’s very well-written and drives the story forward adequately. But it never gets the listener to care about the plot and its three relevant turns. It feels like an unpolished work, especially because you’re never emotionally invested in the characters. Which is a regrettable miss, given that it’s pretty obviously an homage to his dad, Herbie.

Despite the predictably “dire” ending, the book could be catalogued as a comedy. It could be, but it’s not really one: it has funny and amusing moments, to be sure, but there’s an always-present sense of tragic-comedic dread. A non-sad-but-tragic sense of inevitability. So, riffing on the Seinfeld cliché, it feels like story about nothing, without being about nothing. Like an homage, I suppose, it was hard for author Cohen to decide what he wanted to write.

The story, in brief: young, awkward Rich Cohen grows up in an uneventful East Coast setting while his dad becomes increasingly successful (side note: one of Herbie’s childhood friends is Larry King) to the point where he becomes a published author and a sought-after negotiations consultant, allowing them to move to Illinois, into a well-to-do neighborhood. Rich wants to be a film director, then a writer, and ends up studying in Tulane where he goes through a hell-in-a-creative-writing-workshop (can’t recall if it’s one semester long or the entire year) where the professor ends up hating him. Even though Rich passes, his father intervenes because the professor humiliates his students. This degenerates into a legal battle which carries on for years, even after Rich graduates and goes to Manhattan to become a contributor for The New Yorker. Details occur here and there, within and in between plot turns. But you just don’t care. As Cohen’s career takes off, his dad grows increasingly proud of the son he sometimes put down. Eventually, Herbie dies. As Cohen reminds us, Hemingway said every story is a tragedy if it goes on long enough.

A Jewish family history, set with this background and setting, is classic American Literature (and Cohen knows it: he mentions Saul Bellow explicitly). However, I have a feeling the author never set out to write a Great American Novel. I suspect, rather, that this was a gift for his late father. As I mention, an homage. The problem is that it feels, perhaps, as a first draft rather than the final piece. Perhaps the author couldn’t bring himself to develop the story more. But if Cohen ever publishes a regular size novel (and not a novella), he may be able to get his readers to care more. And he may well have the seeds of a great tale here.

[Michael Rhames · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall: 4.2/5
One of the Audible Originals offered during July 2020, this short autobiography proved a more interesting read than I expected.

Cover: 3/5
It was from this cover I somehow got the idea that this was going to be a rather comical read. It's more of a series of anecdotes and morals through the author's struggles as an aspiring writer. It does have its funny moments so I didn't feel deceived. Got my attention and as such did its job.

Writing/Delivery: 8/10
This is a voice I can dig, as much in the literal sense as in the literary one. Most memoirs or autobiographies I've read have a novelesque feel to them, but not this one. This was like sitting in your porch with a friend that just starts telling you about his life and how he got to where he is now. I had never read Rich Cohen before, but all through his tale I felt like this was someone I knew. I don't. But to me, an author that achieves such connection in his first at-bat promises to become a regular hitter.

The structure was just fine, if a bit unorthodox. The ending, however, felt inadequate, like he would've just rambled on because he had nothing else. I say this as constructively as can be. I know writing a book ain't no picnic and ending it adequately can be a nightmare.

Narration/Performance: 10/10
Again, a voice I can dig. I believe it was a wise decision for the author himself to perform here. I doubt anyone else would have put the personal touch. It's a street savvy wiseguy that suits the story here.

Quotes:

"The key to everything is to care, but not that much."

"If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there."

"A nose that can hear is worth two that can smell."

"A man with one watch thinks he knows the time. A man with two watches can never be sure."

"The key to walking on water is knowing where the stones are."

"The idea of learning to write in a classroom, from a teacher, a filtering experience, which becomes real only in the retelling to assist him of rules and strategies seemed, even as I was doing it, wrong."

"How do you live in a world of garbage? A bum turns that garbage into a palace. You can lead a productive "