Book description
**Winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Autobiography** Included in President Obama's 2016 Summer Reading List "Without a doubt, the finest surf book I've ever read . . . " --The New York Times Magazine Barbarian Days is William Finnegan's memoir of an obsession, a complex enchantment. Surfing only looks like a sport. To initiates, it is something else: a beautiful addiction, a demanding course of study, a morally dangerous pastime, a way of life. Raised in California and Hawaii, Finnegan started surfing as a child. He has chased waves all over the world, wandering for years through the South Pacific, Australia, Asia, Africa. A bookish boy, and then an excessively adventurous young man, he went on to become a distinguished writer and war reporter. Barbarian Days takes us deep into unfamiliar worlds, some of them right under our noses--off the coasts of New York and San Francisco. It immerses the reader in the edgy camaraderie of close male friendships forged in challenging waves. Finnegan shares stories of life in a whites-only gang in a tough school in Honolulu. He shows us a world turned upside down for kids and adults alike by the social upheavals of the 1960s. He details the intricacies of famous waves and his own apprenticeships to them. Youthful folly--he drops LSD while riding huge Honolua Bay, on Maui--is served up with rueful humor. As Finnegan's travels take him ever farther afield, he discovers the picturesque simplicity of a Samoan fishing village, dissects the sexual politics of Tongan interactions with Americans and Japanese, and navigates the Indonesian black market while nearly succumbing to malaria. Throughout, he surfs, carrying readers with him on rides of harrowing, unprecedented lucidity. Barbarian Days is an old-school adventure story, an intellectual autobiography, a social history, a literary road movie, and an extraordinary exploration of the gradual mastering of an exacting, little-understood art.
Deano
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Sepukku
Kudos to the creators for making literature so accessible and enjoyable. ListenBook's library organization and Book Groups feature make it easy to keep my audiobooks organized and accessible. This app has added a new layer of enjoyment to my downtime – I'm truly grateful.
Classy Dancer
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Take Away
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Twiddle Twix
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Ba1t
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Swing Setter
The 'Explore' feature has introduced me to authors I might never have discovered otherwise. Binaural audio processing reduces fatigue during long listening sessions. A fantastic feature! Supports all my playlists and bookmarks seamlessly. Very convenient. The ability to play various audio formats without conversion is very convenient. ListenBook is a great app.
Count Eagle
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High Beam
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Friday Fox
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Sassy Muffin
I've become a more empathetic listener and reader, thanks to the power of audiobooks. With ListenBook, I can listen to my favorite audiobooks and speeches with maximum comfort and convenience. Audiobook pleasure without the fuss – this app's functionality is top-notch. Audiobook multitasking simplified – this app's functionality is a triumph.
Snapple Whistler
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Alley Frog
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Sir Shark
Noise reduction on ListenBook enhances the clarity of dictaphone recordings, allowing me to enjoy content even in noisy environments. Beautiful design and intuitive interface. Very pleased.
Wild Tesla
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Romance Princess
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Show Off
Audiobook enthusiasts, rejoice! This app's design focuses on seamless interaction. Efficiency meets audiobooks – this app's functionality is a true standout. The user-friendly interface and smooth navigation make this app a pleasure to use daily.
Midnight Rider
The customer support team is responsive and always ready to assist. I can't stop raving about this app – it's like having a personal library in my pocket. ListenBook's interface is so intuitive. I was up and running in no time.
Playing a wide variety of audio formats
Works on all devices with iOS 13 and newer
Huge amount of features for a small price
Frequent updates to add new features and improve existing ones
Advanced playback controls
Live sound processing
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice and noise reduction
Translated into more than 20 languages
If you love listening to fiction audiobooks, ListenBook has features to make the process easier.
Edit book data: title, author, cover
Use equalizer to make the sound comfortable for you
Adjust the playback speed
Enjoy dark and light app themes
Supported formats: MP3, M4B, AWB, FLAC, OGG audio files and many more (must be DRM free)
Auto-Bookmarks make it easy to find your place
AirPlay support allows redirection of audio output.
VoiceOver support
Dark mode for night owls
Convenient bookmarking system helps you mark the most important places.
Unlimited bookmarks for each audiobook
Put your own cover on the wager
Share your audiobook with friends
Lock-screen control
Customise app with extensive options
Sleep timer with shake to reset, set custom notification sounds, and a few unique options
Auto rewind depending on paused time, customize rewind times to your liking
Removing background noise from recordings made in classrooms and meetings
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice for a better listening experience