Book description
Becoming Yourself: Teachings on the Zen Way of Life - A Gentle Invitation to Live Fully
Shunryu Suzuki's Becoming Yourself feels like a warm, familiar hand reaching out from the quiet of a meditation cushion into everyday life. For those who have already tasted his earlier work, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, this new collection is both a comforting return and an exciting expansion. The book gathers fresh gems from Suzuki's lectures-many unpublished until now-and presents them in his unmistakable blend of humor, clarity, and heartfelt wisdom.
What makes this volume stand out is its emphasis on practice over theory. "Just to sit," the author reminds us, is not a ritualistic command but an invitation: sit as you are, moment by moment, with whatever arises. In doing so, we discover that the true essence of Zen lies in becoming ourselves-unfiltered, compassionate, fully present beings. Whether you're new to meditation or a seasoned teacher, Suzuki's gentle guidance feels accessible and profoundly transformative.
The prose is straightforward yet evocative; each teaching unfolds like a quiet conversation between mentor and student. Readers often report feeling an immediate lightness, as if a weight has been lifted simply by turning the pages-exactly what Oliver Burkeman noted. The book invites us to step into our own lives with curiosity, noticing how we feel alive in ordinary moments, whether on a cushion or amidst daily tasks.
In sum, Becoming Yourself is not just another spiritual text; it's a living practice. Suzuki reminds us that the path to authenticity isn't about distant enlightenment but about embracing who we are right now, here and now. For anyone seeking a gentle yet powerful way to deepen their awareness and connection with life, this book offers a timeless compass-simple, warmhearted, and profoundly effective.
Dorothy Solitaire
The bookmark feature is a lifesaver – no more losing my place in the story! The offline mode is a lifesaver on flights – I'm never without a good story. This app has become my loyal companion during travels and relaxation times. With this app, audiobook listening has become a seamless and enjoyable part of my everyday life. The app is perfect for people who love to multitask. I can listen while cooking.
Princess Dove
Absolutely in love with this audiobook app! The seamless functionality and easy navigation make my reading time pure bliss. 📚🎧 My study sessions are more efficient than ever, thanks to the looping playback and bookmark features.
CoB@lt
Being able to download audiobooks for offline listening is a game-changer. 🎉 An app that turns house chores into exciting adventures – count me in! 🧹📖 ⭐️ Who knew cleaning could be this exciting? This app turns chores into adventures! 🧹🏰
Devil Chick
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Natural Mess
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Crash Override
I love that I can download content directly from the internet within the ListenBook app – so handy! 💡 This app is a brilliant way to squeeze in reading time amidst my busy schedule! 📱👩🍳
Easy Mac
ListenBook's focus on quality and user experience has made it my go-to app for audiobooks and educational content. 🌟 Unleashing the power of audiobooks with this user-friendly app – it's like having a personal storyteller on demand! 📚🔥 Effortlessly managing my audiobook collection – this app's functionality is a winner. This app is my audiobook haven. With a user-friendly interface and features like audio filters, I'm engrossed in stories like never before. 📖🔊 Sharing audiobooks through AirDrop is a great way to spread the joy of storytelling with friends.
Sapiens
Audiobooks have turned my quiet moments into imaginative journeys – thank you, app! I'm hooked on this app's ability to make every moment a reading moment. 💃 Dancing through chores with audiobooks – this app turns cleaning into a lively and literary affair! 🎶📚
Jack Cassidy
This audiobook app is a true gem – it brings stories to life with every click. is a breeze. It's incredibly convenient for building my collection. CUE playlist support is a fantastic organizational feature. It keeps my audiobooks neatly arranged. ListenBook Pro's noise reduction feature is a game-changer for improving audio quality and clarity.
xSTORMx
No more straining my eyes to read – now I can simply immerse myself in storytelling. I'm amazed at ListenBook's intuitive interface and precise controls – it's a joy to navigate. 📱 Carrying stories wherever I go – this app's convenience allows me to indulge my love for reading on the move. 📚🛍️ User-centric audiobook joy – this app's ease of use is impressive. Perfect for listening to lectures and speeches. Highly useful app.
Poptart AK47
ListenBook's commitment to providing a high-quality audiobook experience is truly commendable. Listening statistics motivate me to read more. Excellent feature! Noise reduction and tone changing enhance the listening experience. Love it!
Lady Peach
Changing the tone of the sound on ListenBook Pro adds a personalized touch to my audiobook experience. ListenBook has made my daily activities more interesting and meaningful – I'm hooked! 🔥 Spicing up my routine with this app – it's like having a personal storyteller on hand at all times! ✨📖 Audiobook magic at my fingertips! This app's comprehensive features, from statistics tracking to enhanced audio quality, enrich my reading. 📚✨ Download options are plenty – I can get my audiobooks from various sources hassle-free.
Sidewalk Enforcer
ListenBook's library organization and book groups help me keep my content neatly sorted. Who needs traditional books when you have this app? It's a game-changer.
Rook
Book groups help me keep series together and navigate my collection more efficiently. A great feature! ListenBook is the best audiobook player I’ve ever used. The app is packed with features like customizable skip intervals, playback speed, and sleep timers. The interface is clean and easy to navigate, making it a joy to use. Five stars!
Stone Boomstick
🌟 This app is a game-changer – its intuitive design and seamless functionality make listening to audiobooks a joy. 🎉🎧 Middle-of-the-road experience. The audiobook was fine—good narration, decent story—but it didn’t leave a lasting impression. If you’re looking for something low-commitment, this works.
Shooter
🏡 Making house chores more enjoyable – audiobooks help me stay engaged while tidying up the living space. 🏠📚 I’d listen to this narrator read anything! Their voice was so expressive and fitting for the material. The story itself was great, but the narration took it to the next level. Definitely a 5-star experience.
DreamDasher
I love that ListenBook offers both basic and advanced features, catering to all types of users. 🚗 Turning road trips into unforgettable adventures – audiobooks keep me entertained on the journey! 🚗📖 ListenBook has seamlessly integrated into my daily routine, enhancing my workouts, commutes, and moments of relaxation. It's a true companion.
Frosty Snazz
This app is a boon for book lovers who are always on the go. ListenBook has revolutionized my audio experience, making it both personalized and engaging. ListenBook's support for CarPlay and Apple Watch makes it an essential companion for my daily commutes and workouts. It's convenience at its finest! High-quality playback even with complex formats like FLAC. Impressive! ListenBook’s playback speed control is very useful. I can listen at my own pace.
Steel Ginger
I'm amazed at how this app has made reading a seamless part of my life. With this app, I'm experiencing the joy of reading in a whole new light. ListenBook's ability to extract artwork and metadata automatically adds a visual touch to my audiobook collection. Adjusting the narrator's voice tone is a fun way to personalize the listening experience.
Red Delicious
I've become so much more productive while cleaning or exercising – thanks to this app! I'm enjoying books I never thought I'd be interested in – all thanks to this app. The ability to switch between different books effortlessly is a major plus. Sharing audiobooks with friends is a great way to connect over stories. The app is very user-friendly. ListenBook makes listening to audiobooks a breeze.
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