Book description
Set in Constantinople in the fifteenth century, in a small town in present-day Idaho, and on an interstellar ship decades from now, Anthony Doerr's gorgeous third novel is a triumph of imagination and compassion, a soaring story about children on the cusp of adulthood in worlds in peril, who find resilience, hope - and a book. In Cloud Cuckoo Land, Doerr has created a magnificent tapestry of times and places that reflects our vast interconnectedness - with other species, with each other, with those who lived before us, and with those who will be here after we're gone. Thirteen-year-old Anna, an orphan, lives inside the formidable walls of Constantinople in a house of women who make their living embroidering the robes of priests. Restless, insatiably curious, Anna learns to read, and in this ancient city, famous for its libraries, she finds a book, the story of Aethon, who longs to be turned into a bird so that he can fly to a utopian paradise in the sky. This she reads to her ailing sister as the walls of the only place she has known are bombarded in the great siege of Constantinople. Outside the walls is Omeir, a village boy, miles from home, conscripted with his beloved oxen into the invading army. His path and Anna's will cross. Five hundred years later, in a library in Idaho, octogenarian Zeno, who learned Greek as a prisoner of war, rehearses five children in a play adaptation of Aethon's story, preserved against all odds through centuries. Tucked among the library shelves is a bomb, planted by a troubled, idealistic teenager, Seymour. This is another siege. And in a not-so-distant future, on the interstellar ship Argos, Konstance is alone in a vault, copying on scraps of sacking the story of Aethon, told to her by her father. She has never set foot on our planet. Like Marie-Laure and Werner in All the Light We Cannot See, Anna, Omeir, Seymour, Zeno, and Konstance are dreamers and outsiders who find resourcefulness and hope in the midst of gravest danger. Their lives are gloriously intertwined. Doerr's dazzling imagination transports us to worlds so dramatic and immersive that we forget, for a time, our own. Dedicated to "the librarians then, now, and in the years to come," Cloud Cuckoo Land is a beautiful and redemptive novel about stewardship - of the book, of the Earth, of the human heart.Review"Doerr returns with a deeply affecting epic....[Cloud Cuckoo Land] is a marvel." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) Review"Doerr demonstrates a singular gift for bringing these complex, fully realized characters to empathetic life in this brilliantly imagined story, which moves backward and forward in time." Booklist (Starred Review)Review"As the pieces of this magical literary puzzle snap together, a flicker of hope is sparked for our benighted world." Kirkus (Starred Review)Review"A glorious golden mesh of stories that limns that the transformative power of literature and our need to both dream big and arrive back home in a world that will eventually flow on without us." Library Journal (Starred Review)About the AuthorAnthony Doerr is the author of All the Light We Cannot See, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the Carnegie Medal, the Alex Award, and a #1 New York Times bestseller. He is also the author of the story collections Memory Wall and The Shell Collector, the novel About Grace, and the memoir Four Seasons in Rome. He has won five O. Henry Prizes, the Rome Prize, the New York Public Library's Young Lions Award, the National Magazine Award for fiction, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Story Prize. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Doerr lives in Boise, Idaho, with his wife and two sons.
Demo Zero
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Green Ghost
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Moon Peaches
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Noisy Girl
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Saint La-Z-Boy
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Darth 44
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Nightmare King
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Opulent Gamer
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Count Eagle
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Guncap Slingbad
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Glyph
I'm absolutely in love with this app! It's like a library of stories in my pocket. Audiobooks have turned my mundane activities into opportunities for learning and enjoyment. Perfect for listening to educational materials. Highly efficient and useful.
HighBomber
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Universe Bullet
The customizable controls and playback options cater perfectly to different audiobook preferences. Finally, an audiobook player that supports all formats! No more converting files.
Drugstore Cowboy
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NeoGermal
Thank you for making my reading goals more achievable and enjoyable. With this app, I've found a way to turn every moment into an opportunity for learning and enrichment.
WanderWord
Effortless audiobook management – this app's usability is a triumph. As an audiobook aficionado, this app is a dream come true. Its support for various formats and effortless navigation make it my perfect reading companion. 🌟🎧 ListenBook has become my workout companion of choice. It keeps me motivated and entertained during exercise.
New Cycle
I'm amazed at how this app's features cater to audiobook enthusiasts' every need. With this app, I can seamlessly switch between audiobooks and real life. 📱 Audiobooks at my fingertips – this app's ease of use is a booklover's dream come true! 📚🔥 Effortlessly exploring new worlds – this app's design is user-centric and efficient.
RiddleRover
The app's customization options allow me to tailor the listening experience to my liking. Audiobooks have made my long commutes enjoyable, and I'm always eager to see what's next. With this app, I can dive into captivating narratives while cooking, cleaning, or commuting – pure magic! Unlimited length audiobooks with ListenBook Pro are a huge plus!
Bad Bunny
I'm finally making progress on my reading goals, thanks to this app's convenience. Audiobooks have made waiting in lines and queues so much more bearable. The customizable controls and playback options cater perfectly to different audiobook preferences.
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