Book description
Our politics are broken; our world is melting; the next catastrophe looms. Enter James Parker, who for years now has been writing odes of appreciation on subjects from the seemingly minor ("Ode to Naps") to the unexpected ("Ode to Giving People Money") to the seemingly minor, unexpected, and hyperspecific ("Ode to Running in Movies"). Finally collecting Parker's beloved and much-lauded odes in one place, this volume demonstrates the profound power of the form. Each ode is an exercise in gratitude. Each celebrates the permanent susceptibility of everyday humdrum life to dazzling saturations of divine light: the squirrel in the street, the crying baby, the misplaced cup of tea. Parker's odes are songs of praise, but with a decent amount of complaining in there, too: a human ratio of moans. Varied in length but unified in tone, mostly in prose, sometimes toppling into verse, the odes range across music, movies, literature, psychology, and beyond, all through the lens of Parker's personal history. Gathered together, they form an accidental how-to guide to honoring your own experience--and to finding your own odes.
About the Author
James Parker is a staff writer for The Atlantic. Since 2011, he has run the Black Seed Writers Group--a weekly writing workshop for homeless, transitional, and recently housed writers--and edited The Pilgrim, a literary magazine from the homeless community of downtown Boston. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts.
Crash Override
Seamless audiobook integration β this app's functionality is truly remarkable. Listening stats keep me motivated to read more. Great addition!
FireBrang
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Heavenly Connection
The noise reduction feature in ListenBook Pro is a game-changer for enjoying clear recordings. It was fine. The narrator did an adequate job but nothing about the performance particularly stood out to me. Got me through my commute though.
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ThermalMode
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Marshmallow Treat
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Most Wanted
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HOV
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Raid Bucker
ListenBook's library organization and Book Groups feature make it easy to keep my audiobooks organized and accessible. Adjusting playback speed has given me greater control over my audiobook experience. I can optimize my learning and enjoyment by customizing the pacing.
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Journeyman
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Light Despair
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Mallow Man
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Manly
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Marine Dre
As a language enthusiast, this app has been a fantastic tool for learning new languages. The playback speed adjustment is a game-changer for busy individuals. Time saver! The app's performance is unparalleled. It's like it's tailor-made for my device. The app is perfect for people who love to multitask. I can listen while cooking.
Fire Bite
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Mammoth 2
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The narrator's voices are so engaging, it's like having a personal storytelling session. This app's compatibility with different formats has made my audiobook collection diverse and enjoyable. I'm addicted to this app's seamless integration with my daily activities. ListenBook's compatibility with a wide array of audio formats makes it my ultimate audiobook companion. The adjustable playback speed is a secret weapon for getting through educational content faster.
Lady Petal
I love how this app brings stories to life, even during my morning jogs. The sleek and user-friendly interface makes navigating the app a breeze. It's a pleasure to use. The interface is beautiful and functional. ListenBook is my go-to app for audiobooks.
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