Book description
Following a young woman over the course of one outrageous and insufferable downtown dinner party at the home of her estranged best friends--an artist and curator couple, whom she now realizes stand for everything she detests--Happiness and Love is a piercing debut novel about brazen materialism, self-obsession, and the empty careerism of so-called cultural elites. Years after escaping New York and the center of its artistic world--a group of self-important, depraved, and unscrupulous artists, curators, and hangers-on--our narrator is back in town. With no plans to see anyone she once knew, she's wandering around the Lower East Side, thinking about the recent death of her former best friend, Rebecca, when she runs into Eugene, one half of the artist-curator couple at the heart of her old social set. Despite her better judgement, she accepts his invitation to a dinner party. And though the party is held only hours after Rebecca's funeral, it not a memorial of Rebecca but a dinner held in honor of a young, newly famous actress whose lateness delays the party by hours. As the guests sip their natural wine and await the actress's arrival, the narrator, from her perch on the corner seat of a white sofa, silently, systematically, and mercilessly eviscerates them--their manners, their relationships, their delusions and failures, and the complete moral poverty that brings them here, to Nicole and Eugene's loft on the Bowery. When the guest of honor finally does arrive, she sets in motion a disastrous end to the evening, laying bare the depravity and decadence of the hosts' empty little lives--a hollowness that the narrator herself knows all too well.
About the Author
Zoe Dubno is a writer from New York. She attended Oberlin College and has an MFA from Rutgers University, Newark. Her fiction has appeared in Granta and Muumuu House and NY Tyrant, her nonfiction in The New York Times Magazine, The New York Review of Books, The Guardian, The Nation, Vogue, BOMB, and elsewhere. She lives in New York and London. Happiness and Love is her first novel.
Dakota Bliss
ListenBook's features make it the ultimate audio companion for any audiobook enthusiast. ListenBook has become an essential part of my routine. It's more than an app β it's a companion.
Gentle Avenger
Audiobooks have transformed my daily walks into a time of inspiration and learning. Finally, an app that respects my busy lifestyle. Whether I'm commuting or exercising, this app's smooth playback and smart controls keep me engaged. πββοΈπ§ Adjusting the narrator's voice tone is a fun way to personalize the listening experience.
Paris Boost
The sleek design and easy navigation are visually pleasing and user-friendly. This app's seamless integration with CarPlay and other devices has revolutionized my audiobook experience. Audiobook excellence simplified β this app's functionality is a true delight. I love how I can adjust the skip intervals. Itβs perfect for my listening style.
Mental Prophet
The app's customization options allow me to tailor the listening experience to my liking. βοΈ Turning mundane tasks into exciting adventures β this app makes folding laundry a breeze with audiobooks! ππ§ ππ On-the-go listening has never been smoother β this app's functionality keeps me engaged during long commutes. ππ I've never experienced such silky-smooth playback even with high-quality FLAC files. Binaural audio processing reduces fatigue during long listening sessions. A fantastic feature!
Blink
I'm constantly amazed by the vast selection β there's always something new to discover. I'm amazed at how this app has made my daily routines more enjoyable and intellectually stimulating. ππ Road trips have never been this entertaining β this app keeps me engaged on the highway! ππ ListenBook has revolutionized the way I consume content. It's like having a personal tutor in my ear.
Taz Ringer
This app's intuitive features and easy navigation make it the perfect companion for any audiobook lover. Effortless audiobook exploration β this app's functionality is remarkable. Book groups keep my related titles together for a cohesive listening experience. A thoughtful feature!
Rummy Stickers
No more straining my eyes β this app lets me 'read' with my ears! Who needs traditional books when you have this app? It's a game-changer. ππ Beating traffic blues with engaging audiobooks β driving has never been this fun! ππ§ ListenBook is the best audiobook player Iβve 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!
Dahlia
This app has reignited my passion for literature β I'm devouring books like never before. ListenBook's chapters, controls, and filters have taken my audiobook journey to new heights. Listening to books while doing chores? This app makes it possible! This app has brought back the joy of reading, no matter how busy I am. The automatic extraction of artwork and metadata adds a professional touch to my audiobook library.
True Sweetness
My child has also fallen in love with audiobooks, all thanks to the app's kid-friendly collection. I'm impressed by ListenBook's ability to extract artwork and metadata automatically. The app's performance is top-notch. It's stable, responsive, and optimized for a seamless audiobook experience. Kudos to the developers! The audio filters make a noticeable difference. ListenBook provides an excellent listening experience. I love the ability to change the playback pitch. Itβs a unique feature.
Acid Gosling
Sharing audiobooks with friends through AirDrop and Sharing on ListenBook Pro is a fantastic way to spread the joy. I'm hooked on ListenBook's silky-smooth playback, making my audio sessions truly enjoyable. Absolutely love this app! It's made my daily commute so much more enjoyable.
Lope Lope
With this app, I've discovered the joy of learning while I'm on the move β it's like having a tutor by my side. Navigating audiobooks seamlessly β this app's design is top-notch. ListenBook's comprehensive format support makes it the ultimate companion for audiobook enthusiasts. ListenBook has elevated my learning experience. I'm retaining more information than ever.
Serendipity
Kudos to the creators for making literature so accessible and enjoyable. ListenBook has made my daily routines more vibrant and exciting with its immersive features. πͺ Crushing workouts while devouring books β this app makes fitness fun and educational! ποΈββοΈπ
BuzzBait
Audiobooks have become my constant companions during my daily activities. πΆ Saying goodbye to tangled headphones and complex controls β this app's easy navigation has made audiobook listening a breeze. π΅π Sharing audiobooks with friends is a bonding experience made easy through AirDrop and sharing options.
Hen Skittle
With ListenBook, I can immerse myself in captivating stories and enriching knowledge, all in one app. ListenBook's support for CarPlay and Apple Watch is a game-changer for my on-the-go listening. ListenBook's features make it the ultimate audio companion for any audiobook enthusiast. Listening to books while doing chores? This app makes it possible! This app has made me realize that there's always time for a good book.
Airport Hobo
Audiobooks have made my workouts more enjoyable, and I'm seeing results! Audiobooks have become my constant companions, and this app's seamless functionality and broad compatibility ensure every story is a captivating ride. ππ§ I'm blown away by the silky-smooth playback, even for high-quality formats like FLAC. Top-notch performance! Fairly enjoyable, but forgettable. I didnβt have any major complaints, but I also donβt see myself revisiting this one. It was a decent way to spend a few hours, though.
Rocky Highway
Kudos to the developers for crafting an app that understands readers' needs. The smooth playback and sleek design are pure perfection. ππ Automatic extraction of artwork and metadata adds a touch of elegance to my audiobook collection.
Eerie
ListenBook's tone adjustment feature in the Pro version is a creative tool that adds a fun twist to my audiobook journey. Tone adjustment is a brilliant addition that lets me personalize the narration to my liking. It adds an extra layer of connection to the audiobooks. Sharing audiobooks through AirDrop is a thoughtful and enjoyable way to share my favorite stories with friends and introduce them to new worlds of literature.
Lady Fantastic
I'm hooked on this app's intuitive features β from chapters to playback controls. This app's convenience has made reading a consistent part of my life. π§ My daily chores just got an upgrade! Thanks to this app, I can dive into captivating stories while cooking and cleaning. ππ³ I'm amazed by the attention to detail, from automatic metadata extraction to customizable settings.
Easy Mac
I'm amazed at how effortlessly I can immerse myself in stories with this app. Audiobook enthusiasts, rejoice! This app's design focuses on seamless interaction. ListenBook is my constant companion during workouts. The controls are so easy to use.
Silver Cup
I love that ListenBook offers both basic and advanced features, catering to all types of users. This app has made my downtime so much more productive and enjoyable. User-friendly brilliance! This app's functionality enhances my audiobook experience. Noise reduction on ListenBook Pro is impressive. My recordings sound crystal clear. Iβve been using ListenBook for months, and itβs been a fantastic experience. The app is lightweight, doesnβt drain my battery, and works perfectly in the background. The equalizer and voice boost features are amazing. Highly recommend!
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