Book description
"A wise and wonderfully enjoyable book. Mark Lilla treats weighty matters with a light touch, in an elegant prose style that crackles with dry wit . . . Invigorating." —John Banville, The GuardianA dazzling exploration of our wish to remain innocent and ignorant—and its consequences. Aristotle claimed that “all human beings want to know.” Our own experience proves that all human beings also want not to know. Today, centuries after the Enlightenment, mesmerized crowds still follow preposterous prophets, irrational rumors trigger fanatical acts, and magical thinking crowds out common sense and expertise. Why is this? Where does this will to ignorance come from, and how does it continue to shape our lives?In Ignorance and Bliss, the acclaimed essayist and historian of ideas Mark Lilla offers an absorbing psychological diagnosis of the human will not to know. With erudition and brio, Lilla ranges from the Book of Genesis and Plato’s dialogues to Sufi parables and Sigmund Freud, revealing the paradoxes of hiding truth from ourselves. He also exposes the fantasies this impulse lead us to entertain—the illusion that the ecstasies of prophets, mystics, and holy fools offer access to esoteric truths; the illusion of children’s lamb-like innocence; and the nostalgic illusion of recapturing the glories of vanished and allegedly purer civilizations. The result is a highly original meditation that invites readers to consider their own deep-seated impulses and taboos.We want to know, we want not to know. We accept truth, we resist truth. Back and forth the mind shuttles, playing badminton with itself. But it doesn’t feel like a game. It feels as if our lives are at stake. And they are.
Sofa King
ListenBook's dedication to excellence is evident in its well-designed interface, smooth playback, and powerful features. Seamless audiobook integration – this app's design is a true delight. Every moment is a chance to dive into a new adventure with this app. Its smart controls and comprehensive format support ensure that my audiobook journey is a seamless one. 🌌🎧
Thumb Candy
The customer support team is responsive and always ready to assist. This audiobook made my workouts fly by! The engaging narration kept me motivated to keep listening, which meant longer gym sessions. The narrator's energy matched the material perfectly - upbeat when needed, somber when appropriate. A great example of how narration can enhance text.
Highway
My long walks have turned into exciting adventures with this app. The statistics tracking feature is a gem. I'm surprised by how much time I spend on audiobooks! Sharing audiobooks through AirDrop is a wonderful way to spread the joy of storytelling.
Gabriel Dandelion
With ListenBook, I can effortlessly manage and organize my audiobook library. Effortlessly immersing in stories – this app's ease of use is a game-changer. Looping playback is a brilliant study tool. Thanks to ListenBook, my learning has improved!
Tangerine
The narrators' voices on this app are so soothing – it's my relaxation therapy. ListenBook's compatibility with CarPlay and Apple Watch enhances my audiobook experience during daily activities. The app is very easy to use. ListenBook makes managing my audiobook library simple.
Steel Ginger
I can't remember the last time I was this excited about 'reading' books! I can't believe how much more I'm 'reading' now, all thanks to this app. With this app, I've turned mundane chores into exciting opportunities for intellectual growth. 💡 Balancing learning and living effortlessly – audiobooks on demand, thanks to this app! 🎧💫 Efficiency meets audiobooks – this app's functionality is a perfect match.
High Kingdom Warrior
This app has helped me achieve my reading goals and explore new genres effortlessly. ⭐️ Who knew cleaning could be this exciting? This app turns chores into adventures! 🧹🏰 Quick access to chapters is a blessing. No more scrolling through endless content. This was a workmanlike audiobook that did the job without flair. The narration was clear and the pacing appropriate, though the delivery lacked some emotional depth. The production quality was acceptable with no major technical issues.
Pop Bee
I've found hidden gems in genres I never thought I'd be interested in. With ListenBook, my daily commutes have become a cherished time for learning and enjoyment. This app's ease of use has made reading an integral part of my everyday life. 💼 Workday blues? Not anymore – this app turns my office hours into reading time! 💻📖 Perfect for repeat listening! The narrator's performance was so rich with detail that I'm sure I'll discover new layers on a second listen. Their interpretation felt authentic to the material while bringing fresh insights. The audio production was pristine from start to finish.
Vortex
The ability to highlight passages and take notes while listening is a fantastic feature. The ListenBook app has enriched my daily life, adding a layer of intellectual and emotional fulfillment. ListenBook's thoughtful inclusion of chapters, controls, and filters has enhanced my audiobook experience.
Coffee
This app has turned my daily routine into a source of excitement and joy. I'm blown away by how this app has made my commutes productive and my downtime entertaining. 🎶📚 Setting the mood with stories instead of songs – this app is my go-to playlist! 🎧🌟 Effortless and enriching – that's how I'd describe my experience with this app. Its functionality, from seamless downloads to binaural audio processing, has truly raised the bar. 📱📖
Po1son
ListenBook Pro's tone adjustment feature is an innovative way to make each audiobook unique. Binaural audio processing really helps reduce listening fatigue. Great feature!
Twitch
🚗📖 Road trips have never been this entertaining – this app keeps me engaged on the highway! 🚙🎉 ListenBook has transformed how I enjoy audiobooks. It's an indispensable part of my routine. The app's performance is top-notch. It's stable, responsive, and optimized for a seamless audiobook experience. Kudos to the developers! I love the ability to change the font size. It makes reading the titles so easy. I love the ability to share my progress with friends. It’s a fun feature.
ThoughtTracer
This app has reignited my passion for reading, and I'm forever grateful. 🏃♀️📖 Running with purpose – this app keeps my mind engaged as I conquer my fitness goals! 🏃♀️📚 I'm blown away by the powerful audio downloading options. So versatile!
Daffy Girl
I'm blown away by ListenBook's ability to maintain audio quality even for formats like FLAC and AWB. I'm amazed by ListenBook's dedication to quality – it's evident in every feature. 🎉 Adding a touch of magic to mundane tasks – this app turns errands into epic quests! 🛒📖 Kudos to the developers for making this app iOS 16 optimized. It runs like a dream! The app is so easy to use. I was up and running in minutes.
RiddleRanger
ListenBook's dedication to optimizing for iOS 16 ensures a seamless experience on the latest devices. This app has made waiting in lines and queues an opportunity for exploration and enjoyment. Streamlining audiobook enjoyment – this app's functionality is truly impressive.
Little Drunk Girl
With this app, my daily commute has transformed into an engaging journey through captivating stories. This app's ease of use has made reading an integral part of my everyday life. 👩🍳 Turning cooking sessions into culinary adventures, complete with intriguing tales! 🍳🎧 💼 Juggling tasks while exploring narratives – this app is my multitasking hero! 💻📖
Mustard Centaur
Chapters, configurable auto-rewind, and bookmarks on ListenBook keep me in control of my content. The intuitive interface and efficient navigation make this app a pleasure to use every day.
Golden Cougar
I love how this app brings stories to life, even during my morning jogs. Finally, an app that supports all audiobook formats! Flawless playback. Love the download options. ListenBook gives me so many ways to get my audiobooks onto my device. A functional audiobook. It kept me entertained, but I wasn’t blown away. The narrator’s performance was competent, though some emotional scenes fell a bit flat.
Sexy
No more fighting over the radio during family trips – we're all hooked on audiobooks now. This app has turned my long walks into delightful literary adventures. ListenBook's beautiful layout and quick access to chapters make every listening session a pleasure. Kudos to ListenBook for optimizing the app for iOS 16 – it shows their dedication to excellence. Highly engaging! The combination of a well-written story and skilled narration made this audiobook hard to pause. I finished it much faster than I expected because I just couldn’t stop listening.
QuestWeaver
I love how ListenBook extracts artwork and metadata from audio files, adding a visual touch to my listening experience. ListenBook's library organization and Book Groups feature make it easy to keep my audiobooks organized and accessible.
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