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.
Lucky Martian
I'm amazed at how this app seamlessly integrates with my daily routine. Kudos to ListenBook for optimizing the app for iOS 16 – it shows their dedication to excellence. ListenBook's features make it the ultimate audio companion for any audiobook enthusiast.
Station WMD
I've discovered authors I'd never heard of before, and now they're among my favorites. ListenBook has become an integral part of my daily routine. Its compatibility with Apple Watch and CarPlay makes it the ultimate companion for various activities. The statistics tracking feature is very useful. ListenBook helps me keep track of my listening time. The app is perfect for people who love to multitask. I can listen while cooking.
SunnySnap
🎉 Rekindling my love for reading – this app makes each day a new adventure! 📖🚀 ListenBook Pro's noise reduction feature enhances my audiobook experience, ensuring I catch every detail. Looping playback has made memorization so much easier. I'm acing my exams! The audio filters make a noticeable difference. ListenBook provides an excellent listening experience. 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!
Houston Rocket
⭐️ Turning mundane tasks into exciting adventures – this app makes folding laundry a breeze with audiobooks! 👚🎧 Navigating through chapters is a breeze. It's like the app knows what I need. The noise reduction feature in ListenBook Pro is a game-changer for enjoying clear recordings. Smooth playback and great sound quality. ListenBook is my new favorite app! I’ve tried several audiobook players, but ListenBook stands out for its reliability and ease of use. The equalizer and voice boost features make every book sound amazing. Plus, the dark mode is perfect for nighttime listening. Great job, developers!
Guillotine Trigger
ListenBook's intuitive controls and beautiful layout make my audiobook experience a delightful one. With ListenBook, I can enjoy my audiobooks with enhanced sound quality and personalized settings. Simplifying audiobook adventures – this app's ease of use is a delight. The audio quality is excellent, and the interface is intuitive. ListenBook is my go-to app for audiobooks.
Stallion Patton
Audiobooks have become my bedtime companions, soothing me into a peaceful sleep. Sharing audiobooks with friends through AirDrop is a creative way to share the love of literature. Perfect for listening to lectures and speeches. Highly useful app.
Corny
Easy sharing with friends via AirDrop. Very convenient. This audiobook was an absolute pleasure to listen to! The narrator's voice was rich and expressive, perfectly capturing the tone of the material. I found myself completely immersed in the story, often sitting in my car longer than necessary just to hear what happened next. The production quality was excellent with clear audio throughout.
NexusNinja
Audiobooks have transformed my daily walks into a time of inspiration and learning. I'm hooked on this app's effortless downloading process – I can have my favorite audiobooks in seconds. Looping playback has revolutionized my study sessions. I'm learning faster than ever.
Gunhawk
Listening to books in their original language has improved my foreign language skills. I'm amazed at how this app has made reading a seamless part of my life. Adjustable playback speed and volume controls are fantastic features.
Uncle Psycho
ListenBook's library organization and book groups make managing my collection effortless. ListenBook's features make it the ultimate audio companion for any audiobook enthusiast. With this app, I can enjoy my favorite stories while traveling, making my journeys more delightful. This app's convenience has turned my daily chores into moments of intellectual discovery – a win-win!
Black Walnut
Streamlined audiobook integration – this app's usability is truly impressive. CUE playlist support is a fantastic feature that allows me to curate themed listening sessions, creating a dynamic and engaging audiobook experience. ListenBook’s audio filters are great. The app provides a high-quality listening experience.
Ladybird
ListenBook's audio filters and controls have turned my listening sessions into immersive experiences. Audiobooks made easy – this app's functionality is truly a gift. ListenBook Pro's noise reduction feature is a game-changer. My audio quality has improved dramatically.
Canary Apple Red
ListenBook's customizable audio filters allow me to personalize my listening experience – a fantastic feature. Audiobook enthusiasts, rejoice! This app's elegant design and robust functionality make it a must-have for anyone who loves to listen on the go. 🎧📱
1st Degree
ListenBook Pro's tone adjustment feature is a fascinating way to add a personal touch to my audiobook journey. Tone adjustment is an innovative touch that adds a personal connection to the audiobook narration. It's like having a custom reading experience.
Raggedy Ann
With this app, my daily routines have become moments of intellectual growth and personal enjoyment. 🎉 Adding a touch of magic to mundane tasks – this app turns errands into epic quests! 🛒📖 ListenBook's sharing options make it easy to introduce others to the joys of audiobook storytelling.
GiddeeUP
An audiobook lover's dream come true. So many options, I'm in heaven! 📱 My secret to staying well-read – this app ensures that I'm never without a book, no matter where I am! 📚📱 🚗📚 Turn traffic into a literary escape – this app's functionality keeps me engaged while I'm on the move. 🚗🎧 Download via WiFi, WebDAV, iTunes – options galore to suit everyone's preferences. Great for fans of this genre! The pacing, narration, and production quality were all excellent. It felt like a movie playing in my mind. I’ll be checking out more from this narrator for sure.
RealmRanger
I can't thank the developers enough for constantly updating and improving the app. Audiobooks have brought a new level of enjoyment to my daily workout routine. Audiobooks on this app have made studying and learning a more enjoyable process. I'm blown away by the app's performance. It's fast, reliable, and tailored for audiobook lovers.
Combo Saw
The fact that ListenBook supports a wide range of formats without DRM protection is a huge win. ListenBook's integration with CarPlay and Apple Watch is a seamless addition to my daily routine.
ThermalMode
The sleep timer is a brilliant addition – I drift off to sleep with amazing stories. ListenBook's compatibility with different formats ensures I never have to worry about file conversions. I can't get enough of this app's easy navigation and quick access to chapters and playback controls. The listening stats feature is awesome. I can track my audiobook habits effortlessly. Packed with useful features. ListenBook is my favorite audiobook app.
Tangerine
🎶📚 Enriching my environment with the power of storytelling – audiobooks infuse my home with literary magic. 🎧🏠 Sharing audiobooks with friends through AirDrop is a fun way to inspire others to read. ListenBook is fantastic! Supports every audiobook format I have. Super convenient!
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