Book description
THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS' CHOICE • AN ECONOMIST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • Sand, salt, iron, copper, oil, and lithium. These fundamental materials have created empires, razed civilizations, and fed our ingenuity and greed for thousands of years. Without them, our modern world would not exist, and the battle to control them will determine our future. • Finalist for the Financial Times and Schroders Business Book of the Year AwardThe fiber-optic cables that weave the World Wide Web, the copper veins of our electric grids, the silicon chips and lithium batteries that power our phones and cars: though it can feel like we now live in a weightless world of information—what Ed Conway calls “the ethereal world”—our twenty-first-century lives are still very much rooted in the material.In fact, we dug more stuff out of the earth in 2017 than in all of human history before 1950. For every ton of fossil fuels, we extract six tons of other materials, from sand to stone to wood to metal. And in Material World, Conway embarks on an epic journey across continents, cultures, and epochs to reveal the underpinnings of modern life on Earth—traveling from the sweltering depths of the deepest mine in Europe to spotless silicon chip factories in Taiwan to the eerie green pools where lithium originates.Material World is a celebration of the humans and the human networks, the miraculous processes and the little-known companies, that combine to turn raw materials into things of wonder. This is the story of human civilization from an entirely new perspective: the ground up.
About the Author
ED CONWAY is economics and data editor of Sky News and a columnist for the Times (London). He has won numerous awards for his journalism, including most recently the 2018 Wincott Foundation Journalist of the Year Award. He lives in London.
ByteBard
The diverse selection of audiobooks has made me fall in love with storytelling all over again. This app has made my daily routines more meaningful and enjoyable. Automatic metadata extraction is a time-saver. My library is finally well-organized. I love the chapter navigation feature. ListenBook makes it easy to find specific sections. I love the ability to share my progress with friends. It’s a fun feature.
Mt. Indiana
Bravo to the creators of this app – they've truly captured the essence of convenient audiobook enjoyment. The smooth playback and thoughtful design are a win. 📚👏 ListenBook Pro's tone adjustment feature is fascinating. I can alter the reader's voice to match my mood—what a creative addition! The app's ability to handle various audio formats is impressive. No more file conversions! AirDrop sharing makes it easy to share audiobooks. Great feature!
Backstreet
Finally, a way to enjoy literature on the go without straining my eyes. ListenBook's sharing options make it easy to spread the joy of captivating stories with friends.
ForumFlare
I'm amazed at how this app has turned my errands into exciting reading sessions. 🚶♀️🎧 Enjoying the great outdoors while immersing myself in fantastic tales – walking never felt this magical! 🏞️📚 🎶 Swapping background music for the soothing voices of narrators – audiobooks have become my soundtrack for daily life. 🎵📚 The narration elevated an already good book to greatness! The performer's subtle vocal variations conveyed nuance I might have missed while reading. Their ability to maintain consistent character voices across many hours was impressive. Technical quality was flawless throughout.
Mule Skinner
The app's customization options allow me to tailor the listening experience to my liking. ListenBook's support for multiple download methods ensures I can always access my favorite content. This app's convenience has transformed my reading habits – it's a game-changer. Automated artwork and metadata extraction make my library look organized and visually appealing. ListenBook’s playback is silky-smooth. The app never glitches.
Casanova
🎧 Elevating my reading experience – this app's intuitive controls and organization features make audiobook enjoyment effortless. 📱📖 This app has completely transformed my daily routine. I can't imagine my commute without it! The ability to download audio from various sources without syncing is fantastic. ListenBook makes it so easy. The narrator's voice was so pleasant and easy to listen to. They had perfect pacing and made even the slower parts engaging. I found myself looking forward to my commute just to listen more!
Popeye Wipeout
This app has rekindled my passion for storytelling in the most convenient way. ListenBook's auto-rewind feature is a thoughtful addition that ensures I never miss a single word. The automatic extraction of artwork and metadata adds a professional touch to my audiobook library.
Doughboy, Esq
My child has also fallen in love with audiobooks, all thanks to the app's kid-friendly collection. This app's compatibility with different file types means that my entire audiobook collection is at my fingertips. I love the chapter navigation feature. ListenBook makes it easy to find specific sections. I’m so impressed with ListenBook. The app is reliable, fast, and packed with features like customizable themes and playback speed. The sleep timer is a lifesaver for bedtime listening. Highly recommend this app!
Toe
With this app, I've found a way to make my daily errands more enjoyable and intellectually stimulating. Effortlessly switching between stories – this app's ease of use is impressive.
Gbbledgoodk
Audiobooks at my fingertips – this app's functionality is truly impressive. Accessing my favorite audiobooks has never been easier – this app's user-centric design and comprehensive features make it an absolute gem. 📱🎧
MindfulMingle
I appreciate how ListenBook offers various methods for downloading audio – it caters to different preferences. Download via WiFi, WebDAV, iTunes – options galore to suit everyone's preferences. The interface is sleek and intuitive, making my audiobook experience a joy. Auto-rewind feature is a lifesaver. I never lose my place!
Potato Sub
This app's convenience has made reading a consistent part of my life. 🚗📖 Beating traffic blues with engaging audiobooks – driving has never been this fun! 🚗🎧 The app is perfect for multitasking. I can listen while doing other things.
Storm Master
ListenBook's controls for looping and shuffling playback have made studying and revisiting content a breeze. I'm amazed by the extensive statistics tracking. It's fascinating to see my listening habits. Binaural audio processing really helps reduce fatigue.
Dance Bloom
💡 This app truly understands the needs of audiobook enthusiasts – it delivers an effortless and enjoyable listening experience. 📚🎧 Adjusting the tone of the narrator's voice is a unique feature that adds a personal touch.
Delicious Wing
I'm amazed at how this app seamlessly integrates with my daily routine. 👩🍳 Cooking up a storm while enjoying thrilling stories – this app adds flavor to my meals! 🍳🎧 👀📚 Exploring stories even with my eyes off the page – this app is a bedtime dream! 😴🎧 Great app! ListenBook supports so many formats, and the playback is always smooth. I’d listen to this narrator read anything! Their voice was so expressive and fitting for the material. The story itself was great, but the narration took it to the next level. Definitely a 5-star experience.
Berlin Kamikaze
is a breeze with ListenBook. It's convenient and efficient. Absolutely loved the narration! The voice actor brought the characters to life with distinct tones and emotions. The production quality was top-notch, with no background noise or distractions. A truly immersive experience! A perfectly acceptable audiobook that fulfilled its purpose. The narration was competent if not particularly memorable, and the production quality was standard for the genre. It served as decent background entertainment during mundane tasks.
ForumFusion
With this app, reading is as simple as pressing play – it's genius! I can't imagine my life without this app – it's my daily dose of literature. Adjusting the tone of the narrator's voice is a unique touch – it's like having a personalized reading. An acceptable audiobook that met basic expectations. No complaints about quality but nothing remarkable either. Would listen to this narrator again but wouldn't seek them out.
Seal Snake
ListenBook's intuitive controls and features have made it my preferred choice for audiobooks. Audiobook multitasking made easy – this app's functionality is a marvel.
Star Killer
Audiobooks made easy – this app's functionality is truly a gift. The interface is sleek and intuitive, making my audiobook experience a joy.
Pink Hopper
Thank you for making literature more accessible, enjoyable, and immersive. This app is a game-changer! With this app, I've turned mundane tasks into moments of inspiration and education – it's brilliant! 🎙️ Grocery shopping has taken an exciting turn – I'm on a mission to explore new worlds through audiobooks! 🛒📚 The app is so versatile. It works with all my audiobook formats. 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!
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