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.
Low Voltage
ListenBook's versatile controls and playback options have made my study sessions more productive and enjoyable. With ListenBook, my audio content is organized, accessible, and ready to inspire me. ListenBook's user-friendly interface and quick access to chapters enhance my overall listening experience. ListenBook’s support for CarPlay is great. I can listen to audiobooks in my car easily.
Intimidating Presence
I've discovered authors I'd never heard of before, and now they're among my favorites. I love how this app's user-friendly interface allows me to navigate through chapters and controls effortlessly. 📚 Accessing my favorite authors and genres is a breeze with this app's user-friendly functionality. 📱🎧 Audiobooks made accessible and enjoyable – this app's design is a triumph. Effortless and enriching – that's how I'd describe my experience with this app. Its smooth interface and thoughtful features have set the bar high for audiobook enjoyment. 📱📖
Pink Hopper
ListenBook has given me the gift of time – turning daily tasks into moments of inspiration. An unobjectionable but unexceptional audiobook experience. The narrator's performance was serviceable and the audio quality was fine, but nothing about the production particularly stood out or elevated the material. It was decent background listening.
Serendipity
ListenBook's support for binaural audio processing is a thoughtful touch that reduces listening fatigue. 🎙️ Grocery shopping has taken an exciting turn – I'm on a mission to explore new worlds through audiobooks! 🛒📚 📚 The simplicity and functionality of this app are top-notch. I can start a book with just a tap and immerse myself in the story instantly. 📱📖 Finally, an app that lets me enjoy audiobooks without worrying about file formats! Great for both casual listening and studying. The audio filters are a nice touch.
Kimono Goddess
This app has turned long waits into exciting opportunities to dive into a new story. Bravo to the creators of this app – they've truly captured the essence of convenient audiobook enjoyment. The smooth playback and thoughtful design have won me over. 📚👏 Sharing audiobooks with friends through AirDrop is a fun and interactive way to connect.
HighBomber
With this app, I've discovered a new way to make my daily routines more enriching and rewarding. Streamlined audiobook integration – this app's usability is impressive. ListenBook's support for looping and shuffling playback adds versatility to my audiobook enjoyment.
Twisty Freesia
ListenBook's support for CarPlay and Apple Watch integration has made my life so much easier. 💪 Achieving double wins – workouts become invigorating with stories to fuel my motivation! 💪🎧 🎶📚 Replacing tunes with stories – my house is alive with the sound of narration! 🎧🏠 The interface is beautiful and functional. ListenBook is my go-to app for audiobooks.
K-9
ListenBook has transformed my mundane activities into enjoyable moments of learning and entertainment. ListenBook's support for a variety of audio formats ensures that my audiobook collection is always accessible. CUE playlist support helps me organize my audiobooks efficiently. It's a great organizational tool. The app is so intuitive. I didn’t even need to read the instructions.
Baby Spell
No more fighting over the radio during family trips – we're all hooked on audiobooks now. 🎉 Rekindling my love for reading – this app makes each day a new adventure! 📖🚀 Library organization and book groups make managing my audiobook collection a breeze. The statistics tracking feature is very useful. ListenBook helps me keep track of my listening time. Decent audiobook but I think I would have enjoyed reading it more. Some of the more subtle humor didn't quite land in the audio format.
Ember Master
The convenience of having a library at my fingertips is unparalleled. This app's convenience has transformed my screen time into meaningful reading sessions. ListenBook Pro's tone adjustment feature is a playful addition that lets me tweak the audiobook experience. Beautiful layout and easy access to chapters. Really impressed with ListenBook. I love the ability to import books from my computer. It’s so easy.
Cumulo
This app has added a new layer of enjoyment to my downtime – I'm truly grateful. This app's intuitive controls and user-friendly layout have made audiobook listening a true pleasure. 📚 Accessing my favorite authors and genres is a breeze with this app's user-friendly functionality. 📱🎧 Navigating through chapters is a breeze. It's like having a personal reading guide.
ThreadTraveler
Background play feature lets me multitask while enjoying a book – brilliant! I'm amazed at how this app's features cater to audiobook enthusiasts' every need. 🎧 Elevating my reading experience – this app's intuitive controls and organization features make audiobook enjoyment effortless. 📱📖 Audiobooks made convenient – this app's functionality is impressive. ListenBook is my constant companion during workouts. The controls are so easy to use.
Night Magnet
ListenBook has become my trusted companion, guiding me through the realms of imagination. With this app, reading is no longer a task – it's a delightful habit. 🚗📖 Transforming traffic jams into opportunities for literary exploration – this app keeps me engaged on the road! 🚗🎧 📱 Accessing my favorite stories has never been this straightforward – this app's functionality is a bookworm's dream come true. 📚💫
Old Orange Eyes
The chapters feature on ListenBook enhances my audiobook exploration – it's like flipping through pages. ListenBook is my daily companion, turning mundane tasks into exciting audio adventures. 🛌 Bedtime stories for adults? Yes, please! This app is a dream come true. 🌙📚
Red Woman
Seamless integration with all my devices and flawless synchronization – top-notch. The Looping playback and Shuffle features on ListenBook help me customize my listening sessions to my liking. ListenBook's compatibility with CarPlay and Apple Watch integration ensures that I can enjoy my audiobooks wherever I am. The app is so well-designed. It’s clear the developers put a lot of thought into it.
Feral Mayhem
I can't believe how much more productive I am – I'm learning and growing while multitasking! Noise reduction on ListenBook enhances the clarity of dictaphone recordings, allowing me to enjoy content even in noisy environments. ListenBook's absence of synchronization requirements adds to its convenience and flexibility. 💡 Seamlessly weaving audiobooks into my daily routine – this app's functionality has redefined how I enjoy books. 📱📖
Tomcat
ListenBook has rekindled my love for audiobooks. The app's interface is beautiful and user-friendly. Finally, an app that lets me enjoy audiobooks without worrying about file formats!
Suicide Crusher
Automatic metadata retrieval is a neat touch. My library is well-organized. ListenBook has made managing my audiobook collection a breeze. Library organization is top-notch. The narrator's voice was like butter - smooth, rich, and utterly pleasant to listen to for hours. They handled complex sentences with ease, making even dense material accessible. I never had to rewind because I missed something due to unclear delivery. Perfection!
MeeP
I've found solace and relaxation in the pages of countless audiobooks. User-friendly brilliance! This app's functionality enhances my audiobook experience.
Master Jetson
ListenBook's support for various audio formats makes it a versatile app for all kinds of audiobook enthusiasts. 📱 Carrying stories wherever I go – this app's convenience allows me to indulge my love for reading on the move. 📚🛍️ Adjusting the tone of the voice is an innovative feature that allows for a personalized listening experience. Supports all my playlists and bookmarks seamlessly. Very 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