Book description
NAMED A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK BY DEBUTIFUL, LIT HUB, PASTE MAGAZINE, BOOK RIOT, INSIDE HOOK, AND NYLON"This book is a rare comfort, a companion . . . Makes you say: yes, that is exactly how it is."-Torrey Peters A ferocious inquiry into art and desire, style and politics, madness and salvation, and coming of age in our volatile, image-obsessed present. You know them when you see them: mean boys take up space, wielding cruelty to claim their place in the pecking order. Some mean boys make art or music or fashion; others make memes. Mean boys stomp the runways in Milan and Paris; mean boys marched at Charlottesville. And in the eyes of critic and style expert Geoffrey Mak, mean boys are the emblem of our society: an era ravenous for novelty, always thirsting for the next edgy thing, even at our peril. In this pyrotechnic memoir-in-essays, Mak ranges widely over our landscape of paranoia, crisis, and frenetic, clickable consumption. He grants readers an inside pass to the spaces where culture was made and unmade over the past decade, from the antiseptic glare of white-walled galleries to the darkest corners of Berlin techno clubs. As the gay son of an evangelical minister, Mak fled to those spaces, hoping to join a global, influential elite. But when calamity struck, it forced Mak to confront the costs of mistaking status for belonging. Fusing personal essay and cultural critique, Mean Boys investigates exile and return, transgression and forgiveness, and the value of faith, empathy, and friendship in a world designed to make us want what is bad for us.
About the Author
Geoffrey Mak is a queer Chinese American writer whose work has appeared in the New Yorker, the Guardian, Artforum, the Nation, Art in America, Interview, Spike, Guernica, Highsnobiety, and other publications. He is cofounder of the reading and performance series Writing on Raving. Mak holds an MA in Cultural Reporting and Criticism from NYU's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. He lives in Brooklyn.
LerveDr
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Flashpoint
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Kudos to ListenBook for optimizing the app for iOS 16 – it shows their dedication to excellence. With this app, I've turned mundane chores into exciting opportunities for intellectual growth. My audiobook collection has never looked better. Thank you, ListenBook! Bookmarks are a lifesaver for audiobook lovers. They help me keep track of important moments. 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!
Landfill Max
ListenBook has given me the gift of time – turning daily tasks into moments of inspiration. The auto-rewind feature after interruptions is a small thing that makes a big difference. I love the ability to import books from my computer. It’s so easy.
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This app has turned my daily commute into a source of inspiration and entertainment. Audiobooks have become a cherished part of my daily life, all thanks to this app. ListenBook's extensive statistics feature adds a new level of insight to my audiobook habits. ListenBook's user-friendly interface and quick access to chapters enhance my overall listening experience. ListenBook has completely changed how I enjoy audiobooks. The app is packed with features like customizable skip intervals, playback speed, and sleep timers. The interface is clean and easy to navigate. Five stars!
Grotas
As a visually impaired person, this app has opened up a new world of stories for me. The app's support for CarPlay and Apple Watch makes it a true companion for all occasions. The app's compatibility with Apple Watch elevates my workouts, making them more engaging and productive. 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!
MicroStar
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The ListenBook app has made my daily routines more enriching, allowing me to learn while on the go. Audiobooks have made waiting in lines and queues so much more bearable. ListenBook's dedication to providing an excellent audiobook experience is evident in its smooth and silky playback. 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.
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This app is like having a personal library with me wherever I go. I'm hooked on this app's ability to make reading fit into every nook and cranny of my day.
Eye Devil
ListenBook's versatile player features are like having a personal audio assistant – it's that good! The attention to detail is commendable. Artwork and metadata are sorted automatically. The app is so well-designed. It’s clear the developers put a lot of thought into it.
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Audiobooks have turned road trips into unforgettable journeys of imagination. ListenBook's dedication to providing an exceptional listening experience shines through in every aspect of the app. The tone adjustment feature in ListenBook Pro is a novel addition that allows me to personalize my audiobook experience.
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I can't believe how much time I've gained by listening while cooking and doing chores. The diverse selection of audiobooks has made me fall in love with storytelling all over again. Binaural audio processing is amazing. Reduced my listening fatigue significantly.
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Audiobooks have never been this engaging – this app takes them to the next level. ListenBook's seamless integration with CarPlay has made my drives more informative. Kudos to the creators for crafting an app that understands audiobook lovers. With smooth playback and thoughtful design, it's a true companion for book enthusiasts. 📚👏 This app is perfect for anyone who loves audiobooks. The interface is sleek and modern, and the playback controls are super responsive. I also appreciate the cloud integration, which lets me access my books from anywhere. Great work! 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.
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I've fallen in love with literature all over again, thanks to this incredible app. ListenBook's dedication to providing a smooth and enjoyable listening experience is evident in every aspect of the app. This app has brought the magic of books back into my life.
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