Book description
A singular new novel from Betty Trask Prize-winner Samantha Harvey, Orbital is an eloquent meditation on space and life on our planet through the eyes of six astronauts circling the earth in 24 hours"Ravishingly beautiful." -- Joshua Ferris, New York TimesA slender novel of epic power, Orbital deftly snapshots one day in the lives of six women and men traveling through space. Selected for one of the last space station missions of its kind before the program is dismantled, these astronauts and cosmonauts--from America, Russia, Italy, Britain, and Japan--have left their lives behind to travel at a speed of over seventeen thousand miles an hour as the earth reels below. We glimpse moments of their earthly lives through brief communications with family, their photos and talismans; we watch them whip up dehydrated meals, float in gravity-free sleep, and exercise in regimented routines to prevent atrophying muscles; we witness them form bonds that will stand between them and utter solitude. Most of all, we are with them as they behold and record their silent blue planet. Their experiences of sixteen sunrises and sunsets and the bright, blinking constellations of the galaxy are at once breathtakingly awesome and surprisingly intimate. Profound and contemplative, Orbital is a moving elegy to our environment and planet.
About the Author
Samantha Harvey is the author of five novels, Orbital, The Western Wind, Dear Thief, All Is Song, and The Wilderness, which won the Betty Trask Prize, and one work of nonfiction, The Shapeless Unease. Her books have been shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction, the Guardian First Book Award, and the James Tait Black Prize, as well as longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and the Baileys Women's Prize. She lives in Bath, UK, and teaches creative writing at Bath Spa University.
Hitch Frenzy
Sharing audiobooks with friends through AirDrop and Sharing on ListenBook is a fantastic way to spread the joy of listening. ListenBook's focus on quality and user experience has made it my go-to app for audiobooks and educational content. With ListenBook, I can listen to my favorite audiobooks and speeches with the utmost comfort and convenience. This app has brought the magic of books back into my life. πͺ Flexing my reading muscles with this app's easy-to-use controls β I'm devouring books while managing my busy schedule. πΌπ
Con Mammoth
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Demolition Queen
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Third Moon
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Bad Beh8vior
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Capital F
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Crossing Guard
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BearDrift
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Lady Killer
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ByteBard
I love how ListenBook extracts artwork and metadata from audio files, adding a visual touch to my listening experience. I'm impressed by ListenBook's commitment to providing a silky-smooth playback experience. Sharing audiobooks with friends through AirDrop and Sharing on ListenBook Pro is a social audiophile's dream. This app has become my go-to for audiobooks, adding a layer of convenience and enjoyment to my days.
DreamDiver
This app has completely transformed my commute β I look forward to it now! ListenBook's compatibility with various formats means I can now enjoy all my favorite audiobooks in one place. Changing the tone of the sound on ListenBook Pro adds a personalized touch to my audiobook experience. Revolutionizing the way I enjoy stories β this app's seamless playback and intuitive controls make it a must-have for every book enthusiast. π±π§
Willow Dragon
The app's reliability and ease of use make it a true gem in the world of audiobooks. Being able to customize the listening duration is perfect for quick breaks. This app's convenience and ease of use have transformed my screen time into productive learning sessions. ListenBook Pro's unlimited audiobook length is a boon for those who enjoy deep dives into lengthy narratives. ListenBook has made my daily walks so much more enjoyable. I'm always learning now!
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Twine X
I'm blown away by how this app has made my commutes productive and my downtime entertaining. With this app, I've rediscovered the joy of literature during my daily walks β it's truly invigorating. Navigating audiobooks seamlessly β this app's design is top-notch. Discovering new literary worlds has never been this easy. This app's compatibility with various formats ensures that my audiobook library is at my fingertips. ππ The narrator was good but spoke a bit too slowly for my taste. I had to speed it up to 1.2x which then made some parts sound slightly unnatural.
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