Book description
A new novel from the Booker-shortlisted authorA POWERFUL NEW NOVEL FROM THE PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AND BOOKER-SHORTLISTED AUTHOR OF THE OVERSTORY AND BEWILDERMENT'Is there anything Richard Powers cannot write? The world here is complete, seductive, and promising. The writing feels like the ocean. Vast, mysterious, deep and alive' PERCIVAL EVERETT'An extraordinarily immersive journey through lives linked in mysterious ways - gripping, alarming and uplifting' EMMA DONOGHUERafi and Todd are two polar opposites at an elite high school where they bond over a three-thousand-year-old board game. It sets them up for life: Rafi will get lost in literature, while Todd’s work will lead to a startling AI breakthrough.Elsewhere, Evie Beaulieu sinks to the bottom of a swimming pool in Montreal strapped to one of the world’s first aqualungs; Ina Aroita grows up in naval bases across the Pacific with art as her only home.All of these people meet on the history-scarred island of Makatea in French Polynesia, marked for humanity’s next great adventure: a plan to send floating, autonomous cities out into the open sea. As the seasteaders close in, how will Evie play the ever-unfolding oceanic game? Will Ina engage in acts of destruction? Todd and Rafi, now estranged, still find themselves in competition: Todd unravels while working on an idea to redraw the boundaries of human immortality, while Rafi and the residents must decide if they will greenlight the new project on their shores and change their home forever.Set in the world’s largest ocean, Playground explores that last wild place we have yet to colonize and interweaves profound themes of technology and the environment, and a deep exploration of our shared humanity in a way only Richard Powers can.‘Powers is a master of taking important topics of our times – from threats to our oceans and climate change to AI – and turning them into riveting and fiercely relevant books imbued with psychological insight and a deep awe for nature. This eloquent dance of the scientific and emotional makes him one of our finest story tellers. PLAYGROUND is brilliant, captivating and important – and the best book I’ve read this year’ ANDREA WULFMore praise for Richard Powers:'Powers has extraordinary gifts as a writer' GUARDIAN'Impressively precise in its scientific conjectures, Bewilderment is no less rich or wise in its emotionality' OBSERVER'He composes some of the most beautiful sentences I've ever read. I'm in awe of his talent' OPRAH WINFREY'It is impossible to deny the importance of Powers's message' SUNDAY TIMES'Refreshing, original and moving' EVENING STANDARD
DragonBlood
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Versace-Cat
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Kinged
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Toy Town
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Tin Mutt
The diverse selection of audiobooks has made me fall in love with storytelling all over again. Changing the tone of the sound on ListenBook Pro adds a personalized touch to my audiobook experience. 🔥 Simplifying my reading routine – the app's functionality ensures I'm always one click away from literary adventures. 📚🔗 ListenBook’s support for CarPlay is great. I can listen to audiobooks in my car easily.
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Burst Nibbler
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Frosty Sunshine
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Sun Washer
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Succubus In Training
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57 Pixels
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Koi Diva
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Glyph
I'm constantly amazed by the vast selection – there's always something new to discover. This app has rekindled my love for literature, and I'm spreading the word to everyone I know. ListenBook's audio filters and controls have turned my listening into a personalized experience. With this app, my daily routines have become moments of intellectual discovery and personal fulfillment. Automated artwork and metadata extraction keeps my audiobook library visually appealing.
Pogue
Being able to customize the listening duration is perfect for quick breaks. I love how ListenBook caters to various formats, making it versatile and accommodating for all my audiobooks. Effortlessly enjoying audiobooks on the go – kudos to this app's functionality. A functional audiobook. It kept me entertained, but I wasn’t blown away. The narrator’s performance was competent, though some emotional scenes fell a bit flat.
Opulent Gamer
This app has made literature accessible and engaging for all ages. I love the chapter navigation feature. ListenBook makes it easy to find specific sections. I love how ListenBook makes it easy to organize my audiobook library. The app supports all formats, and the import process is a breeze. The playback controls are responsive, and the sound quality is excellent. Highly recommend!
Cinder Coffee
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Dangle
This app has brought the magic of books back into my life. ⏰ Early mornings have become my favorite time to listen to audiobooks – energizing! 🌅🎧 The app's performance is beyond impressive. It's like it's tailor-made for my device. Sharing audiobooks with friends through AirDrop is a fun way to spread the joy. ListenBook's player features, like chapters and bookmarks, make it a versatile tool for any listener.
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