Book description
"A searching, accessible, and often ecstatic book." -Wall Street Journal"Not many authors could find a way to interweave abstruse art theory with discussions of squid and their glorious "dynamic tattoos," elephants who paint, and Paleolithic cave art, but Rothenberg succeeds, with this entertaining wander through the world of art and the places where it intersects science." -Publishers Weekly"[a] bravura investigation..with verve, multidiscipline fluency, and an encompassing vision, Rothenberg accomplishes his mission to change the way we perceive and understand the intertwining of natural evolution and human cultural evolution, beauty and life, art and science." -Booklist (starred)"The colour blue rules for the male satin bowerbird of Australia. The interior decorators of the avian world, they gather plastic, shells and feathers of that hue to adorn their meticulously built stick structures, all to lure a potential mate. This is just one indication, argues philosopher and musician David Rothenberg, that beauty is not random but is intrinsic to life--and that evolution proceeds by sumptuousness, not by utility alone. Rothenberg covers topics such as camouflage, abstraction, the profound impact of art on science and much more to explore his theme." -Nature"A door-opener to new ideas and connective tissue in the skeleton of science, particularly biology and Darwin's theory of evolution. Chances are good you'll find Mr. Rothenberg's 'mad quest for some evidence of aesthetic ideas in the very way nature is put together' to be persuasive." -New York Journal of Books"Rothenberg is a learned and thoughtful guide across the realms of science and art." -Washington Independent Review of Books"[Rothenberg] seems uniquely qualified to be herald and interlocutor for the present convergence of biology and art." -Chronogram magazine"I have been waiting for a long time for a book like Survival of the Beautiful that suffers not a jot of art's inferiority complex in the age of science ... It's one terrific romp through the ineffable and embracing glory of the aesthetic experience." -Alison Hawthorne Deming, Orion"This is the triumphant lesson of Survival of the Beautiful: nature is not entirely red in tooth and claw, it also allows the beautiful right of passage." -Peter Forbes, The Guardian (UK)"Rothenberg's passionate optimism - a belief in the beauty of nature, and vice versa--together with his elegant prose turns Survival of the Beautiful into an exhilarating and thought-provoking trip." -Philip Hoare, The Telegraph (UK)"Survival of the Beautiful is a wild ride. At its heart is a wonderful wish: to make us see the stories and the beauty in everything from the warbles of flying cranes to the cries of crows, From the shape-shifting squid to the bower-building bird, to the elephant and to the cryptic moth, which hides beneath his drab wing-tops a flash of crimson red." -William Bryant Logan, Toronto Globe and Mail"Rothenberg comes to an inspired conclusion: Aesthetic selection introduces a new kind of randomness into nature that unites art and nature, man and beast." -Christopher Potter, Sunday Times of London"Survival of the Beautiful is not just a book about beauty, but a beautiful book. And also an important one, which moves the debate about the biology of aesthetics beyond the cozy fables of evolutionary psychology to probe the deep nature of art and its origins. Both provocative and generous, Rothenberg's work is pervaded with a sense of wonder at and appreciation of the world." -Philip Ball, author of Critical Mass and The Music Instinct"David Rothenberg is a brilliantly fun guide on a journey that takes us from bower birds to the neuroesthetics of Semir Zeki. Survival of the Beautiful is just about the best travel literature of the mind out there. With wit by turns gentle and sharp, Rothenberg shows us how art is shaped by animals, and by us." -Roald Hoffmann, chemist and writer, winner of the Nobel Prize in chemistry"The nerdy mindset of modernity often suffers allergic outbreaks when confronted with the softer side of cognition. Esthetic pleasures are then cordoned off from the serious core work of science. But David Rothenberg makes a convincing case that beauty is an intrinsic aspect of reality. He argues, among other things, that without modern art, modern science would have been hobbled by inadequately challenged cognitive habits. Beauty evolved. Perhaps we should take it seriously." -Jaron Lanier, author of You Are Not a Gadget"What I love about David Rothenberg's work is that he counteracts--with wit, poetry and philosophical subtlety--the prevailing tendency of most nature writers toward biological reductionism. While reporting on the latest scientific conjectures about beauty, human and inhuman, he shows that all our theories still fail to do justice to nature's unutterable strangeness." -John Horgan, author of Rational Mysticism and The End of Science"David Rothenberg is a rarity--an actual polymath--and his writing, like the music he plays, reveals an extraordinary mixture of curiosity, intelligence, and playfulness. Tracing complex ideas that link consciousness, human spirit, and creativity within the framework of Darwinian theory is the sort of book you would expect from a man who makes music with whales and cicadas. Where does the impetus for the making of art and music reside? How does that fit into an evolutionary scheme? Read this book, and enter into Rothenberg's world. You will be rewarded with a exploration of these questions that is both entertaining and revelatory." -David A. Ross, Director Emeritus, Whitney Museum of American Art"A fun, freewheeling discussion of the role of aesthetics in evolution and a celebration of the beauty to be found in the great diversity of life." -Kirkus jQuery(function() { jQuery( "#tabs" ).tabs(); });
CZR
Changing the tone of the sound on ListenBook Pro is a fun and unique feature I can't get enough of. 💪 Crushing workouts while devouring books – this app makes fitness fun and educational! 🏋️♀️🎉 Book groups are a thoughtful addition. I can group related titles for easy access. Adjusting the tone of the voice is a unique feature that adds a personalized touch to the listening experience. ListenBook is the ultimate audiobook player. The app supports all formats, and the import process is seamless. I love the playback history feature—it’s so easy to revisit my favorite parts. Highly recommend this app!
Good William
I'm in awe of how technology has enhanced my reading experience through this app. I'm amazed at how this app has made reading fit into every aspect of my life. 🚗 Transforming long drives into memorable journeys through the magic of audiobooks! 🚗📚 🎉 Rekindling my love for reading – this app makes each day a new adventure! 📖🚀 ListenBook's detailed statistics feature helps me keep track of my listening habits. It's amazing to see how much I've learned from all those audiobooks!
Twiddle Twix
ListenBook has made audiobook listening a personalized and enriching journey. ListenBook's compatibility with CarPlay is a huge plus during long drives.
SneakerKid
CUE playlist support is a fantastic feature that allows me to create curated listening experiences for different moods and settings. I love how easy it is to download audiobooks with ListenBook. The app is incredibly convenient. The app’s design is sleek and modern. ListenBook is my favorite audiobook player. The app is so easy to use. I was up and running in minutes.
Venom Petunia
Automated artwork and metadata retrieval make my library look organized and professional. 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!
Eye Candy Kitten
This app has made me appreciate the art of storytelling even more. ListenBook's audio filters and controls have turned my listening sessions into immersive experiences. ListenBook has reignited my love for storytelling and learning, one audio file at a time. 💡 The future of audiobook listening is here – this app's sleek functionality redefines how we enjoy our favorite stories. 🎧🔮 ListenBook is like a personal audiobook library in my pocket. Organized and easily accessible.
Kingfisher
ListenBook's powerful audio downloading features are a dream come true – no more hassles! This app's user-friendly controls and sleek design have made audiobook listening a truly immersive journey. Seamless audiobook integration – this app's functionality is a true gem. The statistics feature is a fantastic addition – knowing how much time I spend on audiobooks is eye-opening, and ListenBook makes tracking it a breeze. This app is perfect for audiobook lovers. The interface is beautiful and easy to navigate.
Mad Jack
I'm so grateful for this app – it's like having a personal storyteller wherever I go. ListenBook's versatile features have made my audiobook experience more enjoyable than ever. 🌟 Say goodbye to boredom during long drives – this app makes road trips fly by! 🚗🎉 ListenBook's statistics feature is eye-opening. I had no idea how much time I spent immersed in audiobooks until I started using it. 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!
Necessary Momentum
With this app, I can devour books like never before – it's incredibly efficient. The ability to download audiobooks directly is fantastic. ListenBook is very convenient.
Moon Laser
This app's sleek design and effortless controls have made audiobook listening an immersive experience. Supports all my playlists and bookmarks perfectly. Very convenient.
Gullyway
This app has revolutionized my daily routine – I can't imagine life without it. Savoring captivating stories has become a breeze with this app's sleek design and convenient features. It's like having a personal reading assistant! 📱📖 Kudos to the developers for making this app iOS 16 optimized. It runs like a dream!
Hen Skittle
Audiobook joy made simple – this app's ease of use is commendable. Supports all audio formats I use without issues. Very happy. AirDrop sharing makes it easy to share audiobooks. Great feature! 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!
Twitch
With ListenBook, my audio content is organized, accessible, and ready to inspire me. ListenBook Pro's tone adjustment feature is a unique touch that adds personalization to my audiobook journey. ListenBook has become my workout companion. It keeps me engaged and entertained during exercise. I love the ability to share my progress with friends. It’s a fun feature.
Bleach
This app's compatibility with various devices ensures that I can enjoy my audiobooks wherever I am. Sharing audiobooks through AirDrop is a wonderful way to spread the joy of storytelling. Elegant design and easy-to-navigate interface. Very pleased with ListenBook. 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!
Po1son
Audiobooks on this app have become my go-to entertainment for winding down. ⏰ Waking up to audiobooks – mornings have never been this magical and inspiring! ☀️🎧
Rummy Stickers
Thanks for making my daily commute to work enjoyable and engaging! ListenBook has made my commutes more enjoyable, transforming them into learning sessions.
RealmRanger
Listening stats feature keeps me on track with my audiobook goals. Love it! ListenBook’s playback is smooth and reliable. I never have issues with audio quality.
Hobo Samurai
ListenBook Pro's noise reduction feature is a fantastic addition that enhances my audio experience. Noise reduction on ListenBook Pro is a revelation. It elevates the audio quality to a new level. A serviceable audiobook that met basic expectations. The narration was clear if somewhat unremarkable, and the production quality was standard without any noticeable technical issues. It kept me moderately engaged during workouts but didn't leave a lasting impression.
Marigold Loot
With ListenBook, my audio content is organized, accessible, and ready to inspire me. I can't imagine my life without this app – it's my daily dose of literature. 💼 Enhancing work-from-home productivity – audiobooks make even the most routine tasks a delight. 💻📖 Auto-rewind is a brilliant feature. Never lose track of where I left off.
Feral Cookie
The statistics feature in ListenBook adds an element of self-awareness to my audiobook consumption. My workouts have become more enjoyable and productive with ListenBook's compatibility with Apple Watch.
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