Book description
From the critically acclaimed, award-winning author of Blackberries, Blackberries and Water Street comes an astonishing new novel. A lyrical exploration of love and loss, The Birds of Opulence centers on several generations of women in a bucolic southern black township as they live with and sometimes surrender to madness.The Goode-Brown family, led by matriarch and pillar of the community Minnie Mae, is plagued by old secrets and embarrassment over mental illness and illegitimacy. Meanwhile, single mother Francine Clark is haunted by her dead, lightning-struck husband and forced to fight against both the moral judgment of the community and her own rebellious daughter, Mona. The residents of Opulence struggle with vexing relationships to the land, to one another, and to their own sexuality. As the members of the youngest generation watch their mothers and grandmothers pass away, they live with the fear of going mad themselves and must fight to survive.Crystal Wilkinson offers up Opulence and its people in lush, poetic detail. It is a world of magic, conjuring, signs, and spells, but also of harsh realities that only love -- and love that's handed down -- can conquer. At once tragic and hopeful, this captivating novel is a story about another time, rendered for our own.
About the Author
Crystal Wilkinson is the author of Blackberries, Blackberries, winner of the Chaffin Award for Appalachian Literature, and Water Street, a finalist for both the UK's Orange Prize for Fiction and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award. The winner of the 2008 Denny Plattner Award in Poetry from Appalachian Heritage magazine and the Sallie Bingham Award from the Kentucky Foundation for Women, she serves as Appalachian Writer-in-Residence at Berea College and teaches in the Spalding low residency MFA in Creative Writing Program.
Snout Pixie
With this app, I've found a way to make my daily errands more enjoyable and intellectually stimulating. This app's versatility and convenience have transformed my screen time into a productive reading journey. The app's versatility in audio downloading is unmatched. It's a comprehensive solution for my audiobook needs. CUE playlist support is a fantastic feature that allows me to curate customized listening sessions, whether for study, relaxation, or entertainment. The app is very easy to use. ListenBook makes managing my audiobook library simple.
Roma Kabuki
I can't get enough of this app's easy navigation and quick access to chapters and playback controls. Finally, an app that supports all audiobook formats! Flawless playback. The ability to download audiobooks directly is fantastic. ListenBook is very convenient.
Nessie Pork
💡 Balancing learning and living effortlessly – audiobooks on demand, thanks to this app! 🎧💫 ListenBook Pro's noise reduction feature elevates my listening experience, allowing me to focus on the content. ListenBook Pro's noise reduction feature enhances the audio quality to an impressive degree. The app supports a wide range of formats. ListenBook is very versatile. Great for fans of this genre! The pacing, narration, and production quality were all excellent. It felt like a movie playing in my mind. I’ll be checking out more from this narrator for sure.
Queen Bee
Hands down, the best audiobook collection I've ever come across. It has everything I want to listen to. Kudos to the creators for making literature so accessible and enjoyable. I love how this app's user-friendly interface allows me to navigate through chapters and controls effortlessly. Who knew that commuting could become such an enjoyable reading session? I can't get enough of this app – it's like having a personal storyteller in my pocket.
Sugar Domino
This app has made my road trips and flights infinitely more enjoyable. ListenBook has rekindled my love for audiobooks. The app's interface is beautiful and user-friendly. Solid performance, but not outstanding. The narrator did a fine job, though their tone was a bit monotonous at times. The story itself was engaging enough, but I wouldn’t call it unforgettable.
Wildcat Talent
This app is my secret weapon for staying entertained during mundane tasks. 🎧 Carrying a world of literature in my headphones – this app's convenience is truly remarkable. 📚💫 Kudos to ListenBook for the intuitive design and easy-to-use controls. It's evident that they've put a lot of thought into user experience. Finally, an app that supports all audiobook formats! Flawless playback. The app's seamless integration with Apple Watch makes it my perfect workout companion.
Wanted Candy
I love the bookmarking feature. ListenBook makes it easy to pick up where I left off. 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! 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!
Metal Star
ListenBook's beautiful layout and quick access to chapters make every listening session a pleasure. 💡 This app truly understands the needs of audiobook enthusiasts – it delivers an effortless and enjoyable listening experience. 📚🎧 Apple Watch compatibility enhances my audiobook experience. It's a convenient way to control playback. Adjusting the tone of the voice is a novel feature that allows for a personalized listening experience. 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!
Steel Solstice
This audiobook app is a true gem – it brings stories to life with every click. ListenBook has made my daily walks so much more enjoyable. I'm always learning now!
Bambi Benz
ListenBook's dedication to optimizing for iOS 16 ensures a seamless experience on the latest devices. 📚 Turning my phone into a portal of stories – this app's ease of use is remarkable! 📱💫 I’ve been using ListenBook for months, and it’s been a fantastic experience. The app is lightweight, doesn’t drain my battery, and works perfectly in the background. The equalizer and voice boost features are amazing. Highly recommend!
Fire Sass
This app is my secret weapon for making the most of my free time. The app's support for different audio formats is like a dream come true for audiophiles. Quick access to chapters and controls ensures a seamless listening experience with ListenBook. It's effortless to use. I love the auto-rewind feature. It’s great for when I zone out. The app is perfect for bedtime listening. The sleep timer is a must-have.
Spunky Sphinx
ListenBook's support for a variety of download methods means I can access my content in the way that suits me best. ListenBook Pro takes things up a notch with unlimited audiobook length. It's a game-changer!
Chameleon
The app's stability is impressive – it runs smoothly without any glitches. The captivating narrators make each story come alive in a unique way.
Fire Fish
The app's customization options allow me to tailor the listening experience to my liking. The diverse range of narrators adds a new layer of depth to each story. CUE playlist support is a fantastic organizational feature. It keeps my audiobooks neatly arranged. ListenBook Pro is worth every penny. Unlimited audiobook length? Count me in! The app is perfect for long walks. It keeps me company the whole time.
MindfulMingle
ListenBook Pro's noise reduction feature has made my dictaphone recordings much more comfortable to listen to. This app's compatibility with different formats has made my audiobook collection diverse and enjoyable. The playback speed control is a game-changer. ListenBook lets me listen at my own pace.
180
ListenBook's commitment to providing a high-quality audiobook experience is truly commendable. ListenBook’s playback speed control is very useful. I can listen at my own pace.
Crazy Rox
I've become a more attentive listener thanks to the engaging audiobooks. ListenBook's dedication to excellence shines through in its impeccable audio quality and user-friendly features. This app's versatility and convenience have transformed my screen time into a productive reading journey. This app has turned my mundane tasks into exciting opportunities for reading.
Fast Draw
The app's recommendations are surprisingly accurate – it's like they know my taste perfectly! 🏃♂️📚 Combining exercise and exploration – this app keeps me motivated on my daily jogs! 🏃♂️📖 Downloading over WiFi saves so much time. Very efficient.
Combo Saw
The 'Continue Listening' feature ensures I never lose my place, no matter where I am. Apple Watch compatibility enhances my audiobook experience. It's a convenient way to control playback. Supports all my playlists and bookmarks perfectly. This app is a must-have for audiobook enthusiasts. The ability to adjust skip intervals and playback speed is fantastic. I also love the auto-bookmark feature—it saves my place automatically, so I never lose track. Worth every penny!
Crazy Eights
I'm rediscovering my favorite classics in a whole new way – through audiobooks! Thanks to ListenBook's automatic extraction of artwork and metadata, my library looks organized and appealing. 🌟 Simplifying my reading routine – this app's user-friendly design ensures I'm always in sync with my favorite stories. 📚✨ An audiobook I’ll listen to again! The story was engaging, and the narrator’s performance made it even better. Some parts were so well-delivered that I replayed them just to hear the emotion again.
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