Book description
The Silence - An Audiobook Review
Don DeLillo's The Silence is a masterclass in how an audiobook can elevate the text to another level of intimacy and immediacy. From the opening line, the narrator (a seasoned voice actor with a subtle, resonant tone) invites listeners into a Manhattan apartment on Super Bowl Sunday 2022, where five strangers-two retired physics professors, a former student, a couple arriving from Paris, and an unnamed observer-are about to share dinner and conversation that will unravel the very fabric of their digital lives.
The performance is impeccable. Each character's cadence reflects their background: the professor's measured, almost scientific speech; the young man's restless, quick turns; the Parisian guest's slight French inflection-all woven together by a narrator who knows when to let silence speak louder than words. The sound design is minimal yet effective-soft creaks of an old apartment, distant traffic, the faint hum of a city that never sleeps-allowing DeLillo's prose to take center stage.
DeLillo's language itself feels like a living organism in audio form. His sentences-long, layered, and sometimes elliptical-are broken up naturally by the actor's pauses, giving listeners time to absorb the weight of each idea. The sudden rupture that severs everyone from their digital connections is rendered with an almost palpable dread; the quiet that follows is not just silence but a presence that hangs over the room, mirroring the novel's meditation on what it means to be human in a hyper-connected world.
The book's themes-alienation, collective loss, and the search for meaning amid chaos-are amplified by the auditory experience. You can almost taste the bourbon, feel the chill of the Chilean telescope's data, and sense the gravity of Einstein's manuscript as it floats through the air. The narrator's gentle emphasis on key phrases turns abstract concepts into tangible sensations.
In short, The Silence audiobook is a brilliant, astonishing masterpiece that doesn't just tell you what DeLillo wants you to think; it makes you feel it. Whether you're a long-time fan of his work or new to his literary universe, this listening experience will leave you reflecting on the fragility and resilience of our shared humanity long after the final word fades.
Night Magnet
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Sky Bully
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Yellow Menace
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WanderWord
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Dallas Burn
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Hyper
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Whip Chu
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Hidden Tree
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Drift
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Blackfire
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CyberScribe
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Wheels
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Clang Glyph
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Trash Pocky
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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