Book description
One of People's Best Books of June! "I did not expect to be shocked by There Is No Ethan. Online deception has become so ubiquitous that it's boring...But the twists and turns in Anna Akbari's book are outrageous. I read it in one sitting, then spent days recounting her story to anyone who would listen, unable to shake off my indignation on behalf of the author and her fellow victims."--New York Times Part memoir, part explosive window into the mind of a catfisher, a thrilling personal account of three women coming face-to-face with an internet predator and teaming up to expose them. In 2011, three successful and highly educated women fell head over heels for the brilliant and charming Ethan Schuman. Unbeknownst to the others, each exchanged countless messages with Ethan, staying up late into the evenings to deepen their connections with this fascinating man. His detailed excuses about broken webcams and complicated international calling plans seemed believable, as did last minute trip cancellations. After all, why would he lie? Ethan wasn't after money -- he never convinced his marks to shell out thousands of dollars for some imagined crisis. Rather, he ensnared these women in a web of intense emotional intimacy. After the trio independently began to question inconsistencies in their new flame's stories, they managed to find one another and uncover a greater deception than they could've ever imagined. As Anna Akbari and the women untangled their catfish's web, they found other victims and realized that without a proper crime, there was no legal reason for "Ethan" to ever stop. THERE IS NO ETHAN catalogues Akbari's experience as both victim and observer. By looking at the bigger picture of where these stories unfold -- a world where technology mediates our relationships; where words and images are easily manipulated; and where truth, reality, and identity have become slippery terms -- Akbari gives a page-turning and riveting examination of why stories like Ethan's matter for us all.
About the Author
Anna Akbari, PhD, is a sociologist and the author of multiple books, including collaborations with more than a dozen authors and public figures across multiple fields and industries. She is a former professor at New York University and Parsons School of Design. She speaks internationally, makes regular media appearances, and has written for or been featured by many top media outlets, including the New York Times, CNN, Forbes, the Atlantic, Time, the Financial Times, TED, Bulletproof Executive, Psychology Today, Google Talks, Sirius XM, and many more. She is the creator of the Substack "The Sociology of... Everything." Learn more at annaakbari.com, and follow on Instagram / Threads: @annaakbari.
Tart Voodoo
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New York Winder
The narrator's voices are so engaging, it's like having a personal storytelling session. Kudos to ListenBook for optimizing the app for iOS 16 β it shows their dedication to excellence. π©βπ³ Cooking up a storm while enjoying thrilling stories β this app adds flavor to my meals! π³π§ The range of supported formats is astounding. No more compatibility issues! ListenBook has become my trusted companion. It's my go-to app for expanding my knowledge and enjoyment.
Scratch
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Blade
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RealmRanger
Audiobooks have turned road trips into unforgettable journeys of imagination. The compatibility with Apple Watch is a game-changer. Controlling my audiobooks from my wrist is genius. Drag and drop downloads are genius. It simplifies the entire process.
Evil Smith
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Firefly Caramel
The app's customization options allow me to tailor the listening experience to my liking. This app's playback controls and features make it a breeze to customize my listening experience. With features like auto-rewind, I never lose my place when I pause listening. Fairly enjoyable, but forgettable. I didnβt have any major complaints, but I also donβt see myself revisiting this one. It was a decent way to spend a few hours, though.
Diamond Gamer
This app is my secret to staying ahead on my reading list, even during my busiest days. Organization made easy! This app's efficient management of my audiobook collection ensures I'm always engrossed in a captivating tale. ππ± Love the download options. ListenBook gives me so many ways to get my audiobooks onto my device.
Magenta
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Murder Matter
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Killer Grenade
Tone adjustment is a brilliant addition that lets me personalize the narration to my liking. It adds an extra layer of connection to the audiobooks. The best app for audiobooks. Downloading and organizing files is super easy with ListenBook.
Pink C
With ListenBook, every moment is an opportunity to explore new stories and gain knowledge. π§ Audiobooks anywhere, anytime β this app's convenience is unbeatable! ππ The app's compatibility with Apple Watch elevates my workouts, making them more engaging and productive.
Polar Bee
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Moxie
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Chew Chew
Thanks for making my daily commute to work enjoyable and engaging! Automatic extraction of artwork and metadata adds a touch of elegance to my audiobook collection. ListenBook has all the features I need. My go-to audiobook app! Iβve been using ListenBook for months, and itβs been a fantastic experience. The app is lightweight, doesnβt drain my battery, and works perfectly in the background. The equalizer and voice boost features are amazing. Highly recommend!
Snout Pixie
Automatic artwork and metadata extraction keep my audiobook library organized and visually appealing. 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.
Shamrock
This app's support for various formats ensures that I can enjoy my audiobooks without any limitations. Audiobook enthusiasts, rejoice! This app's thoughtful features, such as auto-rewind and chapter navigation, cater perfectly to our storytelling cravings. ππ The range of audio formats supported is incredible. No need to worry about file conversion.
CoB@lt
An audiobook lover's dream come true. So many options, I'm in heaven! I've rediscovered the joy of reading through the convenience of audiobooks.
Spider Fuji
ListenBook's dedication to optimizing for iOS 16 ensures a seamless experience on the latest devices. ListenBook has become my go-to app for all audiobooks. Full of useful features. ListenBookβs audio quality is excellent. The app enhances my listening experience.
Good-lookinβ
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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