Audiobooks narrated by Melanie Crawley

Georgia - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Don't just see the sights―get to know the people. Nestled in the Caucasus Mountains at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Georgia plays a geopolitical role far greater than its size would suggest. Its strategic location has been both a blessing and a curse, however. Once a battlefield of the Christian and Muslim worlds, today it is caught between its EU aspirations and its location in Russia’s backyard. The ancient Silk Road brought the best of the world to Georgia, which has a rich and dramatic historical heritage, exquisite cuisine and world-renowned wines, authentic folk music and dances, and an educated and hospitable people for whom indulging a guest is more akin to a religious practice than a simple duty. This new edition of Culture Smart! Georgia guides you through the past and present realities of this unique country, and offers practical insights into the customs, values, traditions, and daily life of its people. Visitors who immerse themselves in Georgian culture will find the experience deeply rewarding, and that the welcome of those they meet along the way will far exceed their expectations. Have a more meaningful and successful time abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on values, attitudes, customs, and daily life will help you make the most of your visit, while tips on etiquette and communication will help you navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

Natia Abramia (Author), Melanie Crawley (Narrator)

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Oman - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Don't just see the sights―get to know the people. The Sultanate of Oman, long regarded as one of the more mysterious countries of the Arabian Peninsula, is finally getting more of the attention it so deserves. An ancient land with a rich history and dramatic landscapes, Oman was largely cut off from the modern world until the accession to the throne of Sultan Qaboos in 1970. Since then this peaceful country has developed slowly but deliberately, placing a strong emphasis on retaining its cultural heritage while moving into the hi-tech era. Culture Smart! Oman opens the door to this fascinating and complex country, where traditional values coexist cheerfully with all the trappings of modern life. Here, the gentle pace of life contrasts with life in the West and those that take the time to get to know the people of this land, their values, and their way of life, will find that they are greatly enriched. Have a more meaningful and successful time abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on values, attitudes, customs, and daily life will help you make the most of your visit, while tips on etiquette and communication will help you navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

Nicole Brewer (Author), Melanie Crawley (Narrator)

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Saudi Arabia - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Don't just see the sights―get to know the people. From a distance, Saudi Arabia may seem a subdued, or even dull place; but for those who take a closer look it emerges as a fascinating country, not necessarily because of its political and economic importance, but because of its people. Reticent perhaps but, on closer acquaintance, charming and warm, the Saudis form a far less monolithic society than one might expect. Divided by region, creed, and background but united in Islam, insular yet forever traveling abroad, and living with a foreign contingent that makes up nearly one-third of the population: the list goes on. So what do Saudis have in common beyond their national dress? Culture Smart! Saudi Arabia will help you navigate the swirling waters of this important and fast-changing country. Social, cultural, and business life is demystified in concise chapters, while sections on the values, traditions, and attitudes that prevail will help you find your way through the new and unexpected situations that you are likely to encounter. Have a more meaningful and successful time abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on values, attitudes, customs, and daily life will help you make the most of your visit, while tips on etiquette and communication will help you navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

Cheryl Obal (Author), Melanie Crawley (Narrator)

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Egypt - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Don't just see the sights―get to know the people. At first sight, modern-day Egypt is an unruly and chaotic place: a cacophony of sounds, an overload of smells, and a swirling visual feast. Ancient church domes and medieval minarets share the same space with fast-food chains and chic air-conditioned cafes. Egyptian society has undergone dramatic changes in recent years, yet tradition and deeply conservative views prevail. Culture Smart! Egypt explores the codes and paradoxes of Egyptian life, outlines the country' s history, and shows the forces that have shaped its sensibility. It explains the key values and attitudes, guides you through local customs and traditions, and opens a window into the private lives of Egyptians and offers advice on how to get a long with them and how to be a good guest. Have a more meaningful and successful time abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on values, attitudes, customs, and daily life will help you make the most of your visit, while tips on etiquette and communication will help you navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

Isabella Morris (Author), Melanie Crawley (Narrator)

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Brazil - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Don't just see the sights―get to know the people. For many people, Brazil conjures up images of football, Carnaval, and fine coffee, but it's much more than beaches and bossa nova. If we had to choose one word to describe the country, it would probably be diversity. The variety of lifestyles, ethnic groups, landscapes, and climates Brazil encompasses is quite simply enormous. This guide provides you with a comprehensive introduction to everything you need to know. Jeitinho is how Brazilians deal creatively with life's everyday complications. Literally translated as a 'little way,' in practice it means that where there is a will there is also usually a way, regardless of the rules and regulations that may be in place. The jeitinho is so ingrained in daily life that you can see examples everywhere; managing to get a seat when all the places are booked up, traveling with more luggage than is allowed, or successfully ordering something that isn't even on the menu. Culture Smart! Brazil is your guide to understanding the Brazilian people, their values, and the complexities of their national identity. Familiarize yourself with their traditions, culture, and way of life and your experience in this beautiful and life-affirming country will be greatly enriched. Have a more meaningful and successful time abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on values, attitudes, customs, and daily life will help you make the most of your visit, while tips on etiquette and communication will help you navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

Sandra Branco (Author), Melanie Crawley (Narrator)

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Milo's Story: Thrown Away Children

The eleventh instalment in the popular Thrown Away Children series. Michelle and Andy are thrilled to be fast-tracked into fostering and are quickly paired with 7-year-old Milo – whom they hope will complete their family, making a ‘pigeon pair’ with their older daughter, Grace. But Milo tears through their home like a raging tornado, destroying a beautiful interior – and their lives. Their dream of a new homelife costs Michelle her job, thousands of pounds in damages to their home and car, and leaves them with a traumatised daughter in need of professional support. What are the secrets of his violent and destructive behaviours? Experienced foster carer Louise Allen steps in. Can she uncover the little boy’s disturbing past and help him?

Louise Allen (Author), Melanie Crawley (Narrator)

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My Girl: For The Little Girl I Was Never Able To Be

Co-written by Ann Cusack, the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Asylum, The Convent, Silent Sisters and Abandoned A woman who was sexually abused by her own father and later gave birth to his daughter is now running a support group which spans 30 countries and has tens of thousands of supporters. Stace Don, now 36, was taken into foster care as a baby after being neglected by her parents. For seven years, she lived an idyllic life, believing her foster parents were her real parents. But a chance encounter with her natural father, Nigel Taylor, shattered her happiness and she was later moved from her foster home, away from the family she loved. Upset and angry that she had been lied to, and confused about her own identity, Stace spent the remainder of her childhood flipping between different homes. Aged 17, she visited Nigel Taylor and he refused to let her leave. Over six months, he sexually, physically, and mentally abused her, forcing her to behave in a 'wifely' role; cooking, cleaning, washing. He paraded her as his partner in pubs and in shops, and even took her house-hunting, claiming they would live as a couple. She was also expected to have sex with him and endure sickening levels of intimacy. Stace fell pregnant aged 18 and, despite her loathing for her father, was determined to keep her baby. Nigel Taylor was jailed for seven years in April 2011 at Basildon Crown Court after admitting sexual activity with a child family member. Stace now runs a blog and support group for other survivors of sexual abuse. Her daughter, aged 16, is fully supportive of her mother's work.

Ann Cusack, Stace Don (Author), Melanie Crawley (Narrator)

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Argentina - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Don't just see the sights―get to know the people. The second-largest country in South America, Argentina has been through great changes in recent years. Its journey from dictatorship to democracy has left many scars, but these are largely eclipsed by the pride and resilience of the Argentinian people, who have developed a style, a language, and a joie de vivre that are all their own. Embracing much more than gaucho, tango, and soccer, Argentina is very unlike its neighbors. And, due to the unique way in which it evolved, is quite different from the expectations many visitors have of a stereotypical Latin American destination. This new, updated edition of Culture Smart! Argentina looks at the attitudes and values of the people and how they've adapted to the challenges and events of the last decade. It introduces you to their customs, traditions, fiestas, lifestyle, and cuisine, and provides you with the essential tools to make the most of your time here. Have a more meaningful and successful time abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on values, attitudes, customs, and daily life will help you make the most of your visit, while tips on etiquette and communication will help you navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

Mary Godward, Robert Hamwee (Author), Melanie Crawley (Narrator)

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Bulgaria - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Don't just see the sights―get to know the people. Bulgaria, situated in southeastern Europe on the Black Sea, is one of Europe’s best-hidden secrets. A haven for nature and history buffs, this youngest member of the European Union has been riding a rollercoaster of radical transformation since emerging from the Eastern Bloc three decades ago, changing dramatically in many ways and yet preserving its own particular charm and slow-paced way of life. Invasions and waves of migration, dating back to neolithic and classical times, have contributed to a unique cultural mosaic. The seventh-century Bulgarian empire dominated the Balkans and was a powerhouse of Slavonic culture. Later, Ottoman conquest and Soviet influence left their mark on the national psyche. Culture Smart! Bulgaria provides a key to understanding the Bulgarian people. It outlines their long and complex history, shows you what everyday life is like there today, and offers advice on what to expect and how to navigate unfamiliar cultural terrain. This is a small country of proud and persevering people. Familiarize yourself with their traditions and way of life, and the warmth and hospitality you are shown in return will conquer your heart and bring you back time and again. Have a more meaningful and successful time abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on values, attitudes, customs, and daily life will help you make the most of your visit, while tips on etiquette and communication will help you navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

Juliana Tzvetkova (Author), Melanie Crawley (Narrator)

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Belgium - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Don't just see the sights―get to know the people. Belgium has somehow acquired the reputation of being Europe's most boring country―a reputation that is entirely undeserved. But perhaps this bland image is a smokescreen, the conventional exterior hiding a subversive sense of humor, a surreal imagination, and a deep-rooted disdain for authority. Or perhaps it is a camouflage, a way in which Belgium, still overrun―however peacefully―by foreigners, can keep a few of its secrets to itself. Two main factors seem to determine the values Belgians hold and the ways they approach life: the effects of the linguistic divide, and the country's long history of exposure to other cultures through trade, war, and occupation―its experience of being simultaneously very small and very strategically placed. Culture Smart! Belgium will help you navigate these swirling waters. It is for anyone who wants to understand Belgian society and encounter it with sensitivity and poise. We trace the land's turbulent history and look at how the past has shaped the collective and personal values of today's Belgians. We look at the Belgian people at work, at play, and at home, and offer tips to help you get along with the people you will meet, on both sides of the divide, and navigate the new situations that you are likely to encounter. Have a richer and more meaningful experience abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on history, values, attitudes, and traditions will help you to better understand your hosts, while tips on etiquette and communicating will help you to navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

Bernadett Varga (Author), Melanie Crawley (Narrator)

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Portugal - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Don't just see the sights―get to know the people. Legend has it that when Caesar’s general arrived on Portuguese soil in the first century CE, he claimed to have discovered a country blessed with a mild climate and a beautiful coastline, but whose inhabitants were ungoverned and ungovernable. Today, the Portuguese are still impulsive, set in their ways, and resistant to change, yet they are ever charming, romantic, and nostalgic, with an unshakable loyalty toward family and friends. Culture Smart! Portugal takes you beneath the surface of this fascinating country and shows you how to blend in and make the most of your visit. In these pages, you will gain insight into Portuguese priorities and learn how to tap into a helpful and resourceful nature that is often overlooked by the casual visitor. Beneath a sometimes vociferous manner, the Portuguese are laid-back and gentle, so slacken your pace, put away your watch, and enjoy the rich meals, lively festivals, and ancient traditions of this great land. Have a more meaningful and successful time abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on values, attitudes, customs, and daily life will help you make the most of your visit, while tips on etiquette and communication will help you navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

Sandy Pinto Basto (Author), Melanie Crawley (Narrator)

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The Santorini Writing Retreat

'An inspiring story of personal growth, and the edifying power of friendship, The Santorini Writing Retreat left me feeling uplifted and hopeful … and craving a holiday in the Greek sunshine.' Kate Storey, bestselling author Three women, one writing retreat, endless possibilities… Bestselling author Jessica Rose needs to escape from a terrible secret that’s robbed her of her creativity. Could leading a retreat on a gorgeous Greek island be just what she needs? Coming home to Santorini was never in Zina’s plans, but now she’s determined to make her new business a success. And then there’s Karmela, who just wants to write her book and make her mother proud. In the heat of their Greek island paradise, these new friends find the courage to shape their own stories, and write endings they can all be proud of… Readers love The Santorini Writing Retreat: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Oh how I would love to be one of the three women in this book. It was a joy to read and I adored the setting of Santorini' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'The Santorini Writing Retreat is the most wonderful novel. Thoughtful, poignant and insightful fiction at its absolute best' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Great characters, thought-provoking storylines, beautiful location and delicious sounding food - an excellent summer holiday read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Another wonderful book from Eva Glyn! I drew it out as long as I could just to stay in Santorini with this wonderful group of people' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'I couldn't put this book down. A real gem of a story' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Wonderfully drawn characters, a stunning location and a plot that kept me turning the pages. A treat of a novel!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A gripping read with lots of secrets. You will love it' Authors love The Santorini Writing Retreat: 'A glorious book celebrating the power of friendship, storytelling and the kindness of strangers. I adored spending time with these characters. A beautiful novel that instantly transported me to the pistachio groves of Santorini.' Emma Cowell This story is emotional and life-affirming, and the sun-soaked setting will have you reaching for the travel brochures' Maisie Thomas 'A true page turner … no hesitation in awarding five stars.' Angela Petch 'I loved every page of this beautiful, heart-felt tale. For a summer read that will have you moving from laughter, to tears to genuine sadness as the stories of the women unfold, The Santorini Writing Retreat is the one book you must read' Alexandra Walsh 'The story beautifully captures the evolving bind between the women. An uplifting read, both atmospheric and heartfelt, Eva Glyn has done it again.' Caroline James

Eva Glyn (Author), Melanie Crawley (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Melanie Crawley