Audiobooks Narrated by Robyn Addison

The Stray Cats of Homs: The unforgettable, heart-breaking novel inspired by extraordinary true event

Brought to you by Penguin. ‘This is a searing and incredibly important book, storytelling at its best’ Donal Ryan ‘A cat has seven souls in Arabic. In English cats have nine lives. You probably have both nine lives and seven souls, because otherwise I don’t know how you’ve made it this far.' Sami’s childhood is much like any other - an innocent blend of family and school, of friends and relations and pets (including stray cats and dogs, and the turtle he keeps on the roof). But growing up in one of the largest cities in Syria, with his country at war with itself, means that nothing is really normal. And Sami’s hopes for a better future are ripped away when he is conscripted into the military and forced to train as a map maker. Sami may be shielded from the worst horrors of the war, but it will still be impossible to avoid his own nightmare… Inspired by extraordinary true events, The Stray Cats of Homs is the story of a young man who will do anything to keep the dream of home alive, even in the face of unimaginable devastation. Tender, wild and unbearably raw, it is a novel which will stay with you for ever. ©Eva Nour 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Eva Nour (Author), Nezar Alderazi, Robyn Addison (Narrator)

Audiobook

Play Sample Listen For Free

When the Lights Go Out

Brought to you by Penguin. Global temperatures are rising. The climate of the Abrams’ marriage is cooling. Emma is beginning to wonder whether relationships, like mortgages, should be conducted in five-year increments. She might laugh if Chris had bought a motorbike or started dyeing his hair. Instead he’s buying off-label medicines and stockpiling food. Chris finds Emma’s relentless optimism exasperating. A tot of dread, a nip of horror, a shot of anger – he isn’t asking much. If she would only join him in a measure of something. The family’s precarious eco-system is further disrupted by torrential rains, power cuts and the unexpected arrival of Chris’s mother. Emma longs to lower a rope and winch Chris from the pit of his worries. But he doesn’t want to be rescued or reassured – he wants to pull her in after him. Darkly funny and beautifully written, When the Lights Go Out is a novel for our times: a story about cultivating hope and weathering change. 'So timely, and so deeply human, a novel which takes us right into the heart of a marriage and at the same time grapples with the most crucial issue of our age. It's bursting with compassion and wisdom.' Shelley Harris, author of JUBILEE 'Through exquisite use of language and observation, she examines the intricacies of family life in ways which have you laughing one moment and biting your nails with worry the next.' Sarah Franklin, author of SHELTER 'With characteristic wit and humanity, Bray shows us the necessity and the impossibility of preparing for disaster, and reminds us of both the fragility and capacity of love.' Jenn Ashworth, author of A KIND OF INTIMACY and FELL ©Carys Bray 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Carys Bray (Author), Robyn Addison (Narrator)

Audiobook

Play Sample Listen For Free

10% Human: How Your Body's Microbes Hold the Key to Health and Happiness

Obesity, autism, mental health problems, IBS, allergies, auto-immunity, cancer. Does the answer to the modern epidemic of 'Western' diseases lie in our gut? You are 10% human. For every one of your cells, there are nine impostors hitching a ride. You are not just flesh and bone, but also bacteria and fungi. And you are more 'them' than you are 'you'. Your gut alone hosts 100 trillion of them and until recently we thought that our microbes didn't matter. This is all set to change as the latest scientific research tells a very different story, one where microbes run our bodies and becoming healthy is impossible without them. In this ground-breaking book, biologist Alanna Collen reveals how our personal colony of microbes influence our weight, immune system, mental health and even our choice of partner. This is a new way of understanding modern diseases - obesity, autism, mental health problems, gut disorders, allergies, auto-immunity and even cancer - as she argues they have their root in our failure to cherish our most fundamental and enduring relationship: that with our microbes. Illuminating many of the questions still unanswered by the human genome project 10% Human completely changes our understanding of diet, modern disease and medicine. The good news is that unlike our human cells, we can change our microbes for the better and this book shows you how. A revelatory and indispensable guide: life - and your body - will never seem the same again.

Alanna Collen (Author), Robyn Addison (Narrator)

Audiobook

Play Sample Listen For Free