Ana Clements has narrated 15 audiobooks on Listento.it by 13 authors, with an average listener rating of 3.9★ across 21 ratings. The most-rated is Lagom: Not Too Little, Not Too Much.
Lagom: Not Too Little, Not Too Much
Summary
Derived from the Swedish phrase Lagom är bäst, meaning "the right amount is best; in moderation, in balance", langom is a deeply held philosophy closely tied to the Swedish cultural and social ideology of fairness and equality. Lagom is believed to have begun with Viking culture: at gatherings, when a bowl of mead was passed around in a circle, it was important that everyone sipped "just enough" or their "fair share" so there was enough to be enjoyed by all. Deeply ingrained in the Swedish psyche, lagom is about enjoying balance in every aspect of life - from work and leisure to family and food and everything in between. Experienced bakers know by touch when dough they're kneading is lagom - not too moist and not too dry. At the office, professionals who work hard - but not to the detriment of other aspects of their lives - are following the ideal of lagom. In this inviting, inspirational guide, Niki Brantmark explains lagom and explains how to incorporate it into your own lifestyle, including: Home: declutter, keep items you love; buy consciously Work: take regular coffee breaks away from your desk, Swedish style; learn to "switch off" at home Money: more isn't happiness - live within your means and be thrifty without sacrificing quality Body and mind: exercise that fits your life and healthy habits that make you feel better (starting with more sleep) Food: enjoy that slice of cake, but remember, portions in moderation Vacation: make the most of holidays and time off Leisure: get out in nature - take a hike in the woods or a dip in the sea Family: keep it simple and organized Friendship: form bonds that will last a lifetime And much more In an interconnected world filled with goal-oriented perfectionists, Lagom reminds us to slow down, to decompress and destress, to be mindful of sustainability yet not deny ourselves pleasure. But lagom is not a rigid set of rules - sometimes you need more, sometimes you need less, and that's fine, too! With this idea-filled guide, you can learn to find greater balance, well-being, and harmony - and, most importantly, make time for the things that matter most in life.
©2017 Niki Brantmark (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
How to Be an Epicurean
Summary
A leading philosopher shows that if the pursuit of happiness is the question, Epicureanism is the answer Epicureanism has a reputation problem, bringing to mind gluttons with gout or an admonition to eat, drink, and be merry. In How to Be an Epicurean, philosopher Catherine Wilson shows that Epicureanism isn't an excuse for having a good time: It's a means to live a good life. Although modern conveniences and scientific progress have significantly improved our quality of life, many of the problems faced by ancient Greeks - love, money, family, politics - remain with us in new forms. To overcome these obstacles, the Epicureans adopted a philosophy that promoted reason, respect for the natural world, and reverence for our fellow humans. By applying this ancient wisdom to a range of modern problems, from self-care routines and romantic entanglements to issues of public policy and social justice, Wilson shows us how we can all fill our lives with purpose and pleasure.
©2019 Catherine Wilson (P)2019 Hachette Audio
Lagom: The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced, Happy Life
Summary
Uncover the secrets of the Swedish philosophy of life called Lagom - meaning 'just enough'. At its core is the idea that we can strike a healthy balance with the world around us without having to make extreme changes and without denying ourselves anything. This delightful audiobook, written by Niki Brantmark, founder and curator of the award-winning interior design blog My Scandinavian Home, gives a taste of the philosophy behind Lagom and shows how to include some of the principles in our daily lives. Includes inspirational and fun ideas to help you achieve balance, well-being and a more sustainable existence. The book is divided into three sections. Introducing Lagom to your personal life includes ideas for decluttering your home, conscious buying and embracing 'slow design'. At work, take time to balance your day with a proper lunch break and a gadget-free Sabbath, while outdoor staycations in remote settings can offer relaxation you never knew possible! Lagom at home and with our families explains the art of simple pleasures - bring-a-dish entertaining at home, of shared craft activities with our children and less-stressed homework time! And finally there's Lagom in the wider world and the principles of living sustainably - as IKEA have pledged in their Live Lagom campaign. Make some small changes, like using LED lightbulbs, taking shorter showers and upcycling, and you are living a Lagom life, a rewarding but responsible life, not denying yourself or sacrificing what you love while not taking from the planet more than you need. It's just the right amount!
©2017 Niki Brantmark (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers
Did You Hear Me Crying?
Summary
In this shocking memoir, Cassie Moore gives a very open and honest description of how she suffered and survived a lifetime of abuse. She describes the sexual, physical and emotional abuse she suffered at the hands of her stepfather and mother, who then sold her into marriage at the age of 16; the heartbreak she suffered when she naively left her 22 month old baby behind when she fled to London with the man she fell in love with, only to be abused by him for a further 23 years; the self-loathing, depression and despair she felt during those lonely years; and the enormous sacrifices she had to make to save herself and start a new life.
©2012, 2017 Live It Publishing (P)2017 Opal Audio
The Queen's Governess
Summary
If you liked Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, you'll love this brilliant historical novel by New York Times best seller Karen Harper. Thomas Cromwell may have been known as the powerful and ambitious henchman for King Henry VIII, but the woman he installed in the king's court may have had the biggest impact on England's history.... Katherine Ashley was just the daughter of a poor country beekeeper, no matter how clever and beguiling she was. But when she catches the eye of Thomas Cromwell, King Henry VIII's chief minister, she finds her fortune suddenly, drastically changing. Cromwell secures Katherine a place in the king's court as the governess to and protector of Anne Boleyn's only child, Elizabeth. But her new position is not all that it seems to be. She is a governess...but also a spy, keeping tabs on the king's scandalous wife. In the face of exile, imprisonment, assassination, and even a secret romance, Katherine will have to risk everything for Elizabeth I, one of the greatest monarchs in British history.
©2010 Karen Harper (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers
Not My Idea
Summary
"Lucas, you must return home." Twenty-two-year-old Lucas Bywood abandons his Grand Tour in response to those words from his father. Everything is not well at home and he finds himself in a bit of a fix. A little warning that his father had made tentative arrangements for his marriage would have been nice but Luke really wishes it had been anyone other than the young lady chosen. After all, Phoebe Ramsey had always been an annoyance and any time they had spent together had resulted in physical injuries for one of them. Just when Luke thinks he's escaped that particular future, he finds himself courting a young woman he doesn't want, a furious best friend who wants a duel to satisfy honor, and the responsibility of finding who and why someone had caused an accident for his mother. This was not his idea of what the summer was going to be like.
©2017 Clean Reads (P)2018 Clean Reads
Prey
Summary
Olivia Wolfe is a journalist who travels the world exposing heinous crimes. She has more enemies than most. When an anonymous source is murdered, she must unravel the terrible secret that connects a series of gruesome murders. But powerful people want her stopped. Betrayed and isolated, she is hunted by a faceless killer. Can she stay alive long enough to expose the shocking truth? This completely gripping, explosive, globetrotting thriller will keep listeners on the edge of their seat. Fans of Caroline Mitchell, Sibel Hodge, and James Swallow will love it!
©2020 L.A. Larkin (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC
The Unfinished Garden
Summary
A love story about grief, OCD, and dirt Tilly Silverberg is rebuilding her life with her young son, Isaac, one potted-up plant at a time. Since her husband’s death, gardening has become her livelihood and her salvation. Hiding out in the North Carolina forest, she wants only to be left alone with Isaac and her greenhouse. New to the area, successful software developer James Nealy needs a garden. On a solitary mission to reclaim his life from irrational obsessions and relentless compulsions, he has a plan: to conquer his greatest fear. Dirt. One glimpse - or two - of Tilly’s garden, and he knows she holds the key. But when he asks her to take him on as a client, she refuses. After a family emergency pulls Tilly and Isaac back to her native England, she’s quietly happy, because nothing has changed in her childhood village. Or has it? Her first love is unexpectedly single, her mother is scheming, and her best friend is keeping secrets. Then James appears on her doorstep. Tenuous at first, but gradually taking root, James and Tilly forge an unlikely bond. As they work together to rescue a garden choked by neglect, they unearth each other’s secrets, each other’s fears, each other’s hopes - and maybe, a shared second chance.
©2012 Barbara Claypole White (P)2019 Spoken Realms
Another Side of Paradise
Summary
In 1937 Hollywood, gossip columnist Sheilah Graham’s star is on the rise while literary wonder boy F. Scott Fitzgerald’s career is slowly drowning in booze. But the once-famous author, desperate to make money penning scripts for the silver screen, is charismatic enough to attract the gorgeous Miss Graham, a woman who exposes the secrets of others while carefully guarding her own. Like Scott’s hero Jay Gatsby, Graham has meticulously constructed a life far removed from the poverty of her childhood in London’s slums. And like Gatsby, the onetime guttersnipe learned early how to use her charms to become a hardworking success feted and feared by both the movie studios and their luminaries. A notorious drunk famously married to the doomed "crazy Zelda", Fitzgerald fell hard for his "Shielah" (he never learned to spell her name), a shrewd yet softhearted woman - both a fool for love and nobody’s fool - who would stay with him and help revive his career until his tragic death three years later. Working from diaries and other primary sources from the time, Sally Koslow revisits their scandalous love affair, bringing Graham and Scott gloriously alive in this compelling pause resister saturated with the color, glitter, magic, and passion of 1930s Hollywood and Sheilah’s dramatic transformation in London.
©2018 Sally Koslow (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers
The Light of the Midnight Stars
Summary
Experience an evocative combination of fantasy, history, and Jewish folklore in this fairytale-inspired novel from the author of The Sisters of the Winter Wood. "The Light of the Midnight Stars is storytelling as spellcasting. Rossner has conjured something vivid and wild and true.” (Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Mercies) Deep in the Hungarian woods, the sacred magic of King Solomon lives on in his descendants. Gathering under the midnight stars, they perform small miracles and none are more gifted than the great Rabbi Isaac and his three daughters. Hannah, bookish and calm, can coax plants to grow even when the weather is bitterly cold. Sarah, defiant and strong, can control the impulsive nature of fire. And Levana, the fey one, can read the path of the stars to decipher their secrets. But darkness is creeping across Europe, threatening the lives of every Jewish person in every village. Each sister will have to make an impossible choice in an effort to survive - and change the fate of their family forever. Praise for The Light of the Midnight Stars: "Rossner creates a lush, immersive world through which the sprawling plot meanders, punctuated by moments of intense grief. The result is as lovely as it is heartbreaking." (Publishers Weekly) "Rossner's tale is as lyrical as the slow growth of roots, the quick dance of fire, and the stately procession of the stars. Blending folktale with history, hope with tragedy, its touch will linger on your heart long after you put it down." (Marie Brennan) For more from Rena Rossner, check out The Sisters of the Winter Wood.
©2021 Rena Rossner (P)2021 Redhook
The Sisters of the Winter Wood
Summary
Captivating and boldly imaginative, with a tale of sisterhood at its heart, Rena Rossner's debut fantasy invites you to enter a world filled with magic, folklore, and the dangers of the woods. In a remote village surrounded by vast forests on the border of Moldova and Ukraine, sisters Liba and Laya have been raised on the honeyed scent of their Mami's babka and the low rumble of their Tati's prayers. But when a troupe of mysterious men arrives, Laya falls under their spell - despite their mother's warning to be wary of strangers. And this is not the only danger lurking in the woods. As dark forces close in on their village, Liba and Laya discover a family secret passed down through generations. Faced with a magical heritage they never knew existed, the sisters realize the old fairy tales are true...and could save them all. "Mixes fairy tale, poetry, history, and heart to create an enchanting and mesmerizing tale of sisterly love. I adored this book!" (Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Queens of Renthia series)
©2018 Rena Rossner (P)2018 Hachette Audio
Christmas at Snowdrop Cottage
Summary
All it takes is a cozy cottage, nostalgia for her family, and the unexpected presence of a tall, handsome man to make Belle realize the true meaning of Christmas.
©2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC
Lamplighters 2
Summary
Many years ago before electric street lights, the lamplighter was a man who was employed by the town to go round lighting all the street lamps at the onset of evening, and minding them and keeping them lit throughout the night. He would also put them out in the morning. This book is a metaphorical look at lamplighting, and instances where we can take steps to keep our mental lamps alight and the streets of our life well lit. It takes a closer look at some of our cultural myths, preconceptions and superstitions. It examines some of the "young wives' tales" that sneak, via parlance, into the fabric of our understanding of our world - that world that our perceptions have, often while we were looking the other way, fashioned into being 'the real world'.
©2012 Peter Wright (P)2017 Peter Wright
The Remote Facilitator's Pocket Guide
Summary
This approach to remote facilitation makes virtual meetings powerful means of collaboration using proven techniques to accommodate a diversity of cultures, locations, and personalities. Many people struggle with remote meetings: a cocktail of factors, such as technical barriers and invisible group norms, increase the uncertainty and risk of the already vulnerable task of collaborating and sharing ideas. When remote meetings go badly, they go really badly. Few things feel as lonely and intimidating as speaking to a screen with unreadable faces staring back in silence. This book will help you improve the quality of your remote meetings. With a little awareness, some planning, and some practice, you can make your remote meetings an effective, engaging, and powerful mechanism for collaboration within your organization. This book is for anyone seeking to get more value from remote meetings. Whether you’re a seasoned facilitator, a new facilitator, or someone hoping to improve team meetings, you will be empowered with principles and actionable methods to enhance your organization’s effectiveness.
©2020 Kirsten Clacey and Jay-Allen Morris (P)2020 Kirsten Clacey and Jay-Allen Morris
The Irish Princess
Summary
Elizabeth "Gera" Fitz Gerald had a privileged life in her youth in Ireland, daughter of the FitzGerald Dynasty. Her privileged world is overturned when her father, the ninth earl of Kildare, is imprisoned in the Tower of London by King Henry VIII and her family is destroyed by corruption charges and scandal. Torn from her island home and the rest of her family spread out across Europe, Elizabeth has no choice but to accept a place in England's glittering court. Now a member of King Henry VIII's royal court and a companion to his infant daughter, Elizabeth, Gera has to navigate the ever changing politics and alliances - all while nursing her own desire for revenge. From the lush green fields of Ireland's County Kildare to England's treacherous and opulent royal court, New York Times best seller Karen Harper delves into the life of a real, daring woman who cannot be tamed...or satisfied until her family's good name is restored.
©2011 Karen Harper (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers