Books, blogs and tips on national cultures

Hola, salut, ciao, aboutye. Cultural identity has never been more important. Travel, relocation to a new country, language studies – all are immeasurably enhanced by cultural understanding, by getting to know the lifestyle, art, architecture, literature, politics, film and food of the country you’ve taken to heart. Only with immersion and awareness will you assuage the dreaded culture shock.

Speak the Culture works as an amiable, exhaustive guide to that process, unlocking the great figures of creative culture, from Almodovar to Zola, and helping you grasp the wider culture of everyday life. It began with a cultural guidebook on France, and then came books on Spain, Great Britain and Italy. Now we’re stirring the debate on the web – probing and questioning to unlock the secrets and joys of national culture.