In the Garlic is a fun A-Z guide to life in Spain. Taking its title from the Spanish "en el ajo", an expression meaning to be "in the know" this book provides an insight to Spain and the Spanish through its language and idioms.

Stay a while in Spain, and beyond the sunshine, fiestas, Rioja and laidbackness you may find yourself drifting in an uncharted ocean of unwritten laws, linguistic minefields and mysterious quirks. Where is everyone at ten o'clock in the morning? Why will you pay more for an ático than a regular flat?  What should you do when asked for your “second surname”? As the title says you need to be In The Garlic - en el ajo - in the know.

The book is written by Valerie Collins and Theresa O'Shea who between them have have lived in Spain for over 50 years, Valerie since the tail end of the Franco era, in Barcelona, and Theresa since the early nineties, in Galicia, Cataluña and now in the Axarquía. Valerie’s late husband was a Catalan lawyer, and she has two grown-up sons. Theresa is married to a gardener from a large Cordobese family, and they have three slack cats.

In the Garlic: Your Informative, Fun Guide to Spain is published by Santana and is available at all good book shops  (ISBN 13:978-84-89954-59-5) and online at The Resident bookshop