Captivate

The Science of Succeeding with People

Preview

Failed to add items

Sorry, we are unable to add the item because your shopping cart is already at capacity.

Add to basket failed.

Please try again later

Add to wishlist failed.

Please try again later

Remove from wishlist failed.

Please try again later

Adding to library failed

Please try again

Follow podcast failed

Unfollow podcast failed

£0.00 for first 30 days

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Get 3 months for £0.99/mo

Get this deal

Try Premium Plus free

Offer ends 29 January 2026 at 11:59PM GMT.

Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.

Just £0.99/mo for your first 3 months of Audible.

1 bestseller or new release per month—yours to keep.

Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals.

Auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.

Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.

Access exclusive sales and deals.

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

Captivate

By: Vanessa Van Edwards

Narrated by: Vanessa Van Edwards

Get this deal

Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly. Offer ends 29 January 2026 at 11:59PM GMT.

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

LIMITED TIME OFFER | £0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Premium Plus auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Terms apply.

About this listen

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People written and read by Vanessa Van Edwards.

Wish you knew exactly what to say in awkward social situations? Or that you had a formula for charisma?

You need to know how people work.

As a human behaviour investigator, Vanessa Van Edwards studies the hidden forces that drive our behaviour patterns - and she's cracked the code.

In Captivate she shares a wealth of shortcuts, systems and behaviour hacks to help you take charge of your interactions. You'll learn a game plan for navigating any social situation, unique ways to break away from the same old small talk, how to speed-read faces to predict people's emotions, and much more besides.

When you understand the laws of human behaviour you can get along with anyone. With Vanessa's help, you will never interact in the same way again.

Includes a bonus PDF of quizzes, graphs and illustrations.

Career Success

Communication & Social Skills

Meetings & Presentations

Personal Development

Personal Success

Psychology

Psychology & Mental Health

Relationships

Self-Esteem

Career

Inspiring

Business

Emotions

Listeners also enjoyed...

Success as an Introvert for Dummies cover art

How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age cover art

Critic reviews

Everything Vanessa does is captivating, but this book is her masterpiece. Nearly every page contains surprising insights and practical tips to help you succeed more in life (Chris Guillebeau, author of THE HAPPINESS OF PURSUIT)

Captivate is packed full of useful information for anyone interested in improving their social skills - it's a must read (Former FBI agent Joe Navarro, author of WHAT EVERY BODY IS SAYING)

If you've ever thought 'I hope they have a dog at this dinner party so that I don't have to talk to anyone' read this book. Hello Captivate, goodbye awkward moments (Jon Acuff, author of Do Over)

Vanessa Van Edwards is pure gold, and this book is an invaluable guide to harnessing the science of what makes people tick. A must read if you want to use its power for good inside your company, cause or career (Chase Jarvis, CEO of CreativeLive)

Full of helpful tips, actionable anecdotes and fascinating research, Captivate is the consummate wingman (or woman) - a book you'll hear whispering in your ears, giving you social superpowers (Jenny Blake, author of PIVOT)

In Captivate, Vanessa Van Edwards has not only decoded the secret formula for what makes people tick, she also explains how to harness and put the latest people science into action (Jordan Harbinger, founder of The Art of Charm)

There is a big difference between faking your way into a building relationships and deeply understanding the science of what makes people tick so that you can naturally and effectively connect with them. Captivate teaches this science in a fun and accessible way, so that you apply the learning in your everyday life, growing your network, influence and impact (Pamela Slim, author of BODY OF WORK)

This book is rewarding regardless of your level of skill in getting along with others (Art Markman PhD, co-author of BRAINS BRIEFS)

Most relevant

I don't usually write reviews but this audiobook was too good for me not to. I've really enjoyed listening to Vanessa's friendly and welcoming tone.

The guidance she provides is so easy to grasp and very practical. I've already started implementing these into my daily life and noticed the difference.

I highly recommend this book for anyone that could benefit from a direction on how to master social situations!