When Eugene transfers to a new school in northern Michigan, he meets his scary English teacher named "Ming the Merciless" and embarks on the most frightening school field trip of his life.

The Brass Monkey! Symbol of what evil was this leering, glittering little gibbon? What connection had it with the murder of Herb Baldwin? Why did it strike fear into ugly old Hattie Contona? Why was it hunted by the sadistic Lieut. Mosani? How did it figure into the violent death of pretty and luscious little Ona Kalani? How did it mean both life and death to the incomparable, the completely seductive Lanai Okazi, golden goddess of the flesh? Jim Patterson, a private eye at war with the world, found the brass monkey—and used his life as bait to trap its secret! But this was not the end, for beyond lay a secret within a secret—one more vicious, more vindictive than murder itself!

Zine queen Ayun Halliday confesses the best-and worst-of her globetrotting misadventures. "I laughed hard on nearly every page of this shockingly intimate memoir and deeply funny book." -- Stephen Colbert Ayun Halliday may not make for the most sensible travel companion, but she is certainly one of the zaniest, with a knack for inserting herself (and her unwitting cohorts) into bizarre situations around the globe. Curator of kitsch and unabashed aficionada of pop culture, Halliday offers bemused, self-deprecating narration of events from guerrilla theater in Romania to drug-induced Apocalypse Now reenactments in Vietnam to a perhaps more surreal collagen-implant demonstration at a Paris fashion show emceed by Lauren Bacall. On layover in Amsterdam, Halliday finds unlikely trouble in the red-light district -- eliciting the ire of a tiny, violent madam, and is forced to explain tampons to soldiers in Kashmir -- "they're for ladies. Bleeding ladies" -- that, she admits, "might have looked like white cotton bullets lined up in their box." A self-admittedly bumbling vacationer, Halliday shares -- with razor-sharp wit and to hilarious effect -- the travel stories most are too self-conscious to tell. Includes line drawings, generously provided by the author.

Transport minister Hugh Driftwood is an unlikely candidate for Prime Minister, but in the accident-prone new Government anything is possible - and he does have a powerful ally in his stepmother, media tycoon Vanessa ... until Hugh is sucked into a political and sexual scandal of potentially disastrous proportions. The (literally) explosive climax of these convoluted events takes place at the glittering Brass Monkeys Awards Ceremony and results in promotion for Hugh, the downfall of arch-enemy Sloach and the probable arrest of a chimpanzee called Zoe.

With more than 7,000 definitions, this book provides a definitive guide to the use of slang today. It deals with drugs, sport and contemporary society, as well as favourite slang topics such as sex and bodily functions. In this convenient paperback edition of the highly acclaimed Dictionary of Contemporary Slang, language and culture expert Tony Thorne explores the ever-changing underworld of the English language, bringing back intriguing examples of eccentricity and irreverence from the linguistic front-line. "Thorne is a kind of slang detective, going down the streets where other lexicographers fear to tread." Daily Telegraph

From the social heights of Sydney Eastern suburbs, to the bikie dens of the west. From the harbour view penthouses to suburban bungalows Felix has seen it all and taken on all the challenges. Driven by a need for an adrenaline rush this modern day Cat Burglar will take on any obstacle to avoid the mundane life. Gold bull statuettes, diamonds, jewellery, art work and even stamps, nothing is off limits to Felix’s discerning eye and dextrous skills. Even cash is taken with glee if it happens to be there....but he only takes from those who can afford to be relieved of their ill-gotten excesses. Being shot and sewn up by a vet, pub brawls and stoushes with detective sergeants, eye to eye with Great Dane “guard” dogs and gays with guns, Felix takes it all in his stride. The darling of high society and the gay community Felix mixes comfortably in all levels of society. With his mates Hollywood, Bluey and Dasher the copper none of whom have a clue about his nefarious, nocturnal activities. Even his sweetheart Mickey hasn’t got a clue. Felix leads the ultimate double life. Climbing from balcony to balcony 22 stories above the ground, crawling through ceilings is all part of a days (nights) work. These activities will have you with sweaty palms as Stainless weaves his web of danger, intrigue and mystery from this testimony from a real professional.

Monkeys populate our culture, from the adorable hijinks of Curious George and the loyal friendship between Aladdin and Abu to the menacing gait of the winged ones in The Wizard of Oz. We visit them in zoos and even sometimes keep them as pets à la Catherine de Medici and Michael Jackson. As renowned zoologist Desmond Morris shows, it is not surprising that we are so attracted to them. While we sometimes view monkeys as trivial or comic, their mischievousness is delightful, and their urge to explore and love of activity fascinate us. Monkey unpacks human attitudes toward these animals, tracing our connection with them throughout history. Morris reveals that our fascination with monkeys extends through many cultures and eras—ancient Egyptians revered baboons, monkey deities featured prominently in ancient Chinese and Japanese religions, and sacred status was given to the langur monkey by some groups in India. He also describes how our relationship with monkeys has changed since Darwin, and even become more troubled—this in-depth knowledge of our own origins amplifies our identification with and concern for the idea of monkeys’ primitivism and destructive behaviors. Drawing a vibrant picture of these beguiling animals and their continued popularity with humans, Monkey brings a new understanding to our complicated relationship with the ever-curious George.