The true story of how one man managed to lose 3.1 stone using the power of chilli peppers and his white toilet. A funny, witty and short but truly entertaining read.

A masterful writing style that is not only unique in biology but without equal in the whole of Dutch literature. The Story of Shit shows Dekkers once again to be in possession of a golden pen.’ New Scientist We are very discreet. We disappear into a small room, perform the task, flush, wash and reappear as if nothing happened. Of course, hygiene is necessary—some faecal bacteria, if re-ingested, can cause very serious problems—and unpleasant aromas are best kept at bay. But in all this hygienic discretion have we lost touch with an integral part of ourselves—something as much a part of living as breathing, eating and sleeping? Something enriching, creative and even enjoyable. In The Story of Shit, Dutch biologist Midas Dekkers presents a personal, cultural, scientific, historical and environmental account of shit, from the digestive process and the fascinating workings of the gut, to the act of defecation and toilet etiquette. With irreverent humour and a compelling narrative style, Dekkers brings a refreshing, entertaining and illuminating perspective to a once-taboo subject. Midas Dekkers is a bestselling Dutch writer and biologist. His books include Physical Exercise, The Way of All Flesh, Dearest Pet and The Larva. Nancy Forest-Flier is a Dutch-to-English translator. She was educated in the USA and now lives in the Netherlands. ‘Dekkers is a reservoir of knowledge (and shit). Fans of his humorous, distinctly European and meandering style of prose will enjoy The Story of Shit, which includes a collection of delightful black-and-white illustrations.’ Australian ‘For those who aren’t aware: we are not our brain, we are our gut. There is always that unmistakable Midas touch: his brilliant, sharp style makes it hard to suppress a laugh or a smile.’ Medisch Contact ‘Dekkers doesn’t hold back in his brimming history...You learn a lot...So, do I recommend a book that tells how the CIA tried using transmitters disguised as tiger turds to eavesdrop on the Viet Cong? Oh...faeces, yes.’ New Zealand Listener ‘It is such a wondrous thing when a scientist can explain facts in a humorous, straightforward and thrilling fashion.’ Toowoomba Chronicle ‘[A] remarkable foray into every aspect of diet, digestion and defecation...This is a fascinating, milestone work that should run out of bookshops like shit off a hot shovel.’ GPSpeak ‘A funny but earnest investigation—part social history, biology lesson and cultural study—that takes Chaucerian delight in the subject.’ Sydney Morning Herald ‘The Story of Shit is entertaining, amusing, educational and revealing...Sitting on the toilet will never be the same’ ArtsHub ‘A fascinating, very funny look at something common to us all.’ Daily Telegraph ‘[An] utterly unique, bizarre and interesting take on this universal-yet-taboo topic...Dekkers is an enthusiastic proponent of crap.’ AU Review ‘Intestinal fortitude required. Prudes beware.’ North & South ‘Packed with humour..The Story of Shit is an enjoyable romp through culture, science, and history.’ Australian Book Review

Rev. Earl's luxury spa, Sylphania, is the rage for those with severe eating disorders until Jeremy Devlin enters and discovers the dark secrets at the core of Earl's empire.

Drink Your Carbs: a low-carb diet for people who don’t want to give up drinking alcohol. • Over 270 pages of science-based reporting; • A complete list of foods to be eaten, limited and avoided; • Practical advice for making exercise a part of your daily life; • Recipes and cocktails; • Recommendations for low-carb travel; • A researched response to question, “How much can I healthfully drink?” • The first Blooper Reel ever included in a printed work. There is no magic. There are no pills to take nor proprietary shakes to blend. There is no need to embarrass yourself at weekly weigh-ins or purchase Drink Your Carbs-branded frozen dinners. The Drink Your Carbs concept is simple: the calories in alcohol can be offset through a combination of exercise and exchanging high-calorie, low-nutrition foods such as added sugars and simple carbohydrates for quality meats, fresh fruit and vegetables. Losing weight while continuing to drink alcohol is as easy as pie—as long as you accept the fact that you can no longer eat pie.

Not your typical boring diet book, this is a tart-tongued, no-holds-barred wakeup call to all women who want to be thin. With such blunt advice as, "Soda is liquid Satan" and "You are a total moron if you think the Atkins Diet will make you thin," it's a rallying cry for all savvy women to start eating healthy and looking radiant. Unlike standard diet books, it actually makes the reader laugh out loud with its truthful, smart-mouthed revelations. Behind all the attitude, however, there's solid guidance.Skinny Bitchespouses a healthful lifestyle that promotes whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and encourages women to get excited about feeling "clean and pure and energized."

“Peters takes readers on her own personal journey from trauma to reconnecting with her body, emotions, and eventually her own desire and sexuality.” —Xanet Pailet, bestselling author of Living an Orgasmic Life We know, increasingly, how common and devastating sexual violence is for women, but we don’t always talk about how survivors can recover from the trauma and return to desire, sexuality, trust, and pleasure. Want is the story of how Julie Peters did just that—and how you can, too. In the years after the assault, Julie was in what she calls the fog of trauma: the colorless, tasteless experience of barely getting through the day. No one—not counsellors, support groups, or other survivors—could give her any advice about how to find the desire that could bring her back to joy, intimacy, and connection. She had to make it up on her own. In Want, Julie tells the story of getting from the devastation of trauma to living a full life in eight sometimes challenging, often bumbling, and occasionally delightful steps. Your loved ones may not know how to support you, but they can learn more about your experiences and how to walk alongside you through this book, just as you can learn how to recover from the trauma you’ve experienced. Want offers a window into one person’s experience of recovery—plus the happy ending we all need to know is possible after trauma. “With unwavering honesty, penetrating insight, warmth, humor, and aplomb, she lays out strategies for a tangible, nourishing, and vitally ferocious self-love.” —Jeremy Radin, poet, author of Dear Sal

The bestselling, hilarious memoir from one of Australia’s most adored performers and host of breakfast radio on Sydney’s 2DayFM with Harley Breen Funny, feisty and fabulous, Em Rusciano’s insights into her world of mayhem, marriage and motherhood are a laugh-out-loud, cry-out-loud balm for the soul. From her exploits at the Miss Sheila Fancypants School of Dance and her efforts to secure a solo at her end-of-year performance, to embracing the spotlight as an Australian Idol contestant and her deep and abiding love for John Farnham, Em Rusciano is a self-confessed bottomless pit of anxiety with a taste for glitter. And behind the stage make-up Em is an overachiever of epic proportions, camp to the core and fiercely maternal. She has all the insecurities of a person who spends their nights racked with self-doubt and all the confidence of a woman who can walk out onto a stage in front of a sold-out theatre and absolutely slay the crowd. Em has an army of gay men she adores, tells the best dirty jokes and loves those closest to her ferociously. When the chips are down you definitely want her by your side. This all-singing, all-dancing, all-emoting, leopard-print clad warrior is fearless, fabulous and pants-wettingly funny. Her words on the page are silly and sacred, bawdy and heartfelt. The stuff of life. Try Hard is her story. Because she is. And she does.