Penguin Books Australia

Learning Chinese idioms have never been easier!

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'It's dog eat dog in this rat race.'
'We'll burn that bridge when we come to it.'
'I hope to come first or second, or at least win it.'

The information superhighway brings more text to our door than ever before.  It's just that most of it gets mangled along the way.

Twenty years ago, Harold Scruby's Manglish became an instant bestseller.  This version expands on the consummate mangles of...

We live in a torrent of words - from radio and television, books and newspapers, and now from the internet. But, as Julian Burnside reminds us in this new edition of the best-selling Wordwatching , words are a source both of pleasure and power, and can be deployed for good or for ill.

Do you know what a Vic-wit is? Have you ever had a nibble pie? Now in it's third edition, The Dinkum Dictionary , is even better than ever. This fascinating book describes the origins and usage of words ranging from 'mulga' to 'anzac', from 'furphy' to 'blue', and this edition includes even more words and terms.

Butler reveals little-known facts about our ways of communicating with each other. She...

Why does language move some of us to anxiety or even rage?

For centuries, sticklers have donned the cloak of authority to control how people use words. In this sensational new book, Robert Lane Greene strikes back to defend the fascinating, real-life diversity of this most basic human faculty. Along the way, he corrects Bill Bryson's 'facts' about words, challenges the rhetoric of Lynne Truss's bestselling...

People speak different languages , and always have. The Ancient Greeks took no notice of anything unless it was said in Greek; the Romans made everyone speak Latin; and in India, people learned their neighbours' languages - as did many ordinary Europeans in times past (Christopher Columbus knew Italian, Portuguese and Castilian Spanish as well as the classical languages). But today, we all use translation...

'SWEEPINGLY LEARNED AND ENGAGINGLY GARRULOUS . . .
Sunday Times

'A MUCH-NEEDED CHALLENGE TO CONVENTIONAL WISDOM'
Guardian

All-new audio CD lets you listen to native speakers, practice common words and phrases, and improve your pronunciation.

Master the basics of Japanese!

If you're faced with learning Japanese, whether for business or pleasure, you might doubt your ability to learn a language that's, well, so foreign.  The alphabet, structure, and pronunciation of Japanese all make you wonder if hiring a translator...

Every reader has a story inside them. - Laura Oliver has been teaching aspiring writers how to plumb emotional contradictions for insight for more than a decade in workshops and university classes. Now she has written the book her students have been asking her for, a book that aspiring writers of every genre can use to guide, coach, and encourage them on their journey.

Make your story come alive.

Writing a memoir might seem easy because you already know the story-after all, it's your own.  But write a fascinating account of your life, you not only have to tell your tale compellingly, you also have to master plot, character, dialogue, theme, and the other essential elements of great writing.

Packed with prompts, exercises, and inspirational examples to help you...

A screenplay is just a mystery waiting to be solved.

Inside information from publishing professionals.

The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to Book Proposals & Query Letters will help writers catch the attention of literary agents with step-by- step instructions on crafting effective queries and proposals for both fiction and non-fiction books that will put them on the road to publication.

You know that signs, planets, and houses have special meanings in astrology-but when you look at your chart, all the symbols and relationships you find there can be overwhelming.  What does it all mean?

The next best thing to having a personal astrologer, The Complete Idiot's Guide® Astrology Dictionary demystifies the art and science of astrology, giving you the knowledge you need to find...

Writers and illustrators alike will find in this Complete Idiot's Guide® the best overall introduction to the world of graphic novels.

Learn the basics of the Russian language without getting discouraged. This friendly, fun, and practical approach offers first-time learners and re-learners of Russian the basics of grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and conversation.

For years, new authors have depended on the wise inside advice and tricks from Sheree Bykofsky, successful New York literary...