When Australia entered World War I, volunteers swarmed to enlistment centres in their thousands. But among the recruits were criminals with extensive police records. Some had assumed false names to start lives afresh; others made no secret of their criminal histories. They were hardened criminals, fresh out of jail or on the run from the law, or fleeing family responsibilities or debts. Once in uniform, some became persistent deserters, fleeing the training depots before embarkation. Those who did make it overseas spent much of the time going AWL to avoid being sent to the front. There were some who showed great courage and endeavour while under fire, and were awarded medals and citations. In most cases, however, the encouragement failed to distract them from their misbehaviour. Others used their military training to expand their unlawful enterprises overseas, joining gangs of like-minded desperate diggers. And then there were those who saw the war as a chance to hone their skills for use in the criminal underworld on their return. They were Australia's khaki crims and desperadoes.

When Australia entered World War I, volunteers swarmed to enlistment centres in their thousands.Among the recruits, however, were criminals with extensive police records - hardened men, fresh out of jail or on the run from the law, or fleeing family responsibilities or debts. Once in uniform, some became persistent deserters to avoid being sent to the front. Others showed great courage under fire, and were awarded medals.But, for many of these criminals, the war was a chance to hone their skills for use in the criminal underworld on their return. Their military training was a backdrop, a chance to expand their unlawful enterprises overseas. This is the story of those khaki crims and desperadoes.

Gangsters & Whores is a romp through some of the more colourful characters of Australian history. G.S. Willmott tells their stories with his trademark mix of dramatisation and fact, embellishing them with the dialogue and vintage photos, facts, figures and a sly sense of humour. This is not Ned Kelly country - this is the stamping ground of notorious madam Tilly Devine, her violent husband Big Jim, her rival Kate Leigh and Squizzy Taylor. Around them racket the gangs of the 1920s and '30s, shooting, slashing, swearing, stealing and terrorising the locals. Feuds and vendettas, blood and sly grog - it's all here. Who got murdered in his bed during a bout of flu? Who went AWOL so often he was more out of the war than in it? Who stole a shop-load of clothing for his girlfriend? Don't know? Find out, in Gangsters & Whores. From the turbulent times in Australia, the story moves to the US and then to Britain, piling more facts, figures and local colour onto the foundation. More fun than a run through the gauntlet but similarly buffeting... Gangsters & Whores is an unforgettable visit to the days of yore (and a quick glimpse into the equally lively resent as the author brings us up to date.) - Sally Odgers, Editor

The lives of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow started in Texas, but their stories have become legend across the country. They, along with a band of other ne'er-do-wells from other Texas towns, grew to national infamy during the Great Depression. West Dallas's Ralph Fults smuggled hacksaw blades into jail to break out Raymond Hamilton. In Galveston, the Downtown Gang, Beach Gang, Maceo brothers and others hustled and smuggled liquor for their speakeasy casinos. In 1940, bank robber and Texas Public Enemy Number One Red Goleman led authorities on a wild chase through Texas's Big Thicket. But behind the headlines lived real people and a Texas legacy. Author Bartee Haile weaves the stories of the well-known Barrow Gang, along with other notorious criminals of the day, together with their Texas roots..

"A chronicle of sad loss." Sydney Morning Herald "eloquent... heartbreaking... a sterling tribute. The stuff of legends." Nick Richardson, Herald Sun FAIR DINKUM (def.): honesty, guts, directness, fortitude, courage, truth. You had to be fair dinkum to enlist after the hell of Gallipoli hit home. A new breed of warrior and patriot stepped up as Anzac's second wave. Among them were 152 men of the 7th Battalion - fruit pickers and farmers, bootmakers and blacksmiths, miners and mailmen. They fought under the colours of 'mud and blood' in the searing sands of Egypt, on Gallipoli's fatal shore, across killing fields in France and beyond. Born in the right place at the wrong time, the bravery and ingenuity of these young Australian men forged a legendary band of brothers: 'The Fair Dinkums'.

First published in 1933, "The Shape of Things to Come" is science fiction novel written by H. G. Wells. Within it, world events between 1933 and 2106 are speculated with a single superstate representing the solution to all humanity's problems. A classic example of Wellsian prophesy, this volume is highly recommended for fans of his work and of the science fiction genre. Herbert George Wells (1866 - 1946) was a prolific English writer who wrote in a variety of genres, including the novel, politics, history, and social commentary. Today, he is perhaps best remembered for his contributions to the science fiction genre thanks to such novels as "The Time Machine" (1895), "The Invisible Man" (1897), and "The War of the Worlds" (1898). Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this book now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.

In this chilling science fiction novel by H.G. Wells, rich and powerful men wage the ultimate war "to end all wars". Published in 1914, The World Set Free was ahead of its time, telling the story of how newly-acquired nuclear weapons led to warfare between nations. In the book, Wells explores how social and moral dilemmas can result in self-destruction and chaos before eventually leading to solutions that create a unique utopia. Even today, this classic novel speaks to the challenges society faces due to the rise of science and technology. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Arcturus Classics series brings together high-quality paperback editions of classics works, presented with contemporary graphic cover designs. Together they make a wonderful collection which is perfect for any home library.

Savage Season is the basis for the first season of the Sundance TV series Hap and Leonard A rip-roaring, high-octane, Texas-sized thriller, featuring two friends, one vixen, a crew of washed-up radicals, loads of money, and bloody mayhem. Hap Collins and Leonard Pine are best friends, yet they couldn't be more different. Hap is an east Texas white-boy with a weakness for Texas women. Leonard is a gay, black Vietnam vet. Together, they steer up more commotion than a fire storm. But that's just the way they like it. So when an ex-flame of Hap's returns promising a huge score. Hap lets Leonard in on the scam, and that's when things get interesting. Chockfull of action and laughs, Savage Season is the masterpiece of dark suspense that introduced Hap and Leonard to the thriller scene. It hasn't been the same since.

Few names in Australian criminal history are as redolent as the Painters and Dockers. They were a union gone to the bad. From their outset in the early years of the 20th Century, they attracted more than their fair share of shady waterfront characters, and by the 1960s, '70s and '80s they had become a fully fledged criminal fraternity of some of the most violent and dangerous men in Australia. Standover, smuggling, gambling, prostitution and drugs were the daily trade of the Painters and Dockers, whilst arguments and old scores were more often than not settled with the lethal blast of a sawn-off shotgun. From famous criminals of the past such as Squizzy Tailor, through the recent gangland wars in Melbourne, the story of the Painters and Dockers touches almost every part of our violent and bloody underworld history. Their members and associates are a rollcall of some of Australia's most brutal and violent offenders: Brian and Les Kane, Ray Bennett, Billy Longley and the Moran family among many others. Written by James Morton, author of the bestselling Gangland Australia (MUP 2008) and Russell Robinson, Shotgun and Standover brilliantly tells the story of the Painters and Dockers in a definitive work of true crime.

South America is the setting for this adventure from the author of 'The Thirty-nine Steps'. When Archie and Janet Roylance decide to travel to the Gran Seco to see its copper mines they find themselves caught up in dreadful danger; rebels have seized the city. Janet is taken hostage in the middle of the night and it is up to the dashing Don Luis de Marzaniga to aid her rescue.