This is an intriguing memoir by Paulie Stewart, a much-loved rock singer, newspaper journalist and social activist whose life story spans an unusually broad swathe of modern Australian life... Written when Paulie was facing the risk of an early death due to drug and alcohol-induced liver failure, the book helped him to realise the extent to which his whole life, including his often self-destructive behaviour, were shaped by the teenage trauma of losing his brother Tony, the 21-year-old HSV7 newsman who was one of the Balibo Five murdered by Indonesian forces in East Timor in 1975. A long-term campaigner for East Timorese independence, Paulie is convinced that a chance encounter with a Timorese nun as he lay in what could have been his deathbed at the Austin Hospital in 2007 played a role in his almost miraculous rescue the next day by a liver transplant. This 'bad boy' of Australian rock and roll has since then devoted himself to social activism and community work ranging from fund-raising for nuns who care for disabled children in Timor-Leste through to helping street kids and refugees get their own lives on track through new careers as musicians and performers. - Peter Wilson (former Australian Journalist of the Year)

The Hottest 100 is a national institution. For 30 years, triple j has held an annual countdown of its listeners' 100 favourite songs of the year, as voted by the public. It has evolved into the single most anticipated musical event of every year for millions of Australians. The Hottest 100 is so much more than music. It's beaches, barbeques, and bonfires. It's joy and despair, drama and debate, friendship and community. This book is a celebration of everything that makes the world's greatest musical democracy so damn iconic. Shoulda Been Higher is the definitive account of the Hottest 100 - a comedic chronicle and love letter. It's the complete picture from Augie March to Ziggy Alberts, 'Amazing' to 'Zombie'.

Having to deal with the loss of loved ones is something that unites us all. Yet we rarely even talk about it. Life After shares the raw, intimate and inspiring stories of how more than 60 ordinary and well-known Australians have recovered from heart-breaking loss and have rebounded to live fuller lives than they once thought possible. Full of optimism and spirit, this book features famous people who have lost loved ones, people whose loved ones were famous, the bereaved behind our biggest news stories and a gamut of experiences from every walk of life in Australia.

A single-volume source in which to find most of the many, many proper names used by crossword puzzle solvers.

Paul Ostler, a kid who doesn't feel very special, and his guardian Frank are moving again. This time they find themselves in a strange town on the shores of Sky Lake, where myths and legends are more than stories. They meet strange creatures, ancient spirits, and mystical healers who show them a reality beyond what they have seen. Exploring this magical world, Paul discovers secrets about his past and family that show him he is anything but normal. He learns that a hidden group has been hunting him and his family for years. He also discoveries that something is not right in Sky Lake, and must figure out how to fix it before it is too late. In his struggles, Paul discovers that it is the people he cares about and what he does for them that truly make him special.

How does popular music influence the culture and reputation of a city, and what does a city do to popular music? Interrogating Popular Music and the City examines the ways in which urban environments and music cultures intersect in various locales around the globe. Music and cities have been partners in an often clumsy, sometimes accidental but always exciting dance. Heritage and immigration, noise and art, policy and politics are some of the topics that are addressed in this critical examination of relationships between cities and music. The book draws upon an international array of researchers, encompassing hip hop in Beijing; the city favelas of Brazil; from Melbourne bars to European parliaments; to heritage and tourism debates in Salzburg and Manchester. In doing so, it interrogates the different agendas of audiences, musicians and policy-makers in distinct urban settings.

There is nothing better than a road trip—well, maybe if you are staying overnight for more than a night. Although it was our first real trip away from home for any length of time, it was going to be a road trip that would be remembered for the rest of our lives. We were going to be away for only half a fortnight. How would we cope with being away from home for that length of time? There were not going to be any wives, girlfriends, or even mummies to look after us. Would we survive, or could we even survive? I’m sure our livers would not have lasted much more than the seven days of heavy drinking that we did. This trip was going to be the start of the rest of our lives. It was going to be the ultimate road trip ... It was going to be eight guys looking to play a little golf, eight guys looking for a little love, and eight guys trying to figure out who was going to be able to drink the most. The thing is, I thought I had it all wrapped up before we had even left Canada. The eight of us who came to party were as follows: Theodore the farmer, who was supposed to be our designated driver for the week, but he became our designated drunk. We had Pudden, who was the only sensible one in the bunch. His brother-in-law Kevin also came. I think he came; well, they told me he came. My best friend, Stewart came; but all he wanted to do was fight me for all the girlies that we encountered. Johnny, my twin brother, who could do no wrong, also came. Of course, we had gullible Paulie, who acted like an eight-year-old all the time. Then, there was Buddy, who was easily tricked into doing just about anything that we wanted him to do. And then there was me; I’m pretty sure that all I did the whole trip was drink and listen to some loud rock and roll music. As you come across each little incident, you will likely figure out that it was not all about me. It’s just that I had to write it that way to protect all the guilty participants.