This is a bumper collection of all 33 short stories from the books Mango and Sticky Rice, Mist on the Jungle and Sweet Song of the Siren. Stretching to a massive 536 pages, this book is the ideal gift for short story fans, particularly those who look for something a little different from their reading matter. In this bumper omnibus you will find, among many other characters: a photographer hired to witness a murder, a colour-blind sperm donor, a ghost who misses his friends, a Canadian who pretends he's from Latvia, a woman sure her children's will be the last human generation, a lascivious businessman who prefers lady-boys to ladies, a depressed captain who threatens to sink his own ferry, a woman who eats more than food, a Thai widow finding her late husband's roots in Crete, a murderer who sees himself carved in stone, a writer whose dead wife returns to him through time, a robot community waiting for their saviour, a man who falls in love with his own penis, a woman dying slowly of dementia and a troupe of wise-cracking monkeys. Humour and melancholy, comfort and suspense, this collection possesses all of these qualities, sometimes within the same story. Most are set in Thailand and provide insights into the lives of the varied populations of that exotic land; others could have happened anywhere. But what marks them out is the diversity of the storylines, the quality of the writing, and engagement with interesting characters who have something to say.

In his third collection of short stories, Thailand-based author William Peskett introduces us to a murderer who sees himself carved in stone, a writer whose dead wife returns to him through time, a robot community waiting for their saviour, a man who falls in love with part of his own body, a woman dying slowly of dementia and a troupe of wise-cracking monkeys. Humour and melancholy, comfort and suspense, this collection possesses all of these qualities, sometimes within the same story. Most are set in Thailand and provide insights into the lives of the varied populations of that exotic land; others could have happened anywhere. But what marks them out is the diversity of the storylines, the quality of the writing, and engagement with interesting characters who have something to say.

Limericks are those rhymes that go 'There was a young man from de-dum, Who dum-ditty-dum-ditty-dum'. A form of poetry more commonly used to describe old men with owls nesting in their beards, or perhaps ladies from Ealing who can do remarkable things on the ceiling, than the everyday lives of Pattaya bar girls. Maybe it was a combination just waiting to happen. Wait no longer. Go-Go Girls is a charming collection of Limericks devoted to the unsung heroines of Pattaya night-life, the young women who gyrate around the chrome poles and entertain customers at their little tables and, possibly, later in their hotel rooms. Go-go girls are the consummate night-time professionals; their skills are to tempt you into buying them a drink, cause you to fall ever-so-slightly in love with them and then lighten your wallet as painlessly as possible. Often the relationship between a go-go girl and her customer will last for years. Long after the smitten dope has returned to his own country he may find himself topping up her bank account, on the promise that she has left her job in the bar and is chastely awaiting his return. It could even be true. Amazingly, some of these clever little verses get close to providing the answer.

A lascivious businessman who prefers ladyboys to ladies, a depressed sea captain who threatens to sink his own ferry, a woman who eats more than food, and a Thai widow finding her late husband's roots in Crete-these are just some of the engaging characters who appear in this original collection of short stories. Often amusing, sometimes comical and occasionally sad, these tales are always touching. William Peskett writes with a light touch and brings a sensitive and sympathetic eye to bear on a wide variety of characters and an unusual mixture of relationships. Most of the stories in the collection are set in Thailand or have a Thai connection and have much to reveal about how life is lived by locals and by foreigners resident in this fascinating part of the world. This collection is the companion to the popular Mango and Sticky Rice And Other Stories.

A photographer hired to witness a murder, a colour-blind sperm donor, a ghost who misses his friends, a Canadian who pretends he's from Latvia, and a woman sure her children's will be the last human generation-these are just some of the fascinating characters with leading roles in this poignant collection of short stories. Often amusing, sometimes comical and occasionally sad, these tales are always touching. William Peskett writes with a light touch and brings a sensitive and sympathetic eye to bear on a wide variety of characters and an unusual mixture of relationships. Most of the stories in the collection are set in Thailand or have a Thai connection and have much to reveal about how life is lived by locals and by foreigners resident in this fascinating part of the world. If you enjoy this book, be sure also to try the companion collection, Mist on the Jungle and Other Stories.

This is a selection of the best of William Peskett's poetry, most chosen from his two collections of poems with the addition of a number of newer works. Most of the poems date from the 1960s and 1970s, when Peskett was part of a vigorous poetic movement that emerged from politically troubled Northern Ireland. Although few of the poets working in the Province at that time took politics as a major theme, Peskett's work in particular maintains a distance from the Troubles, dealing more commonly with the natural world and our interactions with it, especially through science. Other trained scientists have written poems, but few have gone so far as Peskett in examining the possibilities (and dangers) of scientific method or, as it were, turned the microscope the other way round to bring a scientific eye to bear on human relationships and emotions. Others have described Peskett as 'neat and audacious, light and witty', combining 'a penetrating intellect with a sensitive and sensuous insight'. As if to underline the uniqueness of his voice, one reviewer remarked, 'Peskett is not afraid, as so many poets these days seem to be, to be caught alone with an idea.' Selected Poems presents young readers with a chance to acquaint themselves with the best of Peskett's work. For those already familiar with them, the new ordering of the poems, prepared by the poet himself, often extracts new meaning from well-known lines.

In Sixties Belfast, civil unrest is in the air. Patrick Glennie, whose mother disappeared mysteriously when he was young, is on a quest. Partly, it's to find himself, to discover his identity as an adult, and in this he is guided through the terrors of growing up by his friend, the confident Robert Delgano. All Patrick can offer in return is his knowledge of nature, which suggests an alternative way to live. When they meet again, Robert is in trouble. Patrick fears being pulled into the sordid drug-world inhabited by his friend, only to find that he is already involved and that their youthful friendship was not at all as it seemed. His debt to Robert takes Patrick back to Ireland and then to Spain, where he risks losing everything-even his wife and unborn child. Which life are we truly fitted to lead, the one governed by civilised conventions or a former, more natural one where the game is played by more ruthless rules?

Darry Ash is in antiques, but in a small way. He lives in the suburbs with his wife and daughter. He dreams of escaping from his humdrum life by becoming a successful, published poet, but the rejection slips mount up. Against character, he begins a passionate and dangerous affair with his assistant, Janie, which causes Darry's life to nose-dive into chaos. His business is in debt, Janie-vivacious, depressive and determined to wrest Darry away from his family-is a lot more trouble than he thought, and he gets no sympathy from his old friend George, who has troubles of his own. Diving for sunken treasure in Thailand with his old business partner Tom seems the obvious solution. Somehow he will find in the depths of the sea a place to hide from everything that's gone wrong with his life. But on the dive Darry finds his problems have only just begun. Following a mysterious murder, he is forced to reassess his relationships and endure unimaginable horrors in unravelling the truth behind the crime.

Go-go bars as a cultural asset, dentists, chicken's feet, soapy massage, trousers, being struck by lightning, tattoos, luck, breast enhancements, beards and being a foreigner - these are just some of the aspects of living in Pattaya, Thailand's most exciting city, that come within range of Kuhn Pobaan's seeing eye in this lively and revealing book. Originally published as The View from the Hill in the leading fortnightly Pattaya Today, each chapter takes a light-hearted but incisive look at the quirky side of living in a city that is unusual even by Thai standards. Firmly in the foreground of this idyllic setting is Mrs Pobaan, the author's long-suffering wife whose innocence provides the perfect balance for her husband's merciless wit. For those who want to know what it's really like living in paradise, or for those fellow residents who want to compare notes with another foreigner filled with wonderment, joy and occasional confusion, If you can't stand the fun, stay out of the go-go is the perfect Pattaya primer.