A series of books designed to insult people in a foreign language, make a fool of yourself, or incite chaos. They come in several languages, including Spanish, German, and French.
Although it would seem that such a book would be designed only for laughs, it is actually quite useful. The German edition, for example, explains various forms of wursts in great detail. Just don't put too much trust in the history section:
C. 11,000 B.C.
Herman of Villendorf drinks twelve steins of lager in 1.79 seconds, breaking the world record. His subsequent belch also sets a record, killing 28.
The rest of the sections (like the "Mid-Morning Express," in the German edition as well) have many valuable gems as well, such as:
- Relax, there is no need to insult/shove/pummel anyone.
Beruhigen Sie sich, sie brauchen keinen zu beleidigen/zu stoßen/mit Fäusten zu schlagen.
- In fact, I would be willing to give you my seat.
Ich bin in der Tat bereit, Ihnen meinen Platz zu überlassen.
- But your butt is so big you would need two.
Aber Ihr Hintern is so groß, daß Sie zwei brauchen.
- You belong in the baggage car.
Sie gehören in den Gepäckwagen.
All of the books are interesting, and are all quite unique. The Spanish one has an entire chapter devoted to arguing with a taxi driver, for example. The books are small (about 3 x 5 inches), inexpensive (about five American dollars), and although they are somewhat insulting to the culture they represent, the contents would most likely be only PG rated (if it was a movie. Okay, bad analogy). They also help one learn the language, as they are accurate and contain pronounciations. All in all, an enjoyable read.