{"title":"Charles Happell","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCharles Happell\u003c\/strong\u003e crafts compelling narratives grounded in real lives, blending vivid storytelling with meticulous research. His works invite readers into remarkable experiences, illuminating personal and historical moments with clarity and depth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrimarily situated within \u003cem\u003eBiography \u0026amp; Memoir\u003c\/em\u003e, Happell’s books offer an insightful look at individuals who have shaped history in ways both profound and unexpected. Expect narratives that are as engaging as they are enlightening.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-bone-man-of-kokoda-by-charles-happell-9780330424844","title":"The Bone Man of Kokoda","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKokichi Nishimura was a member of the 144th Regiment of the Japanese Imperial Army. In 1942, he fought along every foot of Kokoda as the Japanese attempted to take Port Moresby. He was the only man from his company to survive the campaign. As he was evacuated to safety, he made a promise that one day he would return to his comrades and bring them home to Japan for proper burial.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the war, Nishimura prospered. But in 1979, he shocked his family by returning to New Guinea to search for the remains of Japanese soldiers. For the next 25 years, Nishimura lived alone along the Kokoda Track. Armed only with a metal detector, a mattock and a shovel, he searched for his dead comrades, and over the years he found hundreds of them—some he was able to identify and return their bones to their families; others were unknown, and their remains were sent to Japan's official shrine for its war dead in Tokyo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2005, Nishimura, now in his mid-eighties and seriously ill, was forced to return to Japan. His story is an incredible adventure that gives us a radically different viewpoint on a battle that has become part of Australia's national myth. Nishimura's life and quest above all offer a poignant reminder of the futility of war.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Bone Man of Kokoda\u003c\/em\u003e by Charles Happell captures this moving and unique tale of dedication and remembrance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Macmillan Publishers New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48244526711020,"sku":"9780330424844","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780330424844-the-bone-man-of-kokoda-1.jpg?v=1787999168"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/charles-happell.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}