Michael Lawriwsky's insightful Hard Jacka breathes life into the real man behind the legend of Albert Jacka, VC– 'Jacka' to his superiors, 'Bert' to his mates, 'our Albert' to his proud mother. Hard Jacka is a superb account of the man whose acts of selfless heroism at Gallipoli would win him a VC, whose insubordination antagonised his seniors and whose bravery in the battlefields of France would win him the unswerving loyalty of his mates. Hard Jacka is a rich and fascinating story about Albert Jacka and the Great War, its heroes and anti–heroes, their sacrifice, determination and larrikin humour. It's a compelling tale about the deep bonds that life in the trenches developed between men– the quintessential Aussie mateship.

The remarkable life story of Albert Jacka - a true Australian war hero - the first Australian to be awarded a VC at Gallipoli who later became prominent in local government in Victoria.

Romance novels have attracted considerable attention since their mass market debut in 1939, yet seldom has the industry itself been analyzed. Founded in 1949, Harlequin quickly gained market domination with their contemporary romances. Other publishers countered with historical romances, leading to the rise of "bodice-ripper" romances in the 1970s. The liberation of the romance novel's content during the 1980s brought a vitality to the market that was dubbed a revolution, but the real romance revolution began in the 1990s with developments in the mainstream publishing industry and continues today. This book traces the history and evolution of the romance industry, covering successful (and not so successful) trends and describing changes in romance publishing that paved the way for the many popular subgenres flooding the market in the 21st century.

A biography of Martin O'Meara, Australia's only Irish-born Victoria Cross recipient of the First World War. Originally from County Tipperary, O'Meara served with the Australian Imperial Force in Egypt and on the Western Front between 1916 and 1918. His Victoria Cross was awarded for bravery near Mouquet Farm in August 1916. He suffered a serious mental breakdown shortly after returning to Australia in November 1918 and spent the rest of his life in mental hospitals in Perth. He died in 1935.

Enter a “gorgeously realized world”* and meet a mage destined for greatness in the first novel in the national bestselling Alex Verus series. Alex is part of a world hidden in plain sight, running a magic shop in London that caters to clientele who can do much more than pull rabbits out of hats. And while Alex’s own powers aren’t as showy as some mages, he does have the advantage of foreseeing the possible future—allowing him to pull off operations that have a million to one chance of success. But when Alex is approached by multiple factions seeking his skills to crack open a relic from a long-ago mage war, he knows that whatever’s inside must be beyond powerful. And thanks to his abilities, Alex can predict that by taking the job, his odds of survival are about to go from slim to none....

In The Purpose of Futility, Clare Rhoden surveys Australian Great War narratives, demonstrating their particularly Australian features which help to explain the unique and disputed position of the Great War in Australian history.--Provided by publisher

Harry Freame was the first Australian to win the Distinguished Conduct Medal at Gallipoli. Raised as a samurai, he risked his life again and again to scout the beaches and hills of the battlefield, reporting invaluable intelligence back to his officers and relieving stranded soldiers who otherwise would surely have died. Some say he should have got the VC but didn't because he was half-Japanese, a fact he tried hard to conceal. After the war, Harry (real name Henry Wykeham Koba Freame) became a soldier settler and champion apple grower. But when Japan emerged as a perceived threat to Australia, Harry was recruited into Australian intelligence to spy on the Japanese community in Sydney. Before Japan's entry into World War II, Australia opened a diplomatic legation in Tokyo, and Harry was sent as a translator - but his real role was a spy. Extraordinarily, his cover was leaked by the Australian press, and the Japanese secret police tried to assassinate him not long after his arrival in Tokyo in 1941. Harry died back in Australia a few weeks later, but his sacrifice has never been acknowledged by Australia. Until now. Featuring never-before-seen material, The Bravest Scout at Gallipoli is a fascinating and immersive investigation into a grievous historical wrong.

The village she’s desperate to leave keeps giving her reasons to stay. Laura has one last job to carry out as the wife of Bill Jennings – to return his body to his childhood home of Kilgarthen. She is determined not to stay long: despite being Kilgarthen’s golden boy Bill was actually a devious trickster who only married Laura to take over her father’s construction business upon his death. As she prepares to leave the town, Laura is given the devastating news that Bill had squandered everything, and the only money Laura has left is tied up in his cottage in Kilgarthen. Forced to stay in the village, Laura is soon drawn into the lives of the locals and five-year-old Vicki Jeffries captures her heart. But Vicki’s father wants Laura as far away from his daughter as possible, and Laura is determined to find out why. A charming saga of Cornish village life from the author of the Pengarron series, perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Anna Jacobs.

Alex Verus must keep his friends close—and his enemies closer—in the epic conclusion to the bestselling urban fantasy series about a London-based mage. Mage Alex Verus has gone from a Camden shopkeeper to one of the most powerful mages in Britain. Now his last and most dangerous battle lies before him. His lover, the life mage Anne, has fallen fully under the control of the deadly creature she made a bargain with, and it is preparing to create an army of mages subject to its every whim. Alex, the Council, and the Dark mage Richard Drakh agree to call a truce in their war, and plans are made for a joint attack. But Alex knows that it's only a matter of time before Drakh and the Council turn on each other . . . and neither cares about keeping Anne alive. Can Alex figure out a way to stop Anne and to free her from possession before time runs out?