I have just received two copies of the Field Guide to the KOKODA Track, An Historical Guide to the Lost Battlefields by Bill James which includes a waterproof trek map sent to me by Bill James the author.

What a wonderful book! Weighing in at 550 grams it is the ideal companion to carry with you on the Kokoda Track.

During 2007, it is our intention to give all our trekkers a free copy of this book. For those not trekking with us, please consider purchasing this book as it will be a great asset to your trek.

Update 27th May 2007: This book has been handed out to all our trekkers who have walked with us this year along with heaps of others sent out in our information packs who are yet to trek. The feedback from those who have already walked, state this is an excellent book and I have not heard one complaint.

So WELL DONE Bill, your book has been appreciated by a whole lot of people not only our trekkers but I can only assume trekkers who walk with all different companies who have come across your book.

From Kokoda Trekking, A BIG THANK YOU. We have even handed these out to our local guides who have now started studying your book. It is a valuable tool for them in their thirst for knowledge about what happened in their backyard during WWII, our sincere thanks.

Details: Published by Kokoda Press Field Guide to the Kokoda Track:
An Historical Guide to the Lost Battlefields.
Inc. 3D battle maps & waterproof trek map. RRP: $34.95
ISBN: 10-digit 0977570401, 13-digit 9780977570409
Kokoda Press, PO Box 804, Lane Cove NSW 2066 Australia.
Distributed to bookstores in Australia by Tower Books www.towerbooks.com.au

If you trek with us, Kokoda Trekking you receive this book free of charge for having booked through us as our thank you for choosing KTL:

The story of KOKODA - the heroic defence of our nation against a powerful foreign invader - is finally gaining its rightful place at the forefront of Australians' consciousness. However, one can only begin to understand what really took place on that remote jungle pathway during WWII by actually trekking its razorback ridges and deep gullies, enduring the stifingly humid days and the bone-chilling nights. This is why thousands of Australians are now making the arduous pilgrimage over the Owen Stanley Range. 'History', according to a noted historian, 'is very much about a sense of place', and history is always close by on the Kokoda Track.

Whilst the KOKODA legend lay dormant for six decades, the rampant New Guinean jungle reclaimed many of its historic sites. But now, after years of painstaking research, and with aid of the fast-thinning ranks of both Australian and Japanese veterans, Bill James has finally uncovered these 'lost battlefields'. For those wishing to fully understand the history of the Kokoda Track, this book will be of great interest. For those intending to undertake the gruelling trek, it is essential reading.

"This is a wonderful book that is a must-take for anyone walking the Track. Written with the careful eye of an historian and coming from the heart of a passionate Kokoda trekker, it is, above all, a guide to the Australian Spirit".

PETER FITZSIMONS, Author, journalist, TV and Radio presenter.

"This guide is extremely well written, alwayts clear and well crafted, and at times sharply evocative. The research is broad and relevant and the analysis is concise and in accordance with the evidence. It is not just good writing, but a rich, comprehensive history and battlefield guide"

HANK NELSON, BA, MEd (Melb), PhD (UPNG), Emeritus Professor and Visiting Fellow, Australian National University.

The book is dedicated to Stanley Y. Bisset, MC, OAM, MID.

"The True, the noble and the brave do die in body but their spirit dwells forever in the habitations and hearts of those they loved and served", so reads our honour board. This book ensures their spirit will live on."

STAN BISSET, MC. OAM, Mentioned in Dispatches, Veteran 2/!4th Battalion.