Bibliograph

Walking with ghosts in Papua New Guinea, crossing the Kokoda Trail in the last wild place on Earth, Rick Antonson

Type

Label

Walking with ghosts in Papua New Guinea, crossing the Kokoda Trail in the last wild place on Earth, Rick Antonson

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (pages 243-246) and index

resource.biographical

contains biographical information

Illustrations

portraitsillustrationsmaps

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Walking with ghosts in Papua New Guinea

Nature of contents

bibliography

Responsibility statement

Rick Antonson

Sub title

crossing the Kokoda Trail in the last wild place on Earth

Summary

Rick Antonson didn't think twice when one day a chance Australian acquaintance invited him for a "walk across the country" of Papua New Guinea. The "walk" turned out to be a grueling trek on the notorious Kokoda Trail - a narrow, 60-mile footpath featuring rough jungle, 6,000 feet in elevation change, and punishing weather extremes. The Kokoda Trail featured some of the fiercest fighting of World War II among the Australian, Japanese, and American armies. The stark history unfolds with each conquered mile, as Antonson's astute asides bring out real names and people from the faceless fog of history. Antonson sets out to understand the magnetism of Papua New Guinea, a place both misunderstood and lionised by the likes of Amelia Earhart, Errol Flynn, and Michael Rockefeller, whose cameos add vibrant colours to his journey. Antonson struggles with his own demons summoned by the unforgiving trail: travelling with a mostly Australian group, he catches himself sympathising with the Australian war casualties over the Japanese ones, despite being intellectually aware of the impartial horrors of war

Target audience

adult

Creator