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Books to consider as Christmas gifts

Australia's Battlefields in Viet Nam - A Traveller's Guide

By Gary McKay. Allen & Unwin. 218pp. $24.95.

Reviewer :: Cpl Troy Hutchinson

In 2002 Gary McKay returned to the battlefields of Vietnam where he served as a platoon commander in 1971.

In this book he has combined his extensive research of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War with practical hints and tips for travellers. He chronicles Australia's major battles and intermingles quotes from the men who fought in these conflicts as he passes on his knowledge of where and how to get to these sites.

The book doesn't cover every contact of Australia's longest running war (1965-72), but covers many areas that diggers would have served in, near or around.

The guide is recommended not only for travellers to Vietnam, but also for those who want an accurate account of the major Australian engagements.

Horseman, Pass By

By Lindsay Baly. Kangaroo Press. 337pp $29.95.

Reviewer :: Cpl Troy Hutchinson

Australia's mounted troops in WW1 earned the admiration of the world.

They fought with determination and performed spectacular deeds, including the famed charge at Beersheba.

Horseman, Pass By follows the main campaign of the light horse as well as the fortunes of three individuals, including the author's father, a decorated sergeant, through their letters, memoirs and tales passed from father to son.

Filled with facts and accounts from men on the ground, this is a must-read for those inspired by true mateship and courage.

From Gallipoli to Gaza - The Desert Poets of World War I

By Jill Hamilton. Simon & Schuster. 172pp. $29.95.

Reviewer :: Cpl Alisha Welch

Jill Hamilton has successfully brought together a selection of moving poems and incorporated them with factual history to produce a memorable book.

The poems were written by soldiers who experienced battle, giving readers emotive insight into their thoughts and feelings.

Poetry may have been a way in which to temporarily escape the horrors, though most of the poems featured in this book capture the fighting and its aftermath, so one could argue that describing events in poetic form helped many soldiers deal with the trauma.

Dark Star Safari

By Paul Theroux. Penguin Books. 512pp. $24.95.

Reviewer :: Lt Simone Heyer

Travelling from Cairo to Cape Town Dark Star Safari spans the amazing mix of races, cultures and religions of Africa. It ranges from sea, river, desert, plains, mountains, rainforest, beach; rustic villages, Bedouin encampments, sky-scraping cities, tumble-down temples and other ancient ruins.

Paul Theroux's book is just as good as living the grand adventure as it takes you on an in-depth journey from place to place.

This is more than just a travel information book; it breathes life into each location.

Dark Star Safari is by no means a quick read because of its depth and detail, however, it is a pure delight and will take a prized place on your bookshelf.

Dark Waters

By Lee Vyborny and Don Davis. Random House. 242pp. $22.95.

Reviewer :: LS Rachel Irving

This is a book of surprises. It is the tale of a little-known US miniature nuclear submarine, the NR1, as told by original crew member Lee Vyborny.

The events it recounts are set in the Cold War when the space race dominated the world's media and another race for supremacy dominated the oceans.

NR1, a boat kept secret for many years, is the smallest nuclear sub in the US Navy at just over 44m long. It features wheels to coast along the bottom of the ocean, viewing pads and lights, and a recovery claw.

Its missions were masked behind a front of oceanographic research but its real journeys took the boat and its crew into the world of covert intelligence. This is a truly eye-opening read that will fascinate and intrigue.

Last chance to win book pack

THIS is your last chance to win a book pack for Christmas.

Random House has provided four books as prizes - Wallaby Gold: The History of Australian Test Rugby by Peter Jenkins; One Step Ahead by Rod Macqueen; Schumaker: The Official Inside Story of the Formula One Icon by Michel Comte and Sabine Kehm; and Aussie Aussie Aussie Oui, Oui, Oui! Australian Cyclists in 100 years of the Tour de France by Rupert Guinness.

For your chance to win the book pack, answer this question: Where was the 1999 Rugby World Cup final played?

Email your response to armynews@defencenews.gov.au with your name and full mailing address. Only one entry a person is permitted and the winner will be drawn on December 19, with the books to be mailed out for Christmas.