The Lost Boys – A unique take on World War I
Author, award-winning film critic and journalist Paul Byrnes will visit Bendigo Library this month to speak about his new book The Lost Boys: The untold stories of the under-age soldiers who fought in the First World War.
The Lost Boys is a unique take on World War I that, amazingly, has never been told before. Through stunning photographs and exquisite writing, Paul captures stories of forty young ANZAC soldiers who lied about their age, or forged parent signatures, to fight for their country on the other side of the world. Some were as young as thirteen.
Featuring haunting images of the boys taken at training camps and behind the lines, the stories are deeply personal. From the children of known criminals who enlisted to escape their families to the parents who proudly sent their children off, admiring their valour, very few of these boys’ stories ended in glory. It’s a powerful homage to youthful bravery and a poignant reminder of the sacrifice of war.
Paul Byrnes is a journalist of more than 40 years, writing for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, as well as being the former director of the Sydney Film Festival. In 2007 Paul won the Pascall Prize, Australia’s highest award for critical writing in the arts.
“We are so pleased to host such an accomplished writer as Paul at our Bendigo Library,” says Tammy Higgs, Goldfields Libraries Coordinator of Programs and Events. “The Lost Boys shows Paul’s interest and dedication to researching The Great War, and the resulting stories deserve to be shared and these young men never forgotten.”
Join Paul at the Bendigo Library on Thursday 21 November from 2-3pm. The session is free but bookings are required via www.goldfieldslibraries.com
