{"title":"Christine Helliwell","description":"\u003cp\u003eChristine Helliwell is a distinguished author celebrated for her insightful contributions to the fields of history and military studies. Her works offer an intriguing exploration of historical events, blending rigorous research with engaging narratives that captivate her readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmong her notable works is the book \u003cem\u003eSemut\u003c\/em\u003e, which provides an in-depth look into an extraordinary chapter of wartime history. Helliwell's writing vividly portrays the lesser-known stories and strategies employed by the Semut operations during World War II, bringing to light the remarkable bravery and resilience of those involved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders who appreciate meticulously researched historical accounts will find Christine Helliwell's books both enlightening and compelling. Her narratives not only educate but also provide a nuanced understanding of the complexities of military history. Delve into her works to discover the fascinating tales of courage and strategy that shaped pivotal moments in history.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"semut-by-christine-helliwell-9780143790020","title":"Semut","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWinner of the Les Carlyon Literary Prize and the Prime Minister's Literary Awards Australian History Prize.\u003c\/em\u003e First Runner Up for Templer Medal Book Prize (UK). Shortlisted for the NSW Premier's Australian History Prize, the ACT Notable Book Awards, and the Reid Prize.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA remarkable new book about Operation Semut, an Australian secret military operation launched by the organisation popularly known as Z Special Unit in the final months of WWII.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMarch 1945. A handful of young Allied operatives are parachuted into the remote jungled heart of the Japanese-occupied island of Borneo, east of Singapore, there to recruit the island's indigenous Dayak peoples to fight the Japanese. Yet most have barely encountered Asian or indigenous people before, speak next to no Borneo languages, and know little about Dayaks, other than that they have been—and may still be—headhunters. They fear that on arrival the Dayaks will kill them or hand them over to the Japanese. For their part, some Dayaks have never before seen a white face.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSo begins the story of Operation Semut, an Australian secret operation launched by the organisation codenamed Services Reconnaissance Department—popularly known as Z Special Unit—in the final months of WWII. Anthropologist Christine Helliwell has called on her years of first-hand knowledge of Borneo, interviewed more than one hundred Dayak people and all the remaining Semut operatives, and consulted thousands of military and other documents to piece together this astonishing story.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFocusing on the operation's activities along two of Borneo's great rivers—the Baram and Rejang—the book provides a detailed military history of Semut II's and Semut III's brutal guerrilla campaign against the Japanese, and reveals the decisive but long-overlooked Dayak role in the operation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut this is no ordinary history. Helliwell captures vividly the sounds, smells, and tastes of the jungles into which the operatives are plunged, an environment so terrifying that many are unsure whether jungle or Japanese is the greater enemy. And she takes us into the lives and cavernous longhouses of the Dayaks on whom their survival depends. The result is a truly unique account of the encounter between two very different cultures amidst the savagery of the Pacific War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46343636615404,"sku":"9780143790020","price":36.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/4616393482239.jpg?v=1744001363"},{"product_id":"semut-by-christine-helliwell-9781761342356","title":"Semut","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWinner of the Les Carlyon Literary Prize and the Prime Minister's Literary Awards Australian History Prize.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFirst Runner Up for Templer Medal Book Prize (UK). Shortlisted for the NSW Premier's Australian History Prize, the ACT Notable Book Awards, and the Reid Prize.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA remarkable new book about Operation Semut, an Australian secret military operation launched by the organisation popularly known as Z Special Unit in the final months of WWII.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMarch 1945. A handful of young Allied operatives are parachuted into the remote jungled heart of the Japanese-occupied island of Borneo, east of Singapore, there to recruit the island's indigenous Dayak peoples to fight the Japanese. Yet most have barely encountered Asian or indigenous people before, speak next to no Borneo languages, and know little about Dayaks, other than that they have been—and may still be—headhunters. They fear that on arrival the Dayaks will kill them or hand them over to the Japanese. For their part, some Dayaks have never before seen a white face.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSo begins the story of \u003cem\u003eOperation Semut\u003c\/em\u003e, an Australian secret operation launched by the organisation codenamed Services Reconnaissance Department—popularly known as Z Special Unit—in the final months of WWII. Anthropologist Christine Helliwell has called on her years of first-hand knowledge of Borneo, interviewed more than one hundred Dayak people and all the remaining Semut operatives, and consulted thousands of military and other documents to piece together this astonishing story. Focusing on the operation's activities along two of Borneo's great rivers—the Baram and Rejang—the book provides a detailed military history of Semut II's and Semut III's brutal guerrilla campaign against the Japanese, and reveals the decisive but long-overlooked Dayak role in the operation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut this is no ordinary history. Helliwell captures vividly the sounds, smells, and tastes of the jungles into which the operatives are plunged, an environment so terrifying that many are unsure whether jungle or Japanese is the greater enemy. And she takes us into the lives and cavernous longhouses of the Dayaks on whom their survival depends. The result is a truly unique account of the encounter between two very different cultures amidst the savagery of the Pacific War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46343637172460,"sku":"9781761342356","price":24.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/2724713482815.jpg?v=1744001423"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/christine-helliwell.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}