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The twilight world

£9.99

At the end of 1944, on Lubang Island in the Philippines, with Japanese troops about to withdraw, Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda was given orders by his superior officer: Hold the island until the Imperial army’s return. You are to defend its territory by guerrilla tactics, at all costs. There is only one rule. You are forbidden to die by your own hand. In the event of your capture by the enemy, you are to give them all the misleading information you can. So began Onoda’s long campaign, during which he became fluent in the hidden language of the jungle. Soon weeks turned into months, months into years, and years into decades – until eventually time itself seemed to melt away. All the while Onoda continued to fight his fictitious war, at once surreal and tragic, at first with other soldiers, and then, finally, alone, a character in a novel of his own making.

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Description

In his first novel, Werner Herzog tells a hypnotic tale inspired by the true story of a Japanese soldier who defended a small island for twenty-nine years after the end of WWII

1944: Lubang Island, the Philippines. With Japanese troops about to withdraw, Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda was given orders by his superior officer: Hold the island until the Imperial army’s return. You are to defend its territory by guerrilla tactics, at all costs.

So began Onoda’s long campaign. Soon weeks turned into months, months into years, and years into decades – until eventually time itself seemed to melt away. All the while Onoda continued to fight his fictitious war, at once surreal and tragic, at first with other soldiers, and then, finally, alone, a character in a novel of his own making. . .

‘An enthralling novel that explores the nature of time and warfare with great mastery’ Mail on Sunday

‘Herzog. . .brilliantly blends fact and fiction in this fever dream of a novel’ Daily Mail

‘A literary jewel set to sparkle against the backdrop of his monumental career in cinema’ i

Read a sample here

Additional information

Weight 0.11 kg
Dimensions 19.7 × 13 × 1 cm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Paperback

Pages

144

Language

English

Edition

1st paperback ed

Dewey

833.92 (edition:23)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K