Goldfields Libraries Coordinator of Programs and Events Tammy Higgs said the organisation was pleased to host an accomplished writer such as Paul Byrnes.

"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."

The book includes photographs and stories of 40 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.

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 he won the Pascall Prize, Australia's highest award for critical writing in the arts.

Byrnes appears at the Bendigo Library on Thursday, November 21 from 2-3pm. The session is free but bookings are required via www.goldfieldslibraries.com