Michael Lawriwsky's insightful Hard Jacka breathes life into the real man behind the legend of Albert Jacka, VC- 'Jacka' to his superiors, 'Bert' to his mates, 'our Albert' to his proud mother. Hard Jacka is a superb account of the man whose acts of selfless heroism at Gallipoli would win him a VC, whose insubordination antagonised his seniors and whose bravery in the battlefields of France would win him the unswerving loyalty of his mates. Hard Jacka is a rich and fascinating story about Albert Jacka and the Great War, its heroes and anti-heroes, their sacrifice, determination and larrikin humour. It's a compelling tale about the deep bonds that life in the trenches developed between men- the quintessential Aussie mateship.