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Summary: L'art de la Reddition
Review: If you're like me, you probably think that being a French soldier consists of little more than sipping wine, demanding assistance from Washington, and waving great big rectangles made from white cloth (the famed "Une-Coleur" of the French army). All of this may be true. However, as this revealing book explains, the French have a longstanding practice of hiring foreigners to do their fighting for them - a wise policy in light of the humiliating 2-17-3 record that they have racked up in the past several centuries of European military competition. For young adventures with an altruistic bent, military service in France compares favorably to literacy work in rural Mali or AIDS education in sub-Saharan Africa. All are about bringing urgently needed skills to backward regions desperately lacking in expertise. And as is the case in Mali and sub-Saharan Africa, the crisis in France is only getting worse. The French workweek is sliding - from 39 hours per week in 1999, to 35 hours in 2001, and soon to 28 hours. Meanwhile France's population is aging. And due to unionization, the term "military strike" is far more likely to describe a work stoppage by soldiers demanding higher pay than an actual armed incursion. For all of these reasons, the relative value that French strategists assign to foreign soldiers has exploded. During World War II, one legionnaire was considered to be worth no more than 12.5 French soldiers. Today a foreigner armed with a penknife is viewed as the military equivalent of a French armored division. So if a life of public service and relief work is your calling, please consider joining the French Foreign Legion. This important book is your first step down that noble, selfless path.
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Summary: Life in the French Foreign Legion
Review: Mr McGorman has a fluent style which kept me reading from cover to cover in one night. His descriptions of the life and challenges of a Legionnaere are detailled . He starts of with the first long and boring days in the Legion and continues through training and his tours till his last days there with great tips of 'do not's' and 'do's'. He takes care of a few mysteries surrounding this elite force and sets a few heads straight. Nevertheless this book can be counted as advertisement for the Legion , and after reading it I was left wanting more. ( my whife disallowed me to join, though...!) I recommend this book highly to everyone thinking about joining the Legion, just beeing curious about this famous part of the french army or interested in one of the last adventures for men only!
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Summary: Great book! A MUST have.
Review: The only thing I didnt like was the fact that there arenty any more books like this out there. Awesomely written, any book written in this style can keep the attention of the reader. The author puts off the feeling of someone you can relate too. There have been some minor changes in the recruiting process but nothing major. I personally be dropping by the recruiting center late August. This book provided info I needed for joining!
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Summary: Worth every penny!
Review: The thought of joining the Legion has been at the back of my mind since I was in high school. I have read every book and magazine article about it I could get my hands on. Evan McGorman's account is by far the most interesting and candid that I have found. It is mainly an account of his five years service in the Legion's parachute regiment, but he has thrown in much useful information for someone who is genuinely considering enlisting. Items such as where to join, what happens to you during the selection process, and the physical requirements demanded of a Legionnaire will all be of interest to the prospective recruit.The main thing I got out of this immensely readable book, however, was how much like any other Western army the modern Legion is. Work details, spartan living conditions and not a lot of training seem to be the lot of a Legionnaire today. This book dispelled much of the romance I had for the Legion and managed to do what countless other works had failed: end my fantasies of absconding for a life in the Legion.
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Summary: All you need to know.
Review: There isn't too much information out there for someone who is interested in joining the French Foreign Legion. This, however, is the perfect book for anyone interested in knowing what a man has to go through to become a member of the French Foreign Legion. The author goes through every detail from the time before he enlisted to his deployment to his dischage five years later. It doesn't go through the history of the Legion, but that's fine. That's not the purpose of the book. I recommend this book especially to those considering joining the Legion. I considered joining prior to reading this, and the book definitly helped me decide not to. Again, this is the perfect book if you wonder what life is like as a legionnaire in the mysterious French Foreign Legion. I highly recommend it.
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Summary: Life in the French Foreign Legion
Review: This is the best book I have read on the Legion, it was non stop intresting from beginning to end. This has everything you could possible want to know about the Legion, even information on deserting if you ever feel the need. This is a well written book that proved to be of some really good help, and something I do not regret buying. I recommend this book to people who have a passion for the military and for potential enlistees like me. Although I don't recommend that you join the Legion, anyone who wants to take a big risk, this is one adventure you shouldn't pass up.
Rating:
Summary: Best book on subject
Review: Well written. A must read for anyone who is thinking of joining.
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