Rating: 
Summary: FAILURE AS A SOLDIER, FAILURE AS AN AUTHOR
Review: After reading "A mouthful of Rocks", one would have to wonder if the author succeeded at anything he tried in life, of even cared to finish any commitment. Entering adulthood without a scrap of self esteem, and having the mental maturity and naivete of a child, it is no wonder why all his hopes and dreams were destroyed in the Legion. While suffering from acute chronic alcoholism and clinical depression, if the author had never joined the Legion, we may well be reading a bitter expose he has written about his failed attempt at college, a marriage, or any other various activities which require a commitment and effort.The reader must keep these facts in mind when reading this book, and due to author's emotional problems, must also take the facts as presented with extreme suspicion, as people bitter and disgruntled by an experience will tend to exaggerate circumstances to further their message that they really were not a failure.
Rating: 
Summary: I Tried to Join the Legion
Review: Back around '95/'96, I tried to join the French Foreign Legion. I had actually read this book, but wanted to see things for myself. I'd even been through most of BCT&AIT on Sand Hill in Ft. Benning, GA, the fall of '93 but quit because I didn't like the racism I encountered there (it just got to me, okay? Sounds lame I know but whatever -- just remember that there are things that happen in the world which no one's ever dreamed of; that's why fact is always stranger than fiction [so don't ask why I didn't bother reporting it, 'cause I did, but then that's another story...]). Okay, so it all sounds nuts that I should try to join the French Foreign Legion, especially after reading this book, right? Well, I figured that I could take "foreign" racism much better than US racism, since I wouldn't have any expectations as a non-Frenchman, know what I mean? So I got as far as their fort in Paris, something-sous-or-sur-bois, had a nice Foreign Legion lunch with other hopefuls, and wound up being rejected on account of my glasses -- despite my near-perfect 200-level French! There were five of us, and only one, a Russian guy who claimed to be an ex-paratrooper, went on for the real medical. Me and the fat middle-aged Italian, also bespectacled, were rejected; the black French kid was told to report for National Service (or whatever they called it) and not bother them as he well knew that the Legion wasn't for citizens. Anyway, I go into all this to say that the Legionnaires I met then, if they're at all representative, seem not different from American soldiers I'd known in my three-and-a-half months during basic and part of AIT. The corporal I spoke with was a really nice guy, too, who bothered commiserating with me over not making it in! Another dude was great, too, who inquired after my interview when he saw me outside the fort later that afternoon as he was, I imagine, going off duty for a night on the town. Other guys did seem grim and unhappy, however. Which is all to say that if Jennings' account as related in this book is true, he's probably "responsible" for 75% of his bad time himself. Still, combat arms is a world of bullying, and lonely guys won't make good soldiers, I now know. I mean, after all, one trains to kill, one constantly practices ways of taking advantage of people and situations...it's not likely that folks without a more highly developed "moral sense" shouldn't get carried away, know what I mean? Still, us lonely though otherwise capable guys are driven by the same ideals of manhood, so it's inevitable that these stories get repeated training cycle after training cycle. Anyway, the reviews seem to break down along these lines, interestingly: the sympathetic ones reflect an understanding of the brutality inherent in military life, the dismissive ones are from those who were able to adapt to it. Despite factual errors (I myself would be hard-pressed to cite exact details, too, regarding my short TIS), I do believe the author is truthful when it comes to the "spirit" of military life, particularly in combat arms, particularly in an elite unit (anyone remember the USMC's Force Recon scandal years ago, with hazing rituals involving parachute wings being punched into their flesh -- all captured on tape??). Hell, I was only in basic training and we were screaming about raping and killing kids! Of course such experiences aren't typical, but neither are they so unusual, either -- I've come across a few people who have had nearly identitcal experiences, even one guy from the Navy, of all places! I'm not sure why we can't just have a community of honest men who believe in protecting the weak, who believe in democratic ideals, who realize that the real war to be waged as a warrior is the inner one against oneself, one's ego. I was disgusted by what I found in the U.S. Army, though the bad elements of my extremely short experience were only like 20% of it all (though perhaps in "concentrated" form), so I'm able and willing to extend to Jennings the benefit of the doubt with regards to the veracity of his experiences. Something the unsympathetic reviewers just don't seem to understand: it's not about blame and pointing fingers, it's about explaining and understanding and getting it off one's chest as honestly as possible. Though I wasn't physically assaulted, I certainly had the fear of that, so I could identify with Jennings where that's concerned. So yeah, I recommend this book, and though I don't know whether he's totally accurate, I do believe him truthful as regards the "spirit" of his experiences.
Rating:
Summary: I Tried to Join the Legion
Review: Back around '95/'96, I tried to join the French Foreign Legion. I had actually read this book, but wanted to see things for myself. I'd even been through most of BCT&AIT on Sand Hill in Ft. Benning, GA, the fall of '93 but quit because I didn't like the racism I encountered there (it just got to me, okay? Sounds lame I know but whatever -- just remember that there are things that happen in the world which no one's ever dreamed of; that's why fact is always stranger than fiction [so don't ask why I didn't bother reporting it, 'cause I did, but then that's another story...]). Okay, so it all sounds nuts that I should try to join the French Foreign Legion, especially after reading this book, right? Well, I figured that I could take "foreign" racism much better than US racism, since I wouldn't have any expectations as a non-Frenchman, know what I mean? So I got as far as their fort in Paris, something-sous-or-sur-bois, had a nice Foreign Legion lunch with other hopefuls, and wound up being rejected on account of my glasses -- despite my near-perfect 200-level French! There were five of us, and only one, a Russian guy who claimed to be an ex-paratrooper, went on for the real medical. Me and the fat middle-aged Italian, also bespectacled, were rejected; the black French kid was told to report for National Service (or whatever they called it) and not bother them as he well knew that the Legion wasn't for citizens. Anyway, I go into all this to say that the Legionnaires I met then, if they're at all representative, seem not different from American soldiers I'd known in my three-and-a-half months during basic and part of AIT. The corporal I spoke with was a really nice guy, too, who bothered commiserating with me over not making it in! Another dude was great, too, who inquired after my interview when he saw me outside the fort later that afternoon as he was, I imagine, going off duty for a night on the town. Other guys did seem grim and unhappy, however. Which is all to say that if Jennings' account as related in this book is true, he's probably "responsible" for 75% of his bad time himself. Still, combat arms is a world of bullying, and lonely guys won't make good soldiers, I now know. I mean, after all, one trains to kill, one constantly practices ways of taking advantage of people and situations...it's not likely that folks without a more highly developed "moral sense" shouldn't get carried away, know what I mean? Still, us lonely though otherwise capable guys are driven by the same ideals of manhood, so it's inevitable that these stories get repeated training cycle after training cycle. Anyway, the reviews seem to break down along these lines, interestingly: the sympathetic ones reflect an understanding of the brutality inherent in military life, the dismissive ones are from those who were able to adapt to it. Despite factual errors (I myself would be hard-pressed to cite exact details, too, regarding my short TIS), I do believe the author is truthful when it comes to the "spirit" of military life, particularly in combat arms, particularly in an elite unit (anyone remember the USMC's Force Recon scandal years ago, with hazing rituals involving parachute wings being punched into their flesh -- all captured on tape??). Hell, I was only in basic training and we were screaming about raping and killing kids! Of course such experiences aren't typical, but neither are they so unusual, either -- I've come across a few people who have had nearly identitcal experiences, even one guy from the Navy, of all places! I'm not sure why we can't just have a community of honest men who believe in protecting the weak, who believe in democratic ideals, who realize that the real war to be waged as a warrior is the inner one against oneself, one's ego. I was disgusted by what I found in the U.S. Army, though the bad elements of my extremely short experience were only like 20% of it all (though perhaps in "concentrated" form), so I'm able and willing to extend to Jennings the benefit of the doubt with regards to the veracity of his experiences. Something the unsympathetic reviewers just don't seem to understand: it's not about blame and pointing fingers, it's about explaining and understanding and getting it off one's chest as honestly as possible. Though I wasn't physically assaulted, I certainly had the fear of that, so I could identify with Jennings where that's concerned. So yeah, I recommend this book, and though I don't know whether he's totally accurate, I do believe him truthful as regards the "spirit" of his experiences.
Rating:
Summary: You won't want to do anything else once you start reading!
Review: Christian Jennings gives you insight into one of the most mysterious group of fighting men ever assembled. From the mountainsides of Orange to thedeserts of Djibouti you will face the harsh reality that is the Legion Etrangere. They didn't ask you to come, you volunteered for this! Travel,see the world, be part of an elite fighting unite; have your world turned upside down(literally), get punched in the mouth, kicked in the face. You deserved it you know, but hey look at it like this. Being a legionaire in the French Foreign Legion is easy. Being a civilian is easy. It's the transition between the two that Christian Jennings never quite figures out. Entertaining as the book is, it is filled with "out of the norm" occurences. For example, all of the Legions troops take their basic training at Castelnaudary and not outside of Orange in the mountains. Of all I've read about the Legion, Christian Jennings time their seems more the exception than the norm. And one last thing, even though I think this is a very entertaining book and well written, it IS written by a DESERTER!! That said, for an armchair adventurer, it is a must read.
Rating:
Summary: A sad Case
Review: From the controversial tone of the many reviews of this book, it becomes obvious that it is a must read. Yes, Jennings is a screwup - but that actually makes the book even more interesting. A careful reading of this book actually reveals an unflattering picture of Jennings but shows the Legion to be a quality organization that in the end "allowed" his desertion to not waste their time on bad soldiers. Jennings was a bad soldier but a very interesting writer. Anyone who wants to get a ground level view of the Legion must read this book!
Rating: 
Summary: Not Great, But its All We Got!
Review: I read this book a few years back in Korea while serving as an officer in the U.S. Army. I have always been fascinated with the French Foreign Legion and this was the first time I came across a firsthand account of what it is like to serve in the Legion. My feelings on the book are mixed. It becomes obvious from the beginning that Jennings is a reject. He made a mess of his life in the UK. Things didnt get much better after signing up with the Legion. He is constantly complaining. Things are either too tough or not tough enough. By the middle of the book, our young alcoholic Jennings is totally disillusioned with the Legion and is either on a drinking binge, plotting desertion, or getting beaten up by his NCOs for being useless. This is obviously not an accurate picture of the French Foreign Legion. But it seems like its the ONLY first hand account of life as a Legionaire written in English! I have seen many folks who are (or claim to be) former Legionaires rag on this book. My only response to such people is to put their money where their mouth is and write their own account! Jennings seems to not be in a stupor during initial training. This, combined with his blatant honesty about his shortcomings, leads me to believe his account of Legion training is probably not completely inacurate. Again, I challenge those legionaires out there that constantly tell me "this isnt what its like" to write their own book. I would certainly be willing to buy a copy!
Rating:
Summary: Tales From A Deserter
Review: I will try to be objective in this review. However, it will be hard for me to do so because "je suis ami de la Legion Etranger." Jennings is a Legion deserter. Hence, he distorts life in the French Foreign Legion. Sure, discipline is strict. But, it is not like Jennings would have you believe. Jennings would have you foolishly believe that during periods when Legionnaires are not engaged in their professions, they are tasked to accomplish purely mundane fatiques for absolutely no good reason whatsoever. This is hogwash! For example, there is a reason why every Legionnaire's locker space looks the same. . . that being the Legionnaires do not waste time looking all over the barracks for their belongings should they receive the call to mobilize. The Legion is a fraternity. Its esprit de corps is found in songs. For this reason, Legionnaires are taught these songs -- like "le boudin." These songs are at the very soul of Legion philosophy; its a Legionnaire's catechism. When a Legionnaire receives his Kepi Blanc; it is a "Baptism;" a new beginning. Jennings doesn't discuss these feelings. Instead, from the opening chapter; he criticizes the Legion and the way it does things. Jennings also takes great pleasure in highlighting all the negative aspects of Legion life. Why didn't Jennings write about the Battle of Camerone and what that means to a Legionnaire? Hell, you sign your five year contract with the Legion in front of a painting depicting "Camerone." Why didn't Jennings talk about how the Legion helped build infrastructure in Algeria, and the humanitarian efforts it has been involved in throughout the years? Face it, folks, Chris Jennings is nothing more than a spoiled brat. He joined the Legion because he was a ne'er-do-well. He couldn't hack life in the Legion, so he deserted. . . like a little boy tired of playing soldier. This is not the book you want if you are interested in an unbiased look into the Legion. Jennings book puts the Legion in as bad a light as Beau Geste did -- and Beau Geste is fictional. Shop for a book that provides an objective view of the Legion, its future, and its glorious past. A Moi, La Legion!
Rating:
Summary: Do NOT Join the F.F.L..
Review: My best friend is a Staff Sgt. in the Legion. He found it to be very accurate and indeed some of his anechdotes, (usually told when very drunk), are even more harrowing than in the book. Being hit in the face is apparently the most effective way to learn French. That is how he learned, in the Legion, aged 18. It took a year. I gave him a copy of Mouthful of Rocks in 1990. It is one of the few belongings he has bothered to keep over the years. The author holds back when dealing with his own involvemnet with prostitution, yet like most drunks, fondly recalls his drunken days like old war stories. He challenges you to have no respect for him, yet never looks for pity.
It is as much a journey to a alchoholic's rock bottom as it is into the fraternity of the Legion.
You have to be slightly nuts to join the Legion. You can't fail to be nuts by the time you leave/escape.
If you read this book and still want to join the Legion - you're a maniac. Which means you'd fit right in.
Rating: 
Summary: MOUTHFUL OF CROCK
Review: Okay, this book might be telling the truth about the French Foreign Legion but who cares? If you realy want to join the Legion this book would not turn anyone off if they really wanted to join. For all those people who deny that what Christian has wrote is untrue must be on another planet. Of course this stuff happens and not only in the French Foriegn Legion but in Army's all across the world. The book is very boring to read and the literature is shocking, this book was not planned out and it seems a 10 year old wrote it. The book centres around himself, at one moment he complains about the hard work and then the next he is bored with nothing to do. If people want to know about what military life is really like then read the book, but if you know what happens then don't bother. There are plenty of other execellent books on the foreign legion and this is not one of them.
Rating:
Summary: My second response
Review: The first is a few posts back. I had a fellow in Ireland email me reference my post and we started conversing on this book and I loaned it to him for awhile. My friends said to me, "oh you'll never get it back", but he was true to his word and its good to know that there are still those you can "shake hands with" that are sincere and truthful. This book was supposed to be a true account of the FFL in 1984 but after reading "legionestrange@usa.net"'s post I don't know. Maybe most of it was just a story, done like a Lowell Thomas book, "larger then life". It's a good read anyway, and the author has had some more recent adventures which may be worthy of another book. But he never responded to 2 letters I wrote thanking him for writing his book. Perhaps "legionestrange@usa.net" is right about the author and maybe he is the one that needs to take up writing with a truthful account of Legion life. Gregg C. Jennings
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