Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
More Buying Choices
32 used & new from £0.09
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Legionnaire: The Real Life Story of an Englishman in the French Foreign Legion
 
See larger image 
Share your own customer images
Publisher: learn how customers can search inside this book.

Legionnaire: The Real Life Story of an Englishman in the French Foreign Legion (Mass Market Paperback)

by Simon Murray (Author)
4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
Price: £5.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £2.00 (25%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Want guaranteed delivery by Tuesday, July 14? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
21 new from £2.95 11 used from £0.09
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover 7 used & new from £11.54
Unknown Binding 16 used & new from £2.09

Frequently Bought Together

Legionnaire: The Real Life Story of an Englishman in the French Foreign Legion + The Naked Soldier: A True Story of the French Foreign Legion + Diary of a Legionnaire: My Life in the French Foreign Legion
Price For All Three: £18.97

Show availability and shipping details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The Naked Soldier: A True Story of the French Foreign Legion

The Naked Soldier: A True Story of the French Foreign Legion

by Tony Sloane
4.0 out of 5 stars (10)  £5.49
Diary of a Legionnaire: My Life in the French Foreign Legion

Diary of a Legionnaire: My Life in the French Foreign Legion

by Gareth Carins
5.0 out of 5 stars (5)  £7.49
Sniper One: The Blistering True Story of a British Battle Group Under Siege

Sniper One: The Blistering True Story of a British Battle Group Under Siege

by Sgt. Dan Mills
4.9 out of 5 stars (130)  £4.10
Foreign Legion [DVD] [2005]

Foreign Legion [DVD] [2005]

3.5 out of 5 stars (4)  £5.28
The Making of a Legionnaire: My Life in the French Foreign Legion Parachute Regiment (Cassell)

The Making of a Legionnaire: My Life in the French Foreign Legion Parachute Regiment (Cassell)

by Bill Parris
4.2 out of 5 stars (6)  £5.99
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Pan Books; 2nd Revised edition edition (6 Jul 2001)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0330485806
  • ISBN-13: 978-0330485807
  • Product Dimensions: 17.2 x 11 x 2.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 42,841 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #21 in  Books > Biography > Historical > Countries & Regions > Africa
    #21 in  Books > Fiction > World > African

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

  • See Complete Table of Contents

Product Description

Product Description
Simon Murray was nineteen when he joined the French Foreign Legion. Inspired by the romantic myths of Beau Geste, he found himself in the ranks of one of the world's greatest - and toughest - fighting forces. He kept a unique diary of the hard living, harsh discipline, and the military tradition of 'March or Die' which he turned into this gripping book. "Simon Murray's personal account of a gently reared, well-educated British youth's coming of age in the French Foreign Legion has the drama, excitement and colour of a good guts-and-glory thriller ...Murray is a talented storyteller, and his fellow legionnaires and their disciplined and proud Corps are vividly portrayed. I was hooked from the first page." - Dr Henry Kissinger. "One of the greatest adventure stories in recent years." - Chris Patten.

From the Publisher
A classic bestseller back in print
First published in 1978, Simon Murray's extraordinary account of a military coming-of-age is an international bestseller. Joining the Legion as a young man inspired by the romantic myths of Beau Geste, Simon found himself in the ranks of one of the world's greatest - and toughest - fighting forces. His unique diary of hard living, harsh discipline, and the military tradition of 'March or Die' has 'the drama, excitement and colour of a good guts-and-glory thriller' (Henry Kissinger).

'There is no other story and no other testimony like it in modern literature.' Frederick Forsyth

'His book is . . .perhaps the best book I remember reading - not just about the legion but about life.' George Thaw, Daily Mirror

'Simon Murray's account of his years in the French Foreign Legion is one of the greatest adventure stories. . .Those who know Mr Murray will not be surprised by the thrills and the spills; others will turn the pages in excited disbelief. Can it all be true? Well, yes actually.' Chris Patten

See all Product Description

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below
(2)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Legionnaire: The Real Life Story of an Englishman in the French Foreign Legion
80% buy the item featured on this page:
Legionnaire: The Real Life Story of an Englishman in the French Foreign Legion 4.9 out of 5 stars (17)
£5.99
Diary of a Legionnaire: My Life in the French Foreign Legion
8% buy
Diary of a Legionnaire: My Life in the French Foreign Legion 5.0 out of 5 stars (5)
£7.49
The Naked Soldier: A True Story of the French Foreign Legion
6% buy
The Naked Soldier: A True Story of the French Foreign Legion 4.0 out of 5 stars (10)
£5.49
Foreign Legion [DVD] [2005]
4% buy
Foreign Legion [DVD] [2005] 3.5 out of 5 stars (4)
£5.28
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

17 Reviews
5 star:
 (16)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.9 out of 5 stars (17 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Searing Memoir of Service in the French Foreign Legion, 22 Mar 2005
By ianrmillard - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
When Simon Murray joined the Legion in early 1960, he was an English only-just-ex-public schoolboy (Bedford College) who had previously spent about eight months "before the mast" after leaving behind a --partly-- unrequited love affair. So far, so classic and in fact he even contrived a happy ending: after five years in the Legion, the lady married him and he became extremely wealthy in South-East Asia.

As for his time in the Legion, what stays with the reader is the sheer brutality of both the training staff (and other) NCO's, as well as that of many of the recruits, who ranged from the few --like Murray-- who might have been officers in their own armies, to the utterly barbaric or simply primitive. Murray had the advantage of fitness, youth and a command of French.

The Legion in Murray's day was in transition, from the old "joining to forget" army of yesteryear, to the highly trained rapid response commando Legion which began to emerge in the 1960's. There was also the difficulty of Algeria: Murray played a role, at ground level, in fighting the F.L.N.; after de Gaulle gave in to the F.L.N., many of the French and German Legionnaires joined the O.A.S. and tried to topple de Gaulle. Murray stayed aloof. He became corporal, then sergeant, was offered officer status but refused it (all officers must have or take French nationality).

The diaries are written well, grippingly so. At times, Murray's life is in peril in a very concrete sense. Yet amid the brutality and danger, the author never loses humanity, as when he is disgusted as several legionnaires machinegun a donkey. You can remove a young man from the Lansdowne Club, but...Murray never becomes just one of the pack.

This book is now a classic of military, adventure and autobiographical literature. Read it.

Comment Comment (1) | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars best book ever on the legion, 30 Mar 2005
I am please to see this book back again, I read it in the 1984, then joined the Legion, I ended up in the 2 REP (Legion Paras)my name is Simon and I am now a sucessful businessman, his journey or mine should I say was very similar,if you only ever read one book on the military this must be it.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Definitive, 26 Feb 2004
This is a brilliantly written piece of modern writing which gives an amazingly personal account of one man's experience with the infamous 'legion etrangere', dispelling some myths and exposing the truth in others. Simon Murray writes of arduous training and lethal combat with equal British third-party nonchalance, the true mark of a gentleman and an officer; yet he manages to keep the book exciting and strangely appealing...a must for all, even those for whom the legionnaires are a scary reminder of a violent past. Legionnaire, I salute you.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars legionnaire
wonderful insight into the harsh and often brutal life of a legionairre, brought to life by the very personal sytle of the author. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Terence J. Bollard

5.0 out of 5 stars Very well written - absolute respect
This is an incredible story from joining to leaving. Sometimes he almost makes it sound as though it was nothing - just a little hardship. Read more
Published 9 months ago by J. Sutherland

5.0 out of 5 stars Legionnaire
Simon does an excellent job of describing life in the Legion fighting the Algerian Freedom Fighters. The book is excellently presented in the form of a diary.

Published 22 months ago by Mr. J. W. Howarth

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Read, highly reccommend
All about Simons memoirs from his time in the Legion. I found the book very easy reading and thoroughly enjoyable. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Kevin White

5.0 out of 5 stars Matchless adventure story
They don't make Englishmen like Simon Murray any more. Still a fresh-faced teen, he struggles with conflicting loyalties to family, country and the love of his life, and decides... Read more
Published on 22 Mar 2007 by N. Clarke

5.0 out of 5 stars RESPECT
Simon Murray's account of one mans adventure in a foreign land is gripping. Life was hard from start to beginning, but the book pages just kept turning. Read more
Published on 2 Jul 2006 by CW REID

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent account
I have been very interested in the foreign legion for about two years and since then its been in the back of my mind wether to join up. Read more
Published on 28 Jul 2005 by raico_69

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
I found this book thrilling from start to end i could not put it down i strongly reccomend this to anyone no matter who you are.This book has totally inspired me it is a must.
Published on 1 Oct 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic adventure read
This book describes the career of Simon Murray through his time in the foreign legion. This is a must for anyone who has ever considered any form of military career as well as... Read more
Published on 30 Oct 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars Untouchable
This is definately a must have read.
As soon as you turn the first page of the book you are immediately engrossed. Read more
Published on 29 April 2002 by Mr. K. J. Costello

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Feedback

Fun for Everyone

Christmas Gifts
Achieve over 15,000 RPM with our great range of Powerballs.

›Shop the Powerball store

  

Let Olay Amaze You

Olay Total Effects Day Moisturiser SPF15 50ml
Amazon.co.uk sells all your favourite ranges from Olay, including Regenerist and Total Effects.

›Discover Olay at Amazon.co.uk

  

Train Hard...Play Hard

Nike, Gola, Converse, and more
Gear up with up to 60% off athletic and outdoor shoes.

›Shop now

  

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

  
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue Shopping: Top Sellers
The Girl Who Played with Fire
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
4.5 out of 5 stars (74)£3.86
 Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga)
Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga) by Stephenie Meyer
4.1 out of 5 stars (462)£6.49
 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
4.1 out of 5 stars (165)£3.99
 The Host
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
4.2 out of 5 stars (81)£3.86

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates