Overview

"Out of print for decades and praised by the likes of Stanley McChrystal, Robert Kaplan, and David Petraeus, The Praetorians picks up in the footsteps of The Centurions. When a group of French paratroopers serving in the Algerian war are called to answer for actions they consider necessary, however immoral, they plot a coup that results in a new French government and in the death of one of their own. Based on the events of May 1958 in France, The Praetorians continues with some of Larteguy's most persistent, and most pertinent, themes- counterinsurgency, the ugly, self-conflicted nature of modern war, and the seemingly unbridgeable gulf between the experiences of soldiers and of the civilians they serve. A former soldier himself, Larteguy writes with unique authority on war and with a clear insight into the human costs of global conflict, balancing riveting scenes of actions with intelligent political dialogue. As relevant now as when first published, his novels have remained essential to the international conversation surrounding counterinsurgency and the ethics of modern war. Highly recommended by military leaders and soldiers, they are now finding new readers and sparking new conversation as Penguin Classics reissues. Jean Larteguy's unflinching sequel to The Centurions, a searing novel of modern warfare admired by military experts, with a foreword by General Stanley McChrystal Based on the events of May 1958 in France and Algeria, The Praetorians picks up in the footsteps of The Centurions, which was called ""a stunning reflection of modern war"" by Stanley McChrystal. After turning to tactics of guerilla warfare, a group of French paratroopers serving in the Algerian War is called to answer for actions they consider necessary, however immoral. Fearing another loss of French honor, they plot a coup that results in the return to power of Charles de Gaulle and the death of one of their own. With resonance to modern conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, The Praetorians further develops some of Larteguy's most persistent and pertinent themes- counterinsurgency, the ugly, morally conflicted nature of modern war, and the seemingly unbridgeable gulf between the experiences of soldiers and of the civilians they serve. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators."

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9780143110231

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Jean Larteguy (1920-2011) is the penname of Jean Pierre Lucien Osty, who served as a soldier in Korea and North Africa before becoming a distinguished journalist and novelist. Alexander (Xan) Wallace Fielding (1918-1991) served as a special operations executive in the British Army in Crete, France, and Asia. The author of several books, he also translated French works including Pierre Boulle's The Bridge over the River Kwai and Planet of the Apes.

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