THE RELUCTANT LEGIONNAIRE

by Michael Alexander ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 14, 1956

A light-hearted if overdetermined junket through French North Africa as adventuresome Alexander seeks a friend lost in the Foreign Legion who badly needs to escape. Unhappy in love, Michael West de Wend Fenton left the gay splash of London Paris partying and found himself in the Legion before he could say ""boohoo"". His friend rallied publishers, newspapers and friends including a girl as the ""romantic angle"" to his defense -- and emerged on North Africa with a press gang -- for whom he was committed to find West and forge a tale. West was undercover, being moved from one desert post to another -- but after much ado he turned up and was successfully smuggled out on an American ship bound for Lisbon. Between Lisbon and London, the press race began -- and the liberated West ended up imprisoned in a Regency manse to keep the story hot. The newsprint editions provide a last word to the adventure and all are less than accurate in recounting the complications Michael Alexander describes except for the finale, the marriage of West to the lady he left for (with the ""romantic angle"" of the adventure ending up chief bridesmaid). A postwar frivol.

Pub Date: Sept. 14, 1956

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Dutton

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1956

Categories: NONFICTION