CHARLES DE FOUCAULD: Adventures of the Desert

The life of Father Charles de Foucauld has all the ingredients for an exciting story -- adventure, masquerade, heroism and eventual sanctity. Emmeline Garnett skillfully blends them all in her biography of the Adventures of the Desert in this latest Vision Book for young readers. Fat, indolent, rather stupid and only nominally a Cathelle as a youth, Charles barely managed to get through France's famous schools -- St. Cyr and Saumur. Once in Africa with his regiment, however, his life changed. He loved the country, and set out to survey it disguised as a Jew. This involved great personal danger. The book he published on his reconnaissance is still considered noteworthy, because he ranks with the greatest of French explores. When he re-found his faith, he became a Trappist priest, but left the Order in the hopes of founding an even more ausiere one. Unable to do this, he established himself in Tamanrasset in the remote, wild and lawless Sahara ministering to the tribes there until he was murdered in 1916. The dashing Charles de Foucauld is an extraordinary and romantic figure, and both boys and girls should find his story thrilling reading.