Jean Larteguy

Jean Larteguy was a French author and journalist who wrote both fiction and non-fiction based on his experience of WWII, the French colonial wars in Indochina, and Algeria. He is best known for his 1961 novel, The Centurions, which follows the exploits of three French paratroopers over the course of the war in Algeria.

Jean Larteguy was born Jean-Pierre François Espinasse in Sancerre, France, in 1920 to a French father and a Spanish mother. After high school, Jean attended the prestigious Ecole Polytechnique in Paris. World War II interrupted his studies in 1940, when he was conscripted into the 12th Motorized Division of the French Army. While serving in the army, Jean was wounded twice during the evacuation of soldiers from Dunkirk, and he was awarded the Croix de guerre for bravery.

Following the war, Jean returned to Ecole Polytechnique and graduated with a degree in Literature. He then pursued a career in journalism, getting his first job working for the magazine Paris Match. His feature stories, written in French-style, were incredibly popular and made him a well-known journalist in France. Some of his most influential stories were written while covering France’s war in Indochina, where he served as an advisor to General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny.

During the war in Algeria, Jean wrote The Centurions, which was his most influential work. The novel follows the story of three French paratroopers who fought during the war. It quickly became a best-seller in France and was later adapted into a movie. The novel is notable for its frank portrayal of the French troops, who are portrayed as honorable, brave, and flawed in equal measure. This novel was also popular with the American public; its English-language edition sold over one million copies.

In addition to The Centurions, Jean wrote several other novels, including The Praetorians and The Old Man and the Sands. He also wrote a number of non-fiction books about France’s presence in Algeria, including The Emancipation of French Algeria and The End of the French Empire.

Jean Larteguy was an influential French author and journalist who wrote several best-selling novels. He is best known for his novel, The Centurions, which follows the story of three French paratroopers during the war in Algeria. He also wrote a number of non-fiction books about France’s colonial presence in Algeria. Jean Larteguy’s writings have been praised for their honest and realistic portrayal of French soldiers and the history of France’s colonial wars.