Legion of the Lost
Legion of the Lost is an autobiographical novel by Latino American writer and lawyer Jaime Salazar. It was published in the United States by Berkley Books, an imprint of Penguin Group, on August 2, 2005. The novel is based on Salazar's own experiences as an American in the French Foreign Legion.[1] In 2016, Salazar released the revised and expanded edition of the book through Thistle Publishing UK. In 2019, the highly anticipated 3rd edition audio-book edition was released on Audible, iTunes and Amazon.
 First edition | |
| Author | Jaime Salazar |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | autobiographical novel |
| Publisher | Berkley Books |
Publication date | August 2, 2005 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 256 |
| ISBN | 0425210154 |
Plot
It tells the story of Jaime, a bored and self-described corporate cog. In a quest to seek solace from his corporate existence, he joined the French Foreign Legion, reputed to be the world's toughest army. He experiences brutality, adventure, and an uncompromising camaraderie. This is the story of his life in the "Army of Strangers". In a defunct 2008 Note addition on the book's website, Salazar disavowed his reckless weekend behavior, notably that with women, into the context of a typical young man's military life. He claims not to condone such libertine, amorous behavior then or now. Some book characters were morphed from multiple people. Salazar admits to describing a few incidents that were actually second-hand accounts. He claims artistic license was taken for purposes of clarity and succinctness. In 2019, Salazar released the revised third edition. It was scrubbed for errors and clarity. Additional details, as well as a more spiritual air, were included. A new book cover including the author's likeness was also created.
Legionnaire Woodman, one of the memorable characters in the book, was a thinly fictionalized version of a young US Army veteran. Notable as a heavily tattooed, hard-drinking brawler in Salazar's book, Woodman went on to return to the US military, where he served as a sniper who survived five combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He later left the military to pursue an academic career, studying philosophy, logic and computer science at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Maryland.
As of April 2017, Salazar is working with former legionnaire, Alex de Bruyn, co-writing Escaping the Amazon, a memoir of his time serving in the elite jungle regiment, the 3e REI. De Bruyn managed a hair-raising escape from French Guiana in a leaking dinghy in an attempt to sail home to South Africa.
In late 2021, Salazar is to release a highly anticipated updated account of the Houston Riot of 1917, Mutiny of Rage. The work is published by Rowman & Littlefield. A foreword was penned by distinguished military law professor and retired US Army JAG lieutenant colonel Geoffrey Corn. Salazar, a graduate of South Texas College of Law Houston, had access to recently declassified archives, court transcripts, and historical archives. Mutiny of Rage and Escaping the Amazon are represented by Leticia Gomez of Savvy Literary Agency.
Reception
New York Times reviewer William Grimes described the novel as an "improbable, very funny tale." "Salazar," Grimes wrote, "has a sly, sardonic sense of humor and a gift for understatement."
References
- Grimes, William (2 September 2005). "Legion of the Lost: The True Experience of an American in the French Foreign Legion". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 May 2013.