Beau Geste is a 1924 adventure novel by P. C. Wren. It has been adapted for the screen several times. Michael "Beau" Geste is the protagonist. The main narrator (among others), by contrast, is his younger brother John. The three Geste brothers of Brandon Abbas are used as a metaphor for the British upper class values of a time gone by, and "the decent thing to do" is, in fact, the leitmotif of the novel. The Geste brothers are orphans and have been brought up by their aunt. The rest of Beau's band are mainly Isobel and ...
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Beau Geste is a 1924 adventure novel by P. C. Wren. It has been adapted for the screen several times. Michael "Beau" Geste is the protagonist. The main narrator (among others), by contrast, is his younger brother John. The three Geste brothers of Brandon Abbas are used as a metaphor for the British upper class values of a time gone by, and "the decent thing to do" is, in fact, the leitmotif of the novel. The Geste brothers are orphans and have been brought up by their aunt. The rest of Beau's band are mainly Isobel and Claudia (only daughter of Lady Patricia, and in a way, also reason enough for Michael to join the French Foreign Legion), and Lady Patricia's relative Augustus. When a precious jewel known as the "Blue Water" goes missing, suspicion falls on the young people, and Beau leaves Britain to join the Foreign Legion (la L�gion �trang�re), followed by his brothers, Digby (his twin) and John. There, after some adventure and separation from Digby, the sadistic Sergeant Lejaune gets command of the little garrison at Fort Zinderneuf in French North Africa, and only an attack by Tuaregs prevents a mutiny and mass desertion (of course the Geste brothers and a few loyals are against the plot). Throughout the book and adventures, Beau's behaviour is true to France and the Legion, and he dies at his post. At Brandon Abbas, the last survivor of the three brothers, John, is welcomed by their aunt and his fianc�e Isobel, and the reason for the jewel theft is revealed to have been a matter of honour, and to have been the only "decent thing" possible.
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Add this copy of Beau Geste to cart. $13.01, good condition, Sold by Wonder Book - Member ABAA/ILAB rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2020 by Bibliotech Press.
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Good. Good condition. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included.
Add this copy of Beau Geste to cart. $17.06, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2020 by Bibliotech Press.
I have not read the book yet but the book was
delivered to me as advertized and in good
condition.
7pagodas
Oct 28, 2007
Action, Adventure
Action! Adventure! Honour, Loyalty, Sacrifice! The Foreign Legion! Fort Zinderneuf! After World War I, life must have seemed dull for many.
And then there was this wonder book! Deservedly popular, full of memorable scenes, the book was a bestseller and reprinted many times. A 1926 silent movie starring Ronald Colman was remade in 1939 with Gary Cooper as Beau Geste. Occasionally still shown on television, probably available on DVD.
If you like classic adventure stories, (Robin Hood, the Three Musketeers, Kidnapped), you'll like this.
You might like "The Four Feathers," too.
roan
Oct 10, 2007
a classic adventure
This is an adventure story in the truest sense. The exotic regions of Africa occupied by France are brought in straightaway, though the first part of the tale doesn?t seem as engaging as the rest. Slowly, a mystery is described involving a bizarre scene at a fort. The story flashes back to England where the cast of characters is introduced. A jewel theft is seen to be the catalyst for the move to Africa. Some portions at Brandon Abbas drag on slightly, but the Gestes eventually find themselves in the Foreign Legion. The culture of this group, as well as that of Africa, is fascinating. They seem to eat soup for every meal. Breakfast and dinner are distinguished with coffee at one and un demi-litre du vin at the other. More interesting fellows come into the story. There are two Americans who seem to have a drawl. Their manner of speaking is a little difficult to follow and almost comical, but I suppose it?s forgivable. When the gentlemen find themselves on their first assignment, things begin to move faster. Treachery and loyalty become issues and then an assault gets everyone?s attention. There are some tragedies, but the pace is enough to keep the reader moving along, anxious to see what transpires. The last part of the book covers several years. It is sad that not more is written of this period of wandering through the desert interacting with the different tribes. Much of the culture of desert dwellers is explored and is very enjoyable to read. One tribe has a community in a nearly impregnable fortress. Their only worry is when they are forced to travel into the desert to meet and trade with other tribes. Sacrifice and strength play large roles. The ending was fine, though I feel that Beau Ideal had a better twist. The mix of languages is appealing and the writing style flows fairly well. This is a great story with all the necessary ingredients.
