Joseph Kessel, reporter, journalist, novelist, adventurer, academician, Hero of Free France, General de Gaulle companion in London, co-author with his nephew Maurice Druon (also Academician) of singing supporters, is a very large figure France of the twentieth century. Russian Jew born in 1898, emigrated to France, he enlisted as a stretcher bearer in 14 (in 16 years!), Moves pass his arts degree, engages in aviation again in the final months of the Great War. This strong experience in 1920 he shoots the subject of this powerful and real novel, moving and modest, it is essential reading. I can not resist the pleasure of quoting an extract from the acceptance speech at the Academy (the chair of the Force Duke) of this exemplary French:
"To replace the companion whose name resounded gloriously beautiful for a millennium in the history of France, whose great ancestors soldiers, nobles, dignitaries, friends of princes and kings, were part of its history a vividly, to replace him, which you appointed? A Russian by birth and Jewish to boot. A Jew of Eastern Europe ... you marked by the singular contrast of this estate, that the origins of a human being has nothing to do with the judgment we must carry. Thus, gentlemen, you gave a new and powerful support for the stubborn faith and beautiful of all those everywhere who keep their eyes fixed on the lights of France. "
