The Algerian War lasted from 1954 to 1962. It brought down six French governments, led to the collapse of the Fourth Republic, returned de Gaulle to power, and came close to provoking a civil war on French soil. More than a million Muslim Algerians died in the conflict, and as many European settlers were driven into exile. Above all, the war was marked by an unholy marriage of revolutionary terror and repressive torture.Nearly half a century has passed since this savagely fought war ended in Algeria’s independence, and yet its repercussions continue to be felt not only in Algeria and France but throughout the world. Indeed, from today’s vantage point the Algerian War looks like a full-dress rehearsal for the sort of amorphous struggle that convulsed the Balkans in the 1990s and that now ravages the Middle East, from Beirut to Baghdad—struggles in which questions of religion, nationalism, imperialism, and terrorism take on a new and increasingly lethal intensity.A Savage War of Peace is the definitive history of the Algerian War, a book that brings that terrible and complicated struggle to life with intelligence, assurance, and unflagging momentum. It is essential reading for our own violent times as well as a lasting monument to the historian’s art.
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"So far...great. 600 odd pages, the personae dramatis reads like a Tolstoyan novel; the subject matter: the Algerian war, with three , to boil it down, belligerents, a France, the Pied Noir and OAS, Algerians....among all the above you have people and groups against the dominant individual and group, breaking off, coagulating again, seperating, madness......the FLN, were they justified in their murilations, their grand guignol horrofest, the OAS retribution, the FRench forces, the innocent people.....Oran, Algiers, Casbah.....all would become famous/infamous" — Richard (5 out of 5 stars)
"So far...great. 600 odd pages, the personae dramatis reads like a Tolstoyan novel; the subject matter: the Algerian war, with three , to boil it down, belligerents, a France, the Pied Noir and OAS, Algerians....among all the above you have people and groups against the dominant individual and group, breaking off, coagulating again, seperating, madness......the FLN, were they justified in their murilations, their grand guignol horrofest, the OAS retribution, the FRench forces, the innocent people.....Oran, Algiers, Casbah.....all would become famous/infamous"
“[This] universally acclaimed history...should have been mandatory reading for the civilian and military leaders who opted to invade Iraq.”
“This thirty-year-old history, written before the Iranian revolution, the Algerian civil war, and Al Qaeda, captures a contingent moment in the conflict between the West and the Arab world, when present-day dogmas were hardly imagined by most. It provides a much needed reminder that modern history is not made by the ‘clash of civilizations’ but by people.”
“‘Algeria’ has become almost a codeword among US counterinsurgency specialists—a shorthand for the depth and complexity of the mess we face in Iraq…anyone interested in Iraq should read this book immediately.”
“Compelling reading, filled with intimate detail about characters and situations that have served as inspiration for a dozen novels, from The Day of the Jackal on.”
“James Adams reads this detailed history of Algeria’s fierce war of independence from France as if he’d written it. His strong, almost stern tone; good pacing; and vigorous, nuanced voice help draw one through the complex story…[A] strong, listenable presentation of a compelling history that has much to say about the present.”
" Great read on the history of the Algerian revolution. Bush administration used as a guidebook toward the invasion of Iraq. Must-read for policy hacks and contemporary historians. "
" Great book though not an easy nor a comfortable read. Very enlightening. "
" In the same vein as Lawrence's Seven Pillars, this is a wide angle view of the frustrating fight against thoroughly irrational Islamists in what should have been a benign nationalistic movement. If you want to learn what not to do when fighting an insurgency, read this book. I wish someone in the Bush administration had read it in the early 2000s instead of politely telling Mr. Horne where to stick it when he sent them a copy. "
" A bit outdated, and it gets some things wrong. But it's still an excellent read and a great piece of work overall. "
" Horne sometimes proffers ridiculously Orientalist observations, but his breadth of knowledge is impressive and the history of which he writes is fascinating. "
" The parallels with Iraq are instructive, though less so in the past year. Petraeus recommends this book to all his subordinates, and for good reason. It's a gripping account of French folly in Algeria, compellingly written. "
" While we all read Fanon back in the day, I realized on listening to a recent story on what the US could learn from the experience of the French in Algeria that I'd never actually studied the Algerian Revolution. So....Horne's history is exhaustive and at times exhausting, but remains decades later a masterful piece of work, covering in fine detail the both the military and political dynamics on the French, Algerian and Pieds Noirs sides. "
" This book will haunt me. It took me a long time to read; I needed long pauses to sit back and think through the book and its implications. The weight of the second half of the 20th century lies heavily on this book. History will break your heart. "
" Phenomenal and readable. "
" The author writes without showing obvious bias for one side or faction. This is a sad story where nobody wins. "
" Exhaustive and exhausting. "
" A well written account of a part of history Americans don't know of, but should. The fall of French colonialism. "
" Really interesting history, learned a lot and very well written. Plus, the best thing I've read about counter-insurgency. "
" Really well written. Though it was written about the Algerian war for independence, it is eerily close to the current war in Iraq. "
" One of the best books of the 20th century. "
" One of my favorite books, and one that I recommend to anyone interested in North Africa and the Middle East. A brutal, but thought provoking, depiction of colonialism, torture, terrorism, and near revolution (in France). "
" A long and very thorough history. The best -- and most disturbing -- part of this book is the author's description of the rise of a violent right-wing movement out of Algeria's white settlers and disgruntled members of the army in the closing days of the war. "
" I really loved this book, to the point where I would list it as among my favorites. If you enjoy post-colonial history, Algeria, France, etc. you will enjoy this book. "
Alistair Horne is the author of eighteen books. He is a fellow at St. Antony’s College, Oxford. In 1993 Horne was awarded the French Légion d’Honneur and in 2003 received a knighthood for his work on the history of France.
James Adams is one of the world’s leading authorities on terrorism and intelligence, and for more than twenty-five years he has specialized in national security. He is also the author of fourteen bestselling books on warfare, with a particular emphasis on covert warfare. A former managing editor of the London Sunday Times and CEO of United Press International, he trained as a journalist in England, where he graduated first in the country. Now living in Southern Oregon, he has narrated numerous audiobooks and earned an AudioFile Earphones Award and two coveted Audie Award for best narration.
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