The Question

Not for the faint of heart! The author was a French sympathizer with the native Algerians during the war of independence. As an outspoken journalist, he was a wanted man. When he was arrested his torture began immediately. He committed every detail to memory, knowing most people try to forget the torture. He wrote this book while still imprisoned and snuck it out of his prison page by page. Banned by France, it reached an immense amount of French readers thanks to smuggled copies and illegal printing presses. This was in 1958!! Its release, as Alleg hoped, brought light to the masses about what the French government was doing. The book has multiple introductions, two of them describing the book’s importance to us even now (think Abu show more Ghraib). The French soldiers who tortured Alleg sold themselves to teach “interrogation” methods around the world, including the USA. The torture scenes are intense and detailed, so absolutely skip this book if you don’t have the stomach for it. Fortunately it is a very short book. This book serves as an important reminder about how easily man can become an animal. Recommended for its important message at the time and for human beings going forward. show less

sottotitolo: queste agghiaccianti memori di un torturato, tuttora detenuto in Algeria, sono state il primo appello alla coscienza francese per una resistenza morale che dura ancora oggi.

A LIRE, EXISTE VERSION ANGLAISE