The Seven Lives of Colonel Patterson: How an Irish Lion Hunter Led the Jewish Legion to Victory

Brian (The True Gen: An Intimate Portrait of Ernest Hemmingway by Those Who Knew Him) delivers a charming biography of modern Irish hunter and hero Patterson by highlighting his wide range of achievements: from hunter to war hero to family man. Patterson is portrayed as a most ambitious adventurer, risking his life during multiple African safaris-including an East African hunt in which he bested the man-eating lions terrorizing railroad workers-as a commander in WWI, and a fierce, unlikely warrior for Zionism. Brian offers personal letters between Patterson and his wife, Frances, which show the light-hearted and expressive side of this otherwise tenacious man. Coupled with Brian's extensive research, it's difficult not to be drawn into this multi-faceted account of a driven hero and his time. Chapters are chronological but also topical, making his long and varied career easy to index. The first full-length biography of Patterson's life, it's also provocative, insightful and thorough. B&w photos