12 OCTOBER 1985, Page 29

Military mentality

Sir: John Ralston Saul's piece (5 October) on the French malaise was excellent. If he has not already done so, I think he should read Pure War, a dialogue between Paul Virilio and Sylvere Lotringer (English translations from French: Semiotext(e) Inc, Columbia University, NYC) which, for all its obscurities and irritations, has a great deal to say on the mentalite militaire.

Incidentally, while on martial subjects, I am the man with 'a sinister beard' who persecuted Christopher Hawtree in 1983 after his review of my wife Maggie Gee's The Burning Book, as colourfully related in his review (Books, same issue) of her novel Light Years. Please assure him he has slipped well down my hit-list, as I now

have a whole new set of hostile hacks to terrorise. Unfortunately, most of them are female, and my kind, pacific wife tells me I am not to frighten women. So I may yet have to fall back on Mr Hawtree for a little light exercise and entertainment. Stand him a brandy first, though.

Nicholas Rankin

5 Mornington Place, London NW1