In writing his extraordinary account of the Arab Revolt of 1916-1918 and his own role in it, T.E. Lawrence sought literary advice from his good friends E.M. Forster and George Bernard Shaw. With their encouragement, Lawrence produced an epic manuscript that became the focus of a desperate public search after he lost the majority of the text in a train station. The original was never found, and the indefatigable Lawrence produced a second text from memory. Widely regarded as the last great romantic war story and described by ...
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In writing his extraordinary account of the Arab Revolt of 1916-1918 and his own role in it, T.E. Lawrence sought literary advice from his good friends E.M. Forster and George Bernard Shaw. With their encouragement, Lawrence produced an epic manuscript that became the focus of a desperate public search after he lost the majority of the text in a train station. The original was never found, and the indefatigable Lawrence produced a second text from memory. Widely regarded as the last great romantic war story and described by Winston Churchill as one of "the greatest books ever written in the English language," it conveys a world of wonders from a life less ordinary, transcribed in the same committed fashion that Lawrence applied to his duties in Syria. A towering achievement as both autobiography and military history, as well as a first-rate adventure story, "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" is a must-listen for all.
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The foundation for our present crises in the Mideast was laid at the close of the Great War. Lawrence was, of course, intimately involved in the Arab Revolt and their betrayal by the Imperial powers in the aftermath of the War. This book is the starting point for any understanding of today's Mideast. More than that, it's a book of high adventure, well-told.
oddjohn
Jul 15, 2010
Rediscovering a classic
Recently I was reminded of this book while reading a history of wartime deception in military tacics. I remembered reading about T.E. Lawrence's "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" when I was younger. This book is a glance back at history not seldom discussed in contemporary education. A great read.
WilliamC
Nov 26, 2009
EXCELLENT
Very good read, gets you alot of middle east culture and what was there then versus now. It may surprize you, it did me.
NOLA
Sep 4, 2008
Finding an old friend
I adore this book. Many years ago when I was 13 years old, I found a copy of this in a wonderful old book store. I kept it for 40 years, picking it up from time to time and finding things I'd missed or was too young to understand the first time I read it. Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent levee failure brought over 5 feet of water into my house. I lost about two thirds of my books. I had put them up, but never expected so great a flood. Slowly, but surely I am replacing my favorites. To be able to find the same edition was fantastic. Thank you Alibris.
DeniseK
Aug 23, 2007
A Great Read!
Lawrence knew how to tell a tale. Whether it's all true is another matter. Maps and line drawings bring the saga to life. No question that the events, misunderstandings, and betrayals depicted here lay the groundwork for much of the current state of affairs. Timing really is everything. The presence of this particular person, with his shrewd ability to promote himself, blend into the culture, as well as write, during a crucial period for the region gives the reader an understanding which is lacking from other sources.