Lawrence of Arabia - Softcover

J-m-wilson

4.08

485 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0749391332 ISBN 13: 9780749391331

Publisher: Minerva Press, 1990

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T.E. Lawrence quickly became one of the most famous Englishmen of his generation. His exploits and personality fascinated the general public, and deeply impressed those who knew him and saw his work at first hand. Until now there has been no reliable major biography written by a qualified historian. Such a project was impossible as long as British Government papers relating to his role during the Arab revolt and the subsequent diplomatic negotiations were unavailable. By 1975, however, most of the relevant documents had been released, and Jeremy Wilson was appointed official biographer. This status gave him access to papers controlled by Lawrence's family and Trustees, but allowed him complete freedom to publish whatever conclusions he reached. Jeremy Wilson's objective in "Lawrence of Arabia" is to provide readers with an accurate and balanced account of Lawrence's life. It was inevitable that this authorised biography would contain a great deal that is new, but some of the material and conclusions are wholly unexpected. Above all, by drawing on contemporary records written by Lawrence's commanders and others who worked with him, Jeremy Wilson aims at an authentic account of his achievements. Here then is a biography of one of the most talented and intriguing Englishman of this century. The book begins by describing Lawrence's promising Oxford childhood and the six seasons he spent at Carchemish in Northern Syria, one of the most important excavations ever undertaken by the British Museum. Then follows the story of Lawrence's important military and diplomatic roles during and after World War 1. Finally, the post-war years saw the consolidation of Lawrence's literary achievement, permitting an assessment of his own wish to be "appraised rather as a man of letters than a man of action".

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From Publishers Weekly:

Thomas Edward Lawrence's discovery that he was an illegitimate child filled him with deep bitterness and insecurity. As "Lawrence of Arabia," he struggled to achieve a sense of identity and personal worth missing in his boyhood. His homosexual rape by Turkish captors in 1917 scarred him with guilt and shame, making the prospect of consummation in a marriage abhorrent, contends Wilson, official biographer as authorized by the Lawrence estate, who rebuts claims that his subject had homosexual affairs. According to this 1200-page tome, Lawrence was not the benevolent imperialist some critics have made him out to be, but an ardent supporter of Arab self-determination who felt morally degraded by the compromising role the British forced him to play in the Arab revolt against Turkish rule. This sense of debasement, argues Wison, engendered a masochistic disorder that later led Lawrence to enlist in the Royal Air Force. Through its comprehensive amassing of facts and documents, the book credibly replaces the romantic legend of Lawrence with the image of a tragic idealist whose political aims were frustrated by diplomacy. Photos.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal:

Numerous books have been written about T.E. Lawrence since his death in 1935, particularly in the last decade. This volume is fuller and more balanced than its predecessors, drawing extensively on relevant documents, including recently released British government records and never before available Lawrence family papers. Wilson successfully depicts all aspects of Lawrence's strengths and accomplishments, including his development as a literary figure and his friendships with writers and political leaders, without either minimizing or overdramatizing his psychological and emotional weaknesses. Wilson's lucid and well-paced prose style makes his careful research fascinating. This detailed study may be too elaborate for the casual reader, but it will be essential for libraries with readers seriously interested in the period or the man.
- Elizabeth R. Hayford, Assoc. Colls. of the Midwest, Chicago
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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