T E Lawrence in War & Peace

‘These wartime reports provide illuminating insights into aspects of Lawrence’s enigmatic character which would later be suppressed as his darker side emerged in Seven Pillars of Wisdom.’
– Simon Courtauld in the Evening Standard

Despite being written more than seventy years ago, the thoughts of Lawrence of Arabia remain remarkably pertinent. This collection includes Lawrence’s wartime reports from the desert, along with later writings in which Lawrence attempts to cope with the consequences of war in the circumstances of peace. Many of the pieces have previously only been issued in limited editions.

T. E. Lawrence in War and Peace is an invaluable companion volume to the classic Seven Pillars of Wisdom offering a remarkable self-portrait of its author long before he became an international celebrity. It gives us the man before the myth, writing fluently, vividly and with a total command of his subject. This edition has been compiled by the acclaimed writer Malcolm Brown, who is the co-author of A Touch of Genius: The Life of T. E. Lawrence and edited The Letters of T. E. Lawrence.

The publication coincides with the 80th anniversary of Lawrence’s death in May 1935.

T. E. LAWRENCE was born on 16th August 1888 in Tremadog in Wales. He was one of five illegitimate children born to the Seventh Baron of Westmeath. He studied at Jesus College, Oxford where he became interested in the Middle East. He worked for British Intelligence during the First World War and fought with the Arab forces to defeat the Turks. His exploits earned him the title of ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ back in Britain. He resigned in 1922 and sought anonymity in the RAF where he enlisted as John Hume Ross. He later changed his name by deed poll to T. E. Shaw. Shortly after retiring from the RAF, T. E. Lawrence died in a motorcycle accident on 19th May 1935.

Malcolm Brown studied at St John’s College, Oxford. He spent his national service in the Royal Navy. He joined the BBC in 1955 and has been a documentary producer since 1980, specializing mainly in historical and biographical programs. He has worked on many programs including the landmark BBC documentary The Battle of the Somme. He died in December 2017.