About the Book:

T.E. Lawrence (1888-1935) first won fame for his writings and his participation in the British-sponsored Arab Revolt of WWI, but the adventurer known even in his day as “Lawrence of Arabia” is remembered today mostly as the subject of the 1962 film masterpiece based on his life. This splendid page-turner revitalizes this protean, enigmatic adventurer. That this colorful British scholar/Middle East warrior deserves a better fate is demonstrated amply in Michael Kordas’ authoritative 784-page biography. Exciting, well-written, and relevant.

Book Review:  ★★★★★★

I found this book to be a fascinating read — I just wish the NOOK version had been better edited.  There were portions where you would go from one page to another, and  a paragraph just seemed to be missing, or at least a portion of one.  I don’t know if that was something that was a format issue — or if it was an editing problem all together — but it got to be really frustrating.  That aside, this is a book that for a biography is a fascinating read.  In a time when the world is lacking in true heroes, this book provides action, intrigue, and insight into a very enigmatic man.

Most heroes are considered such because they are frequently larger than life in all aspects of their lives.  They have personalities such that they are not just comfortable with themselves — but with other people as well.  They do not suffer from doubt and concern about their actions.  Rather, they have the unique ability to identify a course of action — and then wade through the challenges that may stand in their way to achieve that objective.  They are commanding, efficient, powerful leaders, and generally have the trust of all those around them.  They frequently have the reputation of being able to achieve anything — the more impossible it appears, the more likely they are to achieve that goal.  Additionally they earn the trust of others easily, mainly because their confidence in themselves is so high.  This would be only a brief description of T. E. Lawrence — more commonly known as Lawrence of Arabia.  And this book is a fantastic look into his charismatic personality that frequently dominated any group of people he could be found among.  The champion of the Arab people in a time that the British were still trying to expand their empire — Lawrence refused to back down in his efforts to help establish the Arab countries into independent nations — without the influence of the other countries surrounding them.

The presentation of Lawrence, and his actions were both brutally honest, and in depth.  Korda worked hard to present an unbiased look at this complex personality.  The book covers the life of Lawrence, his love of the world around him, and his commitment to explore that world on his own terms.  In addition, it presents his love for the Arab culture, their nomadic way of life, and their struggle to establish themselves as independent nations.  Lawrence’s commitment to the Arab people became his own cause.  He adopted their way of life, and their struggle against the Western nations, all of whom had designs on the oil recently found under the Arab peoples’ land.  He devoted his World War I service, and the remainder of his life to the fight to keep the Arab nations an entity unto themselves, and fought hard to help them reach that goal. Though he died young, Lawrence was a man of decisive action, and his commitment to the Arab cause was absolute, and without waiver.

This book has the intensity of a novel, and reads more like a story than a biography or history book.  The things that went on during this particular time — frequently forgotten in the face of the the rest of the world that found themselves in the midst of this World War — are events that have been frequently forgotten today.  But this book also gives insight into the background from which Lawrence came, and how he developed into such an unusual character — even within his own family.  But Korda also explores how the man and the legend merge into a living entity in this book.  How he developed into more than another British officer, but rather, he became a legendary name that would eventually define not only him, but leave his mark among the Arab nations, and come to be associated with revolution within the Arab culture.

This book is well written, and delves into a story about a man that is frequently forgotten today.  It is a story that is as intense as a spy novel, with the strategic genius of the best military novels, and explores a mysterious man that went on to become a true, living legend.  This is one of those books that I point to when I think of how truth will always be better than fiction.  And it is one biography that I consider worth the time to read.

Tags: Arab, Arabia, Biography, Government, History, Lawrence of Arabia, Non-Fiction, T. E. Lawrence, World War I

Category: Biography/Autobiography, History, Non-Fiction, Politics