Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph by T.E. Lawrence
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Book Reviews of Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph
Book Review: Not the Movie
Summary: 5 Stars
Readers like me, whose only knowledge of Lawrence of Arabia was from the excellent David Lean movie, will find this book eye-opening.
There was a lot less youthful idealism and a lot more political savvy in the actual man than in Peter O'Toole's characterization. Lawrence was not such a social misfit nor so rebellious against authority as the film leads us to believe.
Since this book is autobiography written as historical narrative, it tells us little about Lawrence's inner life except what we can infer from his attitudes towards the people of Arabia and his military superiors.
Nevertheless, the story is so compelling that it's almost hard to believe that someone actually lived these experiences, were it not for the fame that Lawrence achieved during his lifetime thanks to the detailed newspaper accounts of his exploits.
"The Seven Pillars of Wisdom" is one of the true masterpieces of the twentieth century.
Book Review: The Hejaz War
Summary: 5 Stars
The Hejaz War of 1917 was written by Colonel T.E. Lawrence at the Paris peace talks in 1920 -21. Lawrence understood the Arabs thay did not conquer territory but they brought the Arab tribes together to conquer the Ottoman Turkish Army whom they considered poor soldiers. The Hejaz is the Red Sea coast parallel to the extinct lava fields of the 3,000m high Hejaz mountains. The Hejaz railway, linking Damascus with Medina, was attacked by Lawrence's Hejaz army until the Turks could no longer repair it. The Seven Pillars of Wisdom is the bible of Guerilla Warfare and should be read by General Petraeus US Armed Forces Commander, Iraq.
The taking of Damascus intact in 1918 by the arab army before General Allenby's allied army at least ensured Sheikh Feisal became King of Iraq. The Sykes -Picot treaty of 1916 ensured the Middle East was divided up by Britain and France directly leading to the present Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Book Review: Even better than the movie
Summary: 5 Stars
Movies are often more dazzling than the events they are based upon, but this is a rare instance in which even Hollywood and David Lean could not do justice to their larger than life subject matter. Although Lawrence seemed to think he was writing a history of WWI in the middle east, his account of the war is episodic and confusing. But that doesn't matter at all. This is one of the most astounding adventure stories ever told, all the more amazing because it's true. Or, if you're not an adventure enthusiast, read it as a travelogue of the middle east. Lawrence will fascinate you with such seemingly prosaic things as the texture of the Arabian sand. In many ways, this is one of the greatest books ever written. Lawrence was, however, a product of his times. His attitude toward the Arab people vascillates between admiration and patronization, and some readers might find this aspect of the book distasteful.Book Review: The best tortured heroic Imperial England ever produced
Summary: 5 Stars
Those us trapped in late Twentieth Century technical society, bored but well-fed, sometimes wish for the courage and circumstance to take up arms and shed the blood of colonial oppressors, if there were any, blood, oppressors, or colonies. T.E. Lawrence had the sort of unhappy childhood (bastard, public school) that seems attractive if you're not personally part of it, and Languages at Oxford, among which a noted translation of Homer, and Arabic, which got him into interesting times in Ottoman Palestine. Lawrence saw no reason not to fight and kill in a field belonging to Arabs, and he brought strategy and resource to the Arab liberation, and suffering and glory to himself. He helped bring the Arabs their freedom, aided the British cause, hurt the Turks and their allies the Germans, all in the desert, among the ferocious tribes. Bully. Mark BergseiBook Review: The Seven Pillars of Wisdom
Summary: 5 Stars
Lawrence of Arabia. we have all heard the name and or seen the movie. But who is this guy who was able to unite semitic tribes and help force the turks and germans out of the desert and back into the mountains of Turkey. This is a well written book that is 80 years old. It is a look at a time before oil dominated the economy of this very harsh land. Lawrence autobiographically explains his part in the Arab uprising and how he won confidence and trust from a people who avoided all outside contact. Lawrence's style of writing was difficult at first but by the third chapter the reader will adapt and then it gets fun. This is a must read for anyone doing business or war in the mideast. If only our present leaders would have read this book first. They might have avoided a few of their missteps.