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The monumental work that assured T.E. Lawrence's place in history as "Lawrence of Arabia." Not only a consummate military history, but also a colorful epic and a lyrical exploration of the mind of a great man who helped shape the Middle East as it exists today.
Review:
"The revolt in Arabia against the Turks, as it appeared to an Englishman who took part. Round this tentpole of a military chronicle T.E. has hung an unexampled fabric of portraits, descriptions, philosophies, emotions, adventures, dreams" E.M. Forster, from the Readers Catalog
tacomawhite, May 22, 2008 (view all comments by tacomawhite)
This is an outstanding personal account of T.E. Lawrence (also known as "Lawrence of Arabia") adventures in the Middle East during the Great War. His intimate journal not only describes his life and death challenges of organizing the multitude of Arab tribes to fight for the defeat of the Turks in order to gain an English foothold in the Middle East. But he includes his unique impression of the beginnings of English Imperialism over the region. If you're a political junkie and want a first source take on the birth of the Middle East conflict then you'll thoroughly enjoy this book. Lawrence contrasts the differences between the East and West attitudes on sex, family but especially the place of religion and God in both cultures. This is an important take on theses subjects in light of todays debate between the difference of Eastern and Western societies. With all this said this isn't a history book but a personal diary filled with a revealing account of his controversial rape after his capture by the Turks, and his shadowed statements on his homosexual experiences while "embedded" with the warring tribes. T. E. Lawrence reveals himself as a sensitive man who is struggling to find his identity as an Englishman who doesn't want to fit into the stereotype image of western stoicism and sexual prudism that is representative of the Victorian period.
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"Review"
by E.M. Forster, from the Readers Catalog,
"The revolt in Arabia against the Turks, as it appeared to an Englishman who took part. Round this tentpole of a military chronicle T.E. has hung an unexampled fabric of portraits, descriptions, philosophies, emotions, adventures, dreams"
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