|
|
Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph (Paperback)
by T. E. Lawrence
| Category:
Historical, Middle East, Saudi Arabian history, World War I |
| Market price: ¥ 218.00
MSL price:
¥ 198.00
[ Shop incentives ]
|
| Stock:
Pre-order item, lead time 3-7 weeks upon payment [ COD term does not apply to pre-order items ] |
MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
The monumental work that assured T.E. Lawrence's place in history as "Lawrence of Arabia." A real masterpiece. |
| If you want us to help you with the right titles you're looking for, or to make reading recommendations based on your needs, please contact our consultants. |
Detail |
Author |
Description |
Excerpt |
Reviews |
|
|
|
Author: T. E. Lawrence
Publisher: Anchor
Pub. in: June, 1991
ISBN: 0385418957
Pages: 784
Measurements: 8 x 5.3 x 1.8 inches
Origin of product: USA
Order code: BA00993
Other information: ISBN-13: 978-0385418959
Language: American English
|
|
Rate this product:
|
|
- Awards & Credential -
One of the most famous works written about World War I and Arabian history. |
|
- MSL Picks -
This is one of the great books of the 20th century. That it could be written at all is almost a miracle in itself. Take a brilliant Oxford student trained in the old classical tradition, place him in the Arabian desert as advisor to the wild Bedouin tribesmen during their revolt against the Turks and have him write with an acute sensitivity and unparalleld insight into what was transpiring before him and you may have some notion of what the book is like.
It's a long book. You will learn a great deal about blowing up a railroad bridge in the desert, about camel rides, thirst, and hunger and the heroism and brutality of war. The portraits of Sheik Auda, Sherrif Ali and Prince Faisal of the two Arab boys who Lawrence takes under his wing are masterpieces in and of themselves. The nobility and savagery of the desert tribesmen contrasted with the cold stoicism of the British and the inculcated cruelty of the Turks are just some of themes addressed during the course of the work. There are brilliant passing insights as to the Semitic inspiration for all the revealed religions and their relation to the desert beautiful descripitions of the terrain the weather and the obstacles encountered. When Lawrence says that from the beginning he believed the Arab revolt would succeed because it grew out of a sympathetic population was opposed by a modern army that could not garrison the territory occupied one wishes that President Bush had read it instead of just seeing the movie.
Read it yourself.
(From quoting John Barone, USA)
Target readers:
Readers who are interested in WWI, Arabian history and fine biographies and memoirs.
|
|
- Better with -
Better with
German Boy: A Child in War
:
|
|
Customers who bought this product also bought:
|
|
This is the exciting and highly literate story of the real Lawrence of Arabia, as written by Lawrence himself, who helped unify Arab factions against the occupying Turkish army, circa World War I. Lawrence has a novelist's eye for detail, a poet's command of the language, an adventurer's heart, a soldier's great story, and his memory and intellect are at least as good as all those. Lawrence describes the famous guerrilla raids, and train bombings you know from the movie, but also tells of the Arab people and politics with great penetration. Moreover, he is witty, always aware of the ethical tightrope that the English walked in the Middle East and always willing to include himself in his own withering insight.
(From quoting Amazon.com)
|
| View all 6 comments |
George Coppedge (MSL quote), Czech Republic
<2007-10-14 00:00>
This is one of the most famous books written about World War I, and it also perhaps represents the most unusual story. T.E. Lawrence, i.e. the same Lawrence of Arabia of 1960's technicolor fame played by Laurence Olivier, had spent his early adult years living in Syria and was unusually fluent in Arabic. When WWI broke out, he had a rare combination of skills that lay fallow until he was appointed as British liaison to Prince Feisal to support the Arab Revolt in the Hejaz against Turkey in 1916. There was probably no other single more auspicious personnel appointment in the Middle East than this one.
With his Arabic fluency, appreciation of Beduin culture, and his rare energy and drive, Lawrence was absolutely unique in his ability to envisage and help lead the Arab Revolt. Time and time again he restored hope to Feisal and and Arab tribal chieftains with British encouragement and material backing. But even more than this, he personally led countless sabotage and military missions against Turkish railway communications and key positions, e.g. Akaba, Wejh, etc.
He alone among British officers in the Middle East seems to have understood the fundamentals of guerrilla warfare - hit and run, propaganda, recruitment, plunder. Along with Feisal, he understood the absolute necessity of securing local chieftains' support and participation in their guerilla operations. (These are lessons American and British commanders currently in Iraq should consider. Informants during the Arab Revolt were especially dangerous in defeating guerrilla activities. Also, ongoing tribal conflicts often prevented combined attacks on the Turkish occupiers.)
In fact, with Lawrence's charisma and near continual stream of successes he receives a steady flow of personal adherents who become his bodyguard force, towards the end of the war numbering over 90 persons. The book also explicitly describes his capture, torture, and escape in Deraa. But the vast majority of the book vividly captures his personal experiences during his continual travels across the expansive and geographically-varied Arabian peninsula.
The book is not so much a historical narrative of the Arab Revolt as it is a personal narrative, by turns descriptive, poetic, anthropological, and philosophical. And although the book is generously complemented by numerous portraits of the 100+ personalities mentioned in the book, I found it difficult to remember each person's background and significance. Likewise, although there are a few maps in the book I had a great deal of trouble following his journeys on those maps. Finally, despite that a few chapters are written in high poetic style the majority of the book is easily read and comprehensible. An excellent adventure book with a truly unique story! |
Eduardo (MSL quote), Barbados
<2007-10-14 00:00>
I read this book after visiting Turkey and Jordan some years ago and was bedazzled by it in every respect. A remarkable military campaign, the extremely complex Lawrence and the account of WWI with the historical figures Ataturk, Feisal, Allenby etc. The victory of the Arabs and the British, with all the military daring and intrigue is one of the most amazing stories of the war. That Lawrence just happened to be a literary giant as well and could write as intensely well as perhaps any other 20th C English writer (that I know) is one of those strange coincidences that defies probability.
The book was all the more enjoyed for having explored Jordan (and Wadi Rumm in particular on foot) and for some chance encounters with bedouin there in the middle of nowhere. A different way of life that still survives in some parts.
The movie "Lawrence of Arabia" is based on the book, but is just a visually stunning film, but has no complexity. Admittedly I haven't seen all of it, but I would rather read the book again. |
P. Turner (MSL quote), USA
<2007-10-14 00:00>
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. |
B. J. Pruett (MSL quote), USA
<2007-10-14 00:00>
I first read this book in the early 1960s and because of it T. E. Lawrence became my favorite author. And after all of these years he still is. It's not a frivolous book; the writing does demand your attention and effort. The book is full of adventure, humor, history, analysis, and biographical insight of Lawrence and the Arabs and their life. And as other reviewers have noted, much of this book helps people understand the Arabic situation today.
No writer has ever provided a better psychological analysis or been more clear and honest about his strengths and weaknesses than T.E. Lawrence himself. Read what he wrote before you read what others have written.
A number of good reviews of this book have already been written here so I won't repeat their commentary. Just let me say that to really understand this book, it does help to have a useful background about TEL and his life. "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" represents only a couple of the early years in his adult life, yet those years strongly impact the rest of his life in many ways(approximately another 15 years). And, conversely, it's also true that the life he led after his Arabian adventure influenced the way he told the story of his experiences. The quickest way for readers to acquire this necessary background is to visit "TELawrence.net," a web site dedicated to placing all of T. E. Lawrence's writings online. The full text and publishing history of "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" and his other books, translations, and writings are there, as are approximately 700 of his letters, with many more to be added. It brings together in a searchable website all of T.E. Lawrence's published works and letters that went out of British copyright on 1 January 2006. In addition, UK copyright still covers writings by Lawrence that were first published after January 1, 1956. While the text of these writings cannot be posted, this site will tell you what they are, where to find them, and will identify them; each cite will include page references in the chronological and alphabetical contents lists. |
View all 6 comments |
|
|
|
|
