Seven Pillars of Wisdom is the autobiographical account of T.E. Lawrence - also known as
'Lawrence of Arabia' - of his service in the Arab Revolt during the First World War published
in Penguin Modern Classics. Although 'continually and bitterly ashamed' that the Arabs had
risen in revolt against the Turks as a result of fraudulent British promises of self-rule
Lawrence led them in a triumphant campaign which revolutionized the art of war. Seven Pillars
of Wisdom recreates epic events with extraordinary vividness. In the words of E. M. Forster
'Round this tent-pole of a military chronicle Lawrence has hung an unexampled fabric of
portraits descriptions philosophies emotions adventures dreams'. However flawed T.E.
Lawrence is one of the twentieth century's most fascinating figures. This is the greatest
monument to his character and achievements and formed the basis for the Oscar-winning film
Lawrence of Arabia staring Peter O'Toole and Alec Guinness. This edition includes maps
drawings by Eric Kennington and index of place names and a preface by A.W. Lawrence. Thomas
Edward Lawrence (1888-1935) was born in Wales and educated at Jesus and Magdalen Colleges
Oxford. He was commissioned on the outbreak of the First World War and in 1917 was officially
attached to the staff of the Hejaz expeditionary force under General Wingate. After the war
Lawrence was Advisor on Arab Affairs in the Middle Eastern Division of the Colonial Office. In
1927 embarrassed with the 'Lawrence of Arabia' legend he changed his name by deed poll to
Shaw'. In addition to this book of which Lawrence lost almost the whole manuscript at Reading
station in 1919 he wrote Revolt in the Desert (1927) and The Odyssey of Homer (1935) a
translation in prose. If you enjoyed Lawrence of Arabia you might also like Wilfred Thesiger's
Desert Sands available in Penguin Classics. 'I am not much of a hero-worshipper but I could
have followed T.E. Lawrence over the edge of the world' John Buchan author of The Thirty-Nine
Steps
