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56 of 59 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
War as epic poetry, December 6, 1999
This book stands alone in the history of military memoirs. The book as a literary achievement and the subject of the book as a personal achievement are both unparalleled. What Lawrence did in WWI - unite the Arab tribes in a common fight against the Turks - was remarkable not only because no one thought it could be done but also because it was done by a man with no power or influence beyond what he could inspire by his own presense. Lawrence, a scholar before the war working as a mapmaker for the British army, was about as far removed from anyone's ideas of a military hero as could be. He nevertheless did the impossible and that story, no matter who tells it, is as fascinating as any that ever came out of warfare. Equally fascinating is the book itself. A blend of truth and evasion, the book is told in a beautiful lazy style that suggests it had been thought out with the vast Arabian desert and ancient way of life in mind. It is helpful to have read another account of Lawrence's life, just to be sure of what is happening when he chooses to be vague, but the beauty of the writing and the insight of the keen intelligence from which it springs, is a great delight to experience. Even more amazing is to realize that after this monumental book was completed, Lawrence left the complete manuscript - the only copy - on the London subway and had to recreate it from scratch using just his notes. This is a remarkable testiment to both his focus when he needed it, and his tendency to be frequently apart from the real world. A remarkable man. A remarkable book. Unique and worthy to be read and enjoyed.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I'd feel less left out if it were less great, August 29, 2003
The is a book about men for men... About 7800 names appear in the book, half of them 'Ali' and all of them male. And it is in a way a glorification of terrorism -- at least terrorist tactics, albeit devoted to an arguably noble end. So I think I might never have read it had I not been urged on by a close friend...But it's one of those few books which has genuinely altered my perspective. I find I keep bringing it up in conversation. Whatever one may say about the veracity of the statements made -- I gather they are to some degree in doubt -- there is no doubt about the depth of Lawrence's character. He writes beautifully -- completely beautifully. The book is a sort of odd combination of psychology, history and fabulous anecdotes -- many of the best of which did not appear in the movie, by the way... Lawrence, of course, loved Arabia, and clearly had very profound reservations about what he did. He questioned the validity of involving himself in the future of the Arabs to the degree that he did. He clearly felt it might have future unforeseen consequences. And he spends a fair amount of time candidly exposing his own motivations and doubts. The picture he presents of the Bedou is generous. Nevertheless, it's hard not to be left with some sense of amazement at the extent to which diplomacy was necessary and the skill with which Lawrence was able to pull it off. Auda after being insulted on one occasion has to be physically tied down for a half hour -- otherwise everyone felt sure he would have killed several people. Such people in most Western nations are locked up. But what we throw out in this culture, Lawrence regards as material that he uses to create a sort of work of art -- some of Lawrence's reservations about his actions were rooted in an awareness that it was to some degree a form of self expression. So Auda gets untied and put at the head of an army composed of men some of whom he would otherwise have shot on sight. This is one of the greatest books I have read.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A view of warfare from a bygone era, November 1, 2005
I will echo the sentiments of previous reviewers in extolling the remarkable style of Seven Pillars...the detailed descriptions of the desert and the bedu bring the reader right into the book.
I was taken aback by the distinct differences between the book and the movie, even with having a good working knowledge of this era. For those who only know Lawrence from the movie, please read this book to get a more balanced perspective of Lawrence, and his role in the Arab Revolt.
What is not commonly known is that Lawrence did have his detractors, who also published their versions of the Revolt. Of note, Maj N.N.E Bray wrote "A Paladin of Arabia" about Leachman, who Bray believes Lawrence attempted to emulate; and also "Shifting Sands". By having read all 3 books, it might level the playing field, and ascertain some ground truth about a truly remarkable facet of WWI.
THis book is a must for WWI history buffs, and also for those who are interested in the emergence of the ARab Nationalist movement, and the origins of how the Middle East came to be what we know of it today.
5 Stars, an amazing read.
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