A Prince of Our Disorder: The Life of T. E. Lawrence (Paperback)

by John E. Mack (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Some years after the Arab Revolt, Faisal was asked to discuss the role of T. E. Lawrence in the war. "Lawrence?" he said, "He was a genius, of course, but not for this age. . . . A hundred years hence, perhaps two hundred years hence, he might be understood; but not today." John E. Mack's treatment of this perplexing, larger-than-life figure is frank in its admiration for a man whom he sees as not just a "hero" but also a "saint." Knightley and Simpson's 1970 Secret Lives of Lawrence of Arabia, which was based on newly released private papers and government documents, purported to expose Lawrence as a tool of British imperialism in the Mideast who quite simply hoodwinked the Arabs. That book also dwelt on Lawrence's sexual preferences, revealing the disturbing details of his flagellation disorder for the first time. Mack, a depth psychologist, finds rather that Lawrence used the British to aid the Arabs. He further marshals the biographical data into an argument for an unusually gifted, almost superhuman Lawrence obsessed from childhood with performing a great task: a need to imitate his boyhood idols from chansons de geste by freeing a people. While Knightley and Simpson have it that Lawrence's penitential self-abasement in the RAF ranks was justified, Mack contends that his conscience was overdeveloped, citing his shame over his illegitimate origins and early religious training. Above all, he considers his achievement so astounding that it transcends the accusations of his many detractors. Faisal's assessment seems most apt. If Mack's psychological detection intensifies the mystery, his subtly layered portrait only increases our fascination with this most bizarre 20th century legend. (Kirkus Reviews) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
A hugely admired, and Pulitzer prize-winning, biography which concentrates on the relationship between Lawrence's inner life and the actions and events which grew out of them. It is easy to warm to a biographer who, while drawing on his training as a psychiatrist, is never deceived into thinking that theory can 'explain' his Lawrence. The more Mack discovered about the social contexts of Lawrence's actions and the demands on a public man, the more he understood Lawrence's psychology. The result is a resounding confirmation of this approach to his subject.
--Desmond Christy (The Guardian )

We are not likely to get as thorough and judicious a biography of T. E. Lawrence for some time. (New York Times Book Review )

A great book which honors its subject, its form, and its author. (Boston Sunday Globe )

Mack's handling of this information is a model of sensitive psychoanalytical expertise. (Newsweek )

Takes us closer to the core of Lawrence than any previous biography. (Time )

Unlike many 'psycho-biographies', this was written by a trained psychologist who had also done his biographer's homework: it remains the best biography of T.E. Lawrence. (Contemporary Review )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 624 pages
• Publisher: Harvard University Press (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0674704940
• ISBN-13: 978-0674704947
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #436,465 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Almost as eloquent as Lawrence himself, August 18, 2004

By	R. ARANT "toun" (Lanesville, Indiana USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dr. John Mack's study of Lawrence is one of the most absorbing reads I've ever enjoyed in my lifetime. As Irving Howe wrote, "What finally draws one to Lawrence, making him not merely an exceptional figure, but a representative man of our century, is his courage and vulnerability in bearing the burden of consciousness." The impact that the trial by fire in Arabia appears to have had on his post-war life is shocking, and teaches us once again not to envy our great heroes. Lawrence wrote of General Allenby that great men cannot be judged by ordinary standards, anymore than the sharpness of the bow of an ocean liner can be judged by the sharpness of a razor. After reading "A Prince of Our Disorder," I recognize now that Lawrence was probably thinking of himself while writing those kind words about his former master, asking that he not be be judged by his hidden afflictions, torments, and self-doubts, all the while laying out those same imperfections for all the world to read. Lawrence warned us,"The documents are liars ... No man ever yet tried to write down the entire truth of any action in which he has been engaged." No man is truly capable of understanding his own subconscious motivations, but I doubt that anyone has ever struggled harder than Lawrence to achieve self-understanding. We will have to try to read between the lines, learn what we can, and apply that knowledge to enrich our own poor lives.

So sad for all of us that our leaders are not of the same introspective type. Dr. Mack comments in his introduction that "The destructive leader, and the eagerness of a large segment of the population to identify with him, comprise one of the central threats -- if not the greatest threat -- that faces human society. There is perhaps an increasing unwillingness to entrust our well-being and our lives to individuals and characters we do not understand and whose ultimate purposes we are ignorant of." Let's hope so.

Jeremy Wilson's massive biography "Lawrence of Arabia" may better satisfy military readers interested in extensive contemporary document citations, and includes much more detail on Lawrence's Cairo years. Wilson also has a better set of photographs. The 1922 Oxford full text of "Seven Pillars of Wisdom," edited by Jeremy and Nicole Wilson and available from Castle Hill Press in the UK, is most highly recommended to all who find "T.E.L." fascinating.

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We Will Never See Its Like Again, January 9, 2004

By	Gill (London, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Prince of Our Disorder: The Life of T.E. Lawrence (Paperback)

For years, I have studied the life and works of T. E. Lawrence. My research has lead me across the pages of hundreds of books including his own Seven Pillars of Wisdom, but the best biography and analysis of Lawrence I have yet encountered is A Prince of Our Disorder.

Dr. Mack's thorough examination and explanation of the effect of Lawrence's childhood on his adult life and mentality is brilliant. Instead of merely stating his opinions, he touches on those of other biographers as well and then proceeds to state how and why he feels they are accurate or inaccurate, providing quotes from military reports, other Lawrence books, interviews with Lawrence's relatives and friends, and Seven Pillars of Wisdom.

If you read A Prince of Our Disorder, I can almost 100% gaurantee that you will have a better understanding of Lawrence's personal role in the Hejaz Campaign and the lasting effects of his experiences in Arabia on him physically and psychologically. Thankfully, it is beautifully written, and not at all confusing.

From the moment Mack "introduces" you to Lawrence you will have a desire to learn more about him, and as Mack walks you through his troubled life, you will feel pity and awe for this untouchable man.

I think that A Prince of Our Disorder clarifies the line between the legend of the indestructable, hero-Lawrence and the lost, soul-searching man Lawrence really was.

66 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best on Lawrence, May 14, 1999

By	Bill Butler (Tarzana, Ca. USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

In my opinion, this is the very best biography on Thomas Edward Lawrence. Brillantly written. Beautifully researched. A truly in-depth study of a very great man. Another biogragraphy, a very good one in fact, simply leaves out Lawrence's sado-masochistic proclivities when he joined the ranks after his departure with Churchill. This is the very best. And the author put such hard work into it that it is amazing. It's a masterpiece. My only criticism of this book is that the author definitely dislikes the film version of Lawrence's escapades in Arabia beacause it supposedly portrayed him as a bloodthirsty maniac. Yet in Lawrence's "Seven Pillars of Wisdom", he did state that we killed and killed and killed as was displayed in the movie. So, whether true or not, that's history. Nevertheless, this is and will probably be the definitive book on Lawrence. Mack put so much effort into this work that I believe this will outrank all future attempts. Very well-written. And despite Mack's pschiatric inquirie's into Lawrence's nature, they don't diminish the book in any way. So may biographies have been ruined by psychiatric interpretations. This book is not one of them. And the author writes compassionately and truthfully so that you know you would like the biographer if you met him on the street. A rare biography that is both user-friendly and very deep. A difficult task indeed. And their is ample evidence that Lawrence had sexual sado-masichistic tendencies after his torture by the Turks. The author does not dispare us of Lawrence's faults in anyway. Yet we are still left with the portrayal of a kind, compassionate, man who was indeed, selfless. A great biography about a great man.