The Seven Pillars Of Wisdom
By T.E. Lawrence
Published by Jonathan Cape: London 1935 1st Edition (5th Impression)
"Thomas Edward Lawrence (1888 - 1935) was a British archaeologist, army officer, diplomat, and writer who became renowned for his role in the Arab Revolt (1916-1918) and the Sinai and Palestine Campaign (1915-1918) against the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. The breadth and variety of his activities and associations, and his ability to describe them vividly in writing, earned him international fame as Lawrence of Arabia, a title uséd for the 1962 film based on his wartime activities. After the First World War, Lawrence joined the British Foreign Office, working with the British government and with Faisal. In 1922, he retreated from public life and spent the years until 1935 serving as an enlisted man, mostly in the Royal Air Force (RAF), with a brief period in the Army. During this time, he published his best-known work Seven Pillars of Wisdom (1926), an autobiographical account of his participation in the Arab Revolt. He also translated books into English, and wrote The Mint, which detailed his time in the Royal Air Force working as an ordinary aircraftman. He corresponded extensively and was friendly with well-known artists, writers, and politicians. For the RAF, he participated in the development of rescue motorboats. Lawrence's public image resulted in part from the sensationalised reporting of the Arab revolt by American journalist Lowell Thomas, as well as from Seven Pillars of Wisdom. On 19 May 1935, six days after being injured in a motorcycle accident in Dorset, Lawrence died at the age of 46.
The Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence is a memoir chronicling the author's experiences during the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire between 1916 and 1918. As a British liaison officer, Lawrence played a key role in uniting various Arab tribes and leading guerrilla warfare alongside figures like Prince Faisal. The book blends military history with vivid personal reflections, detailing the harsh desert campaigns, the strategic sabotage of railways, and the cultural complexities of Arab politics. Lawrence's unique position as both outsider and trusted insider provides an intimate, often conflicted, view of the revolt's aims and outcomes.
More than a war memoir, Seven Pillars is a philosophical exploration of identity, loyalty, and imperialism. Lawrence wrestles with his divided allegiances—between his duties to the British Empire and his deep respect and affection for the Arab cause. His eloquent prose reflects a profound psychological depth, revealing the toll that war, deception, and personal ambition take on the human spirit. The work stands as both a historical document and a literary masterpiece, offering insight into one of the most complex figures of the First World War and the turbulent politics of the Middle East."
