Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph

T E Lawrence - universally known as Lawrence of Arabia - tells the story of his role in the Arab revolt against the Turks, a minor, diversionary theater of war for the British immersed in World War I, but a profoundly meaningful struggle for the Arabs. He draws amazingly evocative portraits of the principal players, and it is doubtful if anyone else writing in English has ever described the vast and beautiful Arabian terrain with such power of detail and such subtle shading. Not only a consummate military history, but also a colorful saga and a lyrical exploration of the mind of a great man. What has lent the book its lasting fascination is Lawrence's passionate account of the Arab people and of the Arab nation struggling to be born.