Lawrence was deeply private, so it’s not a typical “I was born, I grew up…” autobiography. It’s a military memoir with sociopolitical commentary about a culture and people he cared about immensely. He made an effort to understand the people he fought alongside, and sometimes the language used is a little poetic. It’s not a straight autobiography, nor is it a strict military account. As much as I admire Lawrence and read several books about him, I found it a little florid at times and not an easy read.
For additional historical context, you may also want to check out Neil Faulkner’s Lawrence of Arabia’s War, and Empire and Jihad. There’s also With Lawrence in Arabia, which is a contemporary account by Lowell Thomas, an American reporter who traveled with Lawrence during the campaign.
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Lawrence was deeply private, so it’s not a typical “I was born, I grew up…” autobiography. It’s a military memoir with sociopolitical commentary about a culture and people he cared about immensely. He made an effort to understand the people he fought alongside, and sometimes the language used is a little poetic. It’s not a straight autobiography, nor is it a strict military account. As much as I admire Lawrence and read several books about him, I found it a little florid at times and not an easy read.
For additional historical context, you may also want to check out Neil Faulkner’s Lawrence of Arabia’s War, and Empire and Jihad. There’s also With Lawrence in Arabia, which is a contemporary account by Lowell Thomas, an American reporter who traveled with Lawrence during the campaign.