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Product Description
Product Description
'The best life of Lawrence yet published' - The Express
Lawrence was a brilliant propagandist, rhetorician and manipulator, who deliberately turned his life into a conundrum. But who was the real man behind the masks? Lawrence began the GreatWar as a map-clerk and ended it as one of the greatest military heroes of the 20th century. He altered the face of the Middle East, helped to lead the Arabs to freedom and formulated modern guerilla warfare. Yet he refused any honours and spent therest of his life in near obscurity. Desert explorer and Arabist, Michael Asher, set out to solve this riddle and discovers a hero whose greatness owed as much to his weaknesses as to his strengths.
About the Author
Michael Asher is one of Britain's most prominent desert explorers. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and has won the Ness Award of the RGS and the Mungo Park Medal of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. He is the author of eight books including the acclaimed Thesiger, Lawrence and The Real Story of Bravo Two Zero. He now lives in Nairobi in Kenya.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
39 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Asher has produced a thoroughly researchen and eminently readable biography of one of the 20th centuries most enigmatic and complex individuals. Lawrence was a man of great fortitude and quality and Asher traces many of his strengths and weaknesses back to Lawrence's early life and education. What is evident throughout Asher's work however, is his clear admiration for Lawrence and his achievements. He has visited many of the famous spots and has included some visually stunning pictures of Arabaia and it people.
He succeeds in placing Lawrence correctly in his place amongst the tumult that was Arabia and gives credit where it was due. All in all it is a highly entertaining and well written book and well worth a read whether or not you admire Lawrence himself.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is yet another splendid book by Asher, with a very different and somewhat unique approach to biography writing. As with most of his books, Lawrence is well paced, thoroughly documented and displays an interesting understanding of and insight into the nuances of the character who was otherwise very troubled and complex.
Asher's approach to biography writing differs markedly from most other authors. The approach adopted in Lawrence is to base it on "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" and then build around that with supporting facts and material. Asher has been fortunate to have access to the family archives and personal correspondence of Lawrence thus enabling him to portray a better and clearer picture of the man as well as the haunting complexities of his character.
Uniquely, Asher combines this traditional approach to biography writing with then jumping on a camel and taking the same tour as Lawrence from the Hejaz to Aqabah and from there through Palestine and to Damascus, often in harrowing conditions. This allows Asher to reveal when Lawrence was likely to have been economical about the truth in Seven Pillars and probably put an interpretation on why that would not otherwise be available to other writers. The book is further brought alive by Asher's attempt to re-visit scenes described in Seven Pillars as well as interviewing descendants and relatives of persons who Lawrence met and dealt with. All fascinating stuff.
To enjoy this book, it is not a pre-requisite to understand the political back-drop to Lawrence's endeavours, though it may help. David Fromkin's "A Peace to End All Peace" is a very good comnapnion.
Asher's approach to biography writing differs markedly from most other authors. The approach adopted in Lawrence is to base it on "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" and then build around that with supporting facts and material. Asher has been fortunate to have access to the family archives and personal correspondence of Lawrence thus enabling him to portray a better and clearer picture of the man as well as the haunting complexities of his character.
Uniquely, Asher combines this traditional approach to biography writing with then jumping on a camel and taking the same tour as Lawrence from the Hejaz to Aqabah and from there through Palestine and to Damascus, often in harrowing conditions. This allows Asher to reveal when Lawrence was likely to have been economical about the truth in Seven Pillars and probably put an interpretation on why that would not otherwise be available to other writers. The book is further brought alive by Asher's attempt to re-visit scenes described in Seven Pillars as well as interviewing descendants and relatives of persons who Lawrence met and dealt with. All fascinating stuff.
To enjoy this book, it is not a pre-requisite to understand the political back-drop to Lawrence's endeavours, though it may help. David Fromkin's "A Peace to End All Peace" is a very good comnapnion.
28 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
michael asher in some ways retraces his steps following lawrences footsteps with his pursuit of the truths behind the bravo two zero sas patrol several years later.
Lawrences story is revealed well, and Asher seems to maintain a balanced and truthful narative throughout.
it is particulairly interesting when Asher trys to recreate and analyse some of lawrences greater exploits, as an ex sas trooper fluent in arabic and mounted on the back of a camel, he is fairly well suited to do so.
overall a very good insight into an amazing man and his part in a huge and formative chunk in the formation of the modern middle east.
UNsuprisingly its the politicians who come out looking like the real villians, whereas Lawrences reputation as hero comes out pretty strong.
Lawrences story is revealed well, and Asher seems to maintain a balanced and truthful narative throughout.
it is particulairly interesting when Asher trys to recreate and analyse some of lawrences greater exploits, as an ex sas trooper fluent in arabic and mounted on the back of a camel, he is fairly well suited to do so.
overall a very good insight into an amazing man and his part in a huge and formative chunk in the formation of the modern middle east.
UNsuprisingly its the politicians who come out looking like the real villians, whereas Lawrences reputation as hero comes out pretty strong.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Interesting perspective
I'm a big fan of David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia film and I wanted to know some more about TE Lawrence. Read more
Published 10 months ago by M. Saxby
The most insightful book on TEL to date.
Like Mr Asher, I've been fascinated by TE Lawrence ever since I was taken to see the film Lawrence of Arabia when I was a boy back in 1966. Read more
Published 23 months ago by J. Madden
Great Story-Telling
This book, first published in 1998, has been one of the best accounts I have read to date on 'Lawrence of Arabia'. Read more
Published on 22 Dec 2009 by Aussie Reader
Lawrence the Uncrowned King of Arabia
A very well researched book, though slightly heavy in some places especially the early years of his life during his trips abroad.
Published on 14 Jun 2009 by sapper
Great research unveils hidden elements to the uncrowned king of Arabia
A fantastic biography of an intriguing character. You get the feeling that because of Asher's bacground and military experience he brings a new understanding to the complex... Read more
Published on 4 April 2009 by W. Villiers-tuthill
Lawrence The Uncrowned King of Arabia
This book stands head and shoulders above so many written about Lawrence. It is well researched and provides a detailed analysis of him and the campaign. Read more
Published on 17 Feb 2009 by John T. Parry-jones
Here we go again...Another camelite dissecting Arab History
Mr. Asher proudly points out to the reader at the outset of his book that he has "covered 16,000 miles on camel". Read more
Published on 27 Mar 2006 by "outcast_saracen"
Brilliant
I am an unabashed fan of Asher and having attended a talk given by Asher on Lawrence in Hong Kong I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this book. Read more
Published on 19 Mar 1999
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