The Young T.E. Lawrence

by Anthony Sattin

An intimate biography of the years that turned T. E. Lawrence into Lawrence of Arabia. Lawrence of Arabia's heroism during the Arab revolt and his disgust at the subsequent betrayal of the Arabs in the postwar negotiations have become the stuff of legend. But T. E. Lawrence’s adventures in the Levant began long before the outbreak of war. This intimate biography is the first to focus on Lawrence in his twenties, the untold story of the awkward archaeologist from Oxford who, on first visiting "The East," fell in love with Arab culture and found his life's mission. Few people realize that Lawrence’s classic autobiography, Seven Pillars of Wisdom , was not the first book to carry that iconic title. Lawrence himself burned his original draft. Anthony Sattin here uncovers the story Lawrence wanted to the truth of his birth, his tortuous relationship with a dominant mother, his deep affection for an Arab boy, and the personal reasons that drove him from student to spy. Drawing on surviving letters, diaries, and accounts from close confidantes, Sattin brings a biographer’s eye for detail and a travel writer's verve to Lawrence's extraordinary journeys through the region with which his name is forever connected. In a masterful parallel narrative, The Young T. E. Lawrence charts the maturation of the man and the incipient countries he treasured, both coming of age at a time when the world’s foundations were coming undone. 16 pages of illustrations; 3 maps

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Travel, Middle East, Biography Memoir, Archaeology

336 pages, Hardcover

First published October 9, 2014

About the author

Anthony Sattin (1956- ) is a British journalist, broadcaster and travel writer. His main area of interest is the Middle East and Africa, particularly Egypt.

Reviews

[Nicole~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
What motivated an Oxford-educated archaeologist, obsessed with medieval history and architecture all his life, to band together the scattered, in-fighting Arab tribes (whose love for each other was as present as desert water) in the most audacious revolt of the Middle East? Anthony Sattin investigates the origins of this hero of the desert who, second only to Winston Churchill, is said to be the most written-about Englishman of the 20th century.



No doubt the unforgettable 1962 epic film Lawrence of Arabia based on his successful (some say exaggerated), hugely edited post -war memoir Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph helped spur the myth and the legend. On screen, an exuberant Peter O'Toole becomes Lawrence with the piercing icy blue gaze (a notable Lawrence feature), unifies the Arabs, charging fiercely on camel-back across the sands to crush Ottoman rule. Sattin reveals the young Lawrence wasn't so outgoing but a shy, peculiar, bookish loner.

He was the second of four boys born illegitimately to John Chapman and Sarah Junner who adopted the family surname 'Lawrence' in their common-law marriage. Sarah was the Chapmans' nanny whose adulterous affair caused John to abandon his first family. Thomas Edward, called 'Ned' in his youth, was a target of his mother's beatings, abuses stemming from her attempts to instill in him - like Carrie's mother - her strict religious beliefs, I suppose a sort of cleansing retribution for her past moral failures. His escape from the tumult would be led by his obsession for the medieval world and enthusiasm for its history. His bedroom walls were plastered with posters of armored knights, his head constantly filled with castles, chivalric romance and Arthurian legend, a consuming passion he never outgrew.
He was content to hang about isolated places, spend hours collecting brass rubbings of cathedral embellishments, gathering artifacts from old construction sites and piecing together fragments of pottery, glass or tile.

I love all waste and solitary places; where we taste the pleasure of believing what we see is boundless, as we wish our souls to be. - T.E. Lawrence quoting Percy Bysshe Shelley.

The great urge to escape his mother was realized in the summer of 1909 after it was suggested that he visit the Holy Land to try to settle once and for all the long contested question as to whether the pointed arch and vault were copied or developed from Eastern sources by the Crusaders, or whether it was they who taught their use to the Arabs. Once disembarked at Beyrout, Lawrence refused any sort of transport, opting instead to walk through Syria from one run-down castle after another, toting only the most significant essentials for the desert trek: camera, water bottle, Baedeker’s “Handbook to Palestine and Syria," German firearm. He was just a couple months shy of his twenty-first birthday. The journey inspired in him a fondness for the Arab culture and a deep affinity for the people, an affinity so deep in fact he felt disconnectedly alien in his English-ness.

Lawrence stayed four years using up his fellowship grant to fund archaeological digs at the Hittite remains at Carchemish, exploring the vast terrain, learning several Arabic dialects, and surviving experiences almost as adventurous and dangerous as the Arab revolt. Sattin suggests that Lawrence might even have learned strategies of guerrilla warfare during a visit to the mountain-based fort of the Assassins, a organized medieval mafia-type group of hitmen employed in the 12th century.

The dreamers of the day are dangerous men for they may act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible. - T.E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph.

Carchemish, ironically, is where the dreams of Lawrence's future as an archaeologist changed when he met a young Arab water carrier named Selim Ahmed, aka Dahoum whom he took as his assistant and through whom Lawrence more clearly understood Arab rights and politics of the Middle East. Sattin speculates that Lawrence's prime reason for engaging in the Arab uprising in 1916 was, not only his sense of patriotism, but his deep, platonic affection for the fifteen year old Dahoum ( Sattin argues why he believes this wasn't a sexual relationship in the book). Lawrence was devastated when Dahoum died from typhus, admitting it was the most personal factor which feverishly drove him in ' the Arab affair' : to win the war for his friend.

T.E. Lawrence, photo courtesy The NYObserver

I liked a particular Arab very much, and I thought that freedom for the race would be an acceptable present.

Is it that simple then, that for TE Lawrence the success of the Arab campaign came down to a romantic notion? I'm not totally convinced of it, but Lawrence would leave evidence of the deep-seated wounds of this death in a poem dedicated to Dahoum, published in the memoir of his great desert adventure, Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph

To S. A.

I loved you, so I drew these tides of men into my hands
and wrote my will across the sky in stars
To earn you Freedom, the seven pillared worthy house,
that your eyes might be shining for me
When we came.

Death seemed my servant on the road,
till we were near and saw you waiting:
When you smiled, and in sorrowful envy he outran me
and took you apart:
Into his quietness.

Love, the way-weary, groped to your body, our brief wage
ours for the moment
Before earth's soft hand explored your shape, and the blind
worms grew fat upon
Your substance.

Men prayed me that I set our work, the inviolate house,
as a memory of you.
But for fit monument I shattered it, unfinished: and now
The little things creep out to patch themselves hovels
in the marred shadow
Of your gift.

Lawrence and Dahoum possibly at Carchemish, photo courtesy Tumblr

Anthony Sattin's biography of TE Lawrence before the war is extensively researched and explains important aspects of the political struggles of the Arab people. His notes and resources are well documented in the book, including impressive photos of a young Lawrence family, an amazing sketch Lawrence made of the Crusader castle during his 1909 walkabout through Syria, posing with a fabulous Hittite artifact at Carchemish, and some early shots of Dahoum and Lawrence in Arab garb.

For further great reading of the Lawrence legend, I recommend:
Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph by TE Lawrence
Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia by Michael Korda
Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East by Scott Anderson
The Arab Revolt 1916-18: Lawrence Sets Arabia Ablaze by David Murphy

and without reservation if you haven't done so yet, watch David Lean's epic movie Lawrence of Arabia starring Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif and Alec Guinness.

[Chrissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

ETA: I want people to take note of this book. Hey, if I tell you it is a love story will you read it? Love of a place, a people and a man. The history is explained in a straightforward, easy to understand manner. You need a map or access to internet.

***************************

This book is a great accompaniment to Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia, which I also gave four stars!

It is well researched, balanced, and engaging. Three very important characteristics of a good biography / memoir. There are many quotes. If the validity of that quoted is questionable, the author explains why and gives counter arguments. Lawrence is quoted from letters and from his books (particularly Seven Pillars of Wisdom). Family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances speak of him. You see through his and others’ words his playful character, his humor and his determination. Here is a funny line: “With this, if I sat on the North Pole it would melt.” He is speaking of his heavy camelhair's mantle. The book leaves you with a clear understanding Lawrence's personality. I always want this from a biography. It is not enough for me to know just what a person has done.

The title is a bit deceptive. After a long introduction followed by a few short chapters quickly summarizing his family circumstances and education, the book then gives detailed, chronologically ordered chapters covering his travels and archaeological work in the Levant from 1909 to 1914. His early years of childhood are not covered. The main thrust of the book is the years 1909-1914.

His first travels in the Levant were on foot and they read as a travel guide. He is equipped with his trusty Baedeker. Soon you realize you are learning not just about the land, but also the culture and the people, just as Lawrence himself was learning and falling in love with a place and a people. These are the years that lead up to the Balkan Wars and finally the First World War. The First World War actually began with the two Balkan Wars. Fascinating if you enjoy history. The historical events are tied to his experiences both traveling and excavating at the Carchemish Dig in Syria, on behalf of the British Museum. You learn of the Hittite civilization. You meet up with Gertrude Bell, D. G. Hogarth, Leonard Woolley and Herbert Kitchener. Lawrence’s possible role in the Intelligence Services is discussed, as well as his homosexuality. His love for Dahoum, to whom his famed Seven Pillars of Wisdom is dedicated, is movingly told. The book only briefly covers the war, and not the years afterwards either. He died at the age of forty-six.

Lawrence did not get along with his mother. He was illegitimate, along with his other four brothers. Born in 1888, living in Victorian times, this is a stigma hard to comprehend today. The author did not make clear to me why he felt as he did toward his mother. Logically he should have felt an equal distaste for his father, but he didn’t. Why?

The audiobook is narrated by the author himself. I was extremely impressed by the narration. Wiki says: “Anthony Sattin is a British journalist and broadcaster and the author of several highly acclaimed books of history and travel. He completed a literature degree at the University of Warwick and an MA in creative writing at the University of East Anglia. His main area of interest is the Middle East and Africa, particularly Egypt, and he has lived and travelled extensively in these regions.“ I guess this explains why he is such a great narrator. Very few authors can narrate their own books this well. I am impressed with both the book and the narration.

If archeology, history and remarkable people interest you, then do read this book. I found it very good.

[George Ilsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at T.E. Lawrence in the years before the First World War — a period most biographies tend to skip over to get to the "Lawrence of Arabia" years.

Lawrence is an enigma and remains an enigma and yet Sattin here brings the reader closer than ever before. An excellent read.

[Jerome Otte · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clear, detailed and compelling history of Lawrence’s early life, up to Lawrence leaving for Cairo in 1914.

Sattin writes that Lawrence was well-prepared for his wartime assignment. He covers Lawrence’s family background, his complicated relationship with his mother, his complex relationship with Dahoum, how he gained a solid knowledge of the Middle East’s culture and language, and how comfortable he was around the Middle Eastern locals.

Sattin does a great job humanizing Lawrence. The book is very readable but the writing can get a bit awkward at times, and at one point Sattin assumes that the reader has to be told what the Crusades were. The book’s description writes of Lawrence’s “tortuous relationship with a dominant mother,” but this doesn’t amount to much; in the narrative Sattin describes Lawrence trying to maintain his privacy and reassuring her he wasn’t in danger; his mother was fairly tolerant or supportive of Lawrence’s decisions. He also uncritically accepts Lawrence’s claim that his love for Dahoum was his most immediate motivation for taking charge of the Arab Revolt.

A somewhat quirky but well-researched and well-written work.

[Nick Pengelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every so often you open a book to page 1 and know instantly that you’ve found a winner. The Young T.E. Lawrence is one of those rare books. Mr. Sattin has written a page turner – only you don’t want to turn the pages too quickly, because that will bring the end of the book closer. To my great regret I did finish it, all too quickly. One can only hope that Mr. Sattin will write more about Lawrence. Although there are so many biographies already, including the recent outstanding publications from Scott Anderson and Michael Korda, Lawrence provides enough scope for at least one more. Especially given the approach Mr. Sattin brings, intertwining accounts in Lawrence’s own words (including some Indiana Jones-like episodes I’d not come across), with frequent perspectives from those who knew him – I was especially interested in the accounts provided by Winifred Fontana, wife of the British consul in Aleppo. The book concludes with Lawrence’s move to Cairo at the outbreak of the War. Perhaps a sequel could focus on the period he was based there, before he rose to fame?

[David Dinaburg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Implied omniscience swirls around certain professions—doctors, lawyers, plumbers—and it can make it difficult for those laboring under the aegis of “being professional” to be actual human beings. Let’s not be silly; no one actually expects true all-seeing divinity. Adults seek the comfort and security of an authority figure giving them advice: a stand-in parent; an experienced guide. Expecting our doctors to solve every health issues after a single glance, or the plumber to have every piece of piping required to stem the flood is the unreasonable brand of succor the troubled or unhappy desires. When a professional—whom we pay to do something better than we could do ourselves—starts to hem and haw, the finely woven strands of self-delusion begin to fade; should we put our faith in this person, this embodiment of expected expertise? That fading of trust in the system is anathema to the certification bestowed by a professional degree; professionals are thereby unable to be hesitant about anything. Certainty, more than skill, is their craft and trade.

Beyond the realm of professionalism that suggests one should be more knowledgeable than the laity—into the real life that makes up a person’s day-to-day existence—one of the most difficult skills to learn is the ability to say “I don’t know” when, in fact, one doesn’t know something. Pushing past the surety training accrued during my years in graduate school is difficult for me; please understand that I am particularly bad at it, being a dreadful commingling of pride, ego, and instruction. So when I put into writing that I didn’t, before reading The Young T.E. Lawrence, actually know that the titular Lawrence, often referred to as “Lawrence of Arabia,” was a real person who did real things during World War One, it is more than mildly embarrassing. He isn’t a movie character either, nor was that character played by Charlton Heston—I was probably thinking of Ben-Hur or The Ten Commandments—but Peter O’toole. Also, Lawrence of Arabia’s first name was not, in fact, Lawrence. It was T.E., as in Thomas Edward. “Thomas of Arabia” doesn’t sounds as magical, but maybe that’s because, outside of my nephew, the first Thomas I can think of is a tank engine who hails from the Isle of Sodor. Which might be the exact opposite of Arabia.

This absolute lack of knowledge on my end makes it very hard for me to judge this book. There is nothing actually wrong with The Young T.E. Lawrence; the writing is unobtrusive and at times lyrical:

Kalaat es-Subeibeh, known as Nimrod’s Castle, was one of the strongest of the Crusader strongholds but it had long been abandoned, and when Lawrence reached it the following morning he found the inner courts choked with decades of brushwood and creeper. A different sort of visitor might have accepted that there was no way in, but Lawrence cleared a passage by setting fire to the undergrowth. ‘The owner was a little surprised but did not expostulate,’ he recorded, ‘as it was inaccessible to anything but a mountaineer or a spider. He had never got to it (entrance on the 1st floor of course, & the walls elsewhere still intact). It might have made a jolly bonfire from a distance, for there was a space of 30 yards square of old thorn trees.’ By the evening the owner was calm, the ashes cool, and Lawrence was able to inspect the castle.

And there are—as with almost every single nonfiction book I have ever read—really cool facts you can pick up if you do more than skim for bullet points and topic sentences. Bear in mind, I am not castigating you if you are a synopsis-skimmer, though I find my enjoyment increases exponentially when I enter a non-fiction book with no expectations:

He and Woolley had introduced a system to announce new discoveries at the digs: a small fragment was greeted with a single shot, while a large carved slab might be seven or eight. It was fun, and it kept the men motivated for there was kudos in being able to shoot off one’s gun, as Woolley remembered when one of the men came to announce that he was quitting work. ‘Effendim, I cannot stand it,’ the man told Woolley. ‘This season so much has been found, there is shooting every day — now it is Hamdosh, ping-ping-ping, not it is Mustapha Aissa, ping-ping-ping, now another, but for me not one cartridge since work started. I must go, Effendim,or else you must put me where I shall find something. Honestly, I don’t want baksheesh — don’t give me money for it; it is the honour of the thing.’

I taught myself how to slow down—how to stop skipping the descriptions to read only the dialogue in fantasy novels and start paying attention to every word as written—by fully reading every article in every issue of The New Yorker for years without ever reading the lede. Honestly, there is always—always!—a midpoint break where an unrelated subject is expounded and circuitously tied back into the main thesis with a kismetic grace that borders on sickening. I love it. It took me months to start reading the whole magazine; at first I only wanted to read about the topics I already thought were interesting—duh. But eventually I discovered that a story that purported to be about polar bears would discuss magnetic fields and then merge the two topics into a discussion of global circumnavigation; you never, ever knew what was going to be discussed in the article if your selection criteria were based solely off the table of contents. Each paragraph might bring something wildly new and wholly unexpected; now extrapolate that feeling of discovery over each new page of an entire book. Now across every book that has ever been written. Now you’re as excited as I am reading each and every word you read.

The desire to uncover new things—for new facts to be brought in up until the last word—was my impetus for finishing a book like The Young T.E. Lawrence; a book that, for me, simply holds no inspiration. I lack any awareness of the legend of Lawrence—the daring acts of a man made famous in his prime—so a book about his ante-mythic youth holds no hooks for me. That is not a fault of the text but a failing on my end—an inability to appreciate the hustle because I’ve never experienced the finished product. If you’re a fan of Lawrence of Arabia—or maybe just Peter O’Toole (or Charlton Heston, too—why not?)—uncovering the crucible what forged the young T.E. Lawrence into Lawrence of Arabia might be awesome. But if you’re like me, this book will be a strong lesson in admitting that sometimes you won’t be prepared for class. It is just not an entry point into the life of Lawrence of Arabia; if you don’t know the basics—the common knowledge—that the book expects you to bring in, you will at a serious disadvantage. It is often embarrassing to admit, but everyone has to start somewhere; only pride keeps most people from filling in the gaping holes that have been inevitably left somewhere along our educational paths. I know I have complained about authors being slow or repetitive before, but this book served to remind me that no matter how familiar I might be with the archetype of the archetype of the Hero’s Journey, someone out there is experiencing it for the first time. As it turns out, it is just tedious to know nothing when a book expects you to know something as it is when you know something and a book expects you to know nothing. Woe betide that author who tries to account for all potential readers. Without The Young T.E. Lawrence I simply would have never realized how little I knew—and still know—about the epic figure of Lawrence of Arabia; though I know rather more than most about the life of a young British man named T.E..

[Janet Deaver-Pack · Rating 5 out of 5]

T. E. Lawrence has had much said about his time urging the Arab tribes to unite under Prince Feisal, which made him a legend. Few of us know the details about what made him into the man who became that legend. Anthony Sattin writes about Lawrence from the time he was born, but concentrates on "Ned's" teen years until he joins the military. It's obvious that the author "lived" with Lawrence, his friends, and colleagues for years to write a book that shows such deep understanding of the volatile and shy personality having a sharp wit and a memory that could piece together two bits of Hittite pottery after having seen the first a year or more previously to the one he'd just uncovered at Carchemish. Having read Lawrence's SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM several times, I always wondered how Lawrence evolved into the famous warrior: Sattin's book brings Lawrence the man into much better psychological perspective, adding parts of letters sent to friends, family, and colleagues such as C. Leonard Woolley and David George Hogarth. This is an excellent book for anyone intrigued by T. E. Lawrence.

[Peter Brogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sattin condenses years of history into a detailed and compelling account of the formative years of a historic personality, blending the writings of Lawrence and his contemporaries with his own.

Sattin also weaves historical context throughout, providing enough information to inform of the geopolitical activity of the early 20th century and the ancient civilisations that Lawrence and his team unearth without distracting from the framing around Lawrence himself and how he became the figure he did. Despite being an account centred on the years that precede those that immortalised Lawrence, the book also retains a satisfying sense of completeness and narrative resolution.

Lawrence's skill with prose and poetry was formidable, particularly in capturing the beauty of the Syrian landscape and his respect for its peoples. I was pleasantly surprised to find this echoed in Sattin's own text: raw historical account is enlivened with descriptive language and examinations of personality and motive, resulting in a satisfying cohesion of styles and a rich account of events.

[Max Gwynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

a wonderfully gripping biography of T.E. lawrence's youth. where as other biographies focus on his role in the great war Sattin focuses on lawrence's childhood and upbringing. an inspiring biography charting a journey that would send lawrence soaring into the history books, legends and beyond.

[Bobby D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although less than perfect I simply loved reading this book. I have enjoyed collecting and reading T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) biographies and his writings (especially his letters) for years. It has been great to see a renewed interest in Lawrence and his legacy as we enter the 100th anniversary of World War I. For those not familiar with Lawrence (or perhaps only introduced by the great but inaccurate David Lean film with Peter O'Toole) I suggest beginning with a full biography of his life that details his exceptional military and political accomplishments in the Arab Revolt against Ottoman Turkey in support of Arab nationalism. And how that support was undermined by the French and British after the war insistent on implementation of more colonialism nation building with “the folly of the imperialists…repeated”. All leading to the disaster that is today's Middle East. (My suggestions would include, Prince of our Disorder by John E Mack, The Authorized Biography of T. E. Lawrence by Jeremy Wilson, or the recent Michael Korda book Hero, The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia. Or the new interesting book by Scott Anderson, Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East which contains several biographies in addition to that of Lawrence.) All of these include some information on Lawrence as a young man, his family and attraction to the Middle East.
So why then a book focusing on just the young Lawrence? This is a question Sattin even asked himself. His answer is compelling… he wanted to understand why Lawrence burned his first book entitled SEVEN PILLARS of WISDOM a month after England entered World War One. (Lawrence only saved the title for his masterpiece written just after the war which focused only as his memoir of the Arab Revolt.) And he wanted to learn what had prepared and motivated Lawrence for his unique role in the Arab Revolt. The exploits that earned Lawrence his immortality thanks in part to the media machine of Lowell Thomas.
Sattin does wander about in his narrative and from time to time inserts his analysis and opinions, yet he does a remarkable job of telling an adventure story, a coming of age story, and brilliantly along the way humanizes Lawrence. I felt I got to know and understand Lawrence better than ever before and that I think is the books true accomplishment. There are many stories included of his education and school friendships, his brothers, and relationship with mentors and the fear of and concern with his Mother’s approval. His relationship with the camel boy he befriends, Dahoum is fully explored and powerfully personalized without being sexual. Much of the book covers his years exploring Crusader Castles and as an archaeologist outside modern day Aleppo, Syria… Carchemish (an area that today being torn by a vicious religious civil war Lawrence predicted).
Lawrence will always remain an enigma to most biographers. My view is that he was born to live between two worlds… of two dreams of Crusaders and Knights and English imperialism and the world of dreams for nationalism and freedom. He became that true specialist problem solver studying because of a unique personal interest and passion which developed a usefulness in a War he had hoped would come and free the Arabs. Sattin adds to this the dreams of the personal and private.
Lawrence burned his first book because he thought he might be killed in the war. And something most personal was in his manuscript he wished to remain private especially from his Mother for whom he felt she would not have understood. The book is all that he burned. He did not burn his diaries, nor his thesis on Crusader Castles, nor his extensive letters.
He did not learn until two years later in 1918 that Dahoum had died most likely in Lawrence’s house at the Carchemish, Syria of typhoid fever in 1916. Lawrence always said that he had a personal reason beyond the military or political reason to lead the Arabs to independent freedom. The answer may be in the first lines of his poem written in the opening of SEVEN PILLARS of WISDOM for Dohoum. The gift of freedom was for Dahoum. “I loved you. So I drew these tides of men into my hands and wrote my will across the sky in stars. To earn you freedom, the seven pillared worthy house that your eyes might be shinning for me…When we came.”

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This brilliant insightful little book is full of new revelations that make even a jaded old Lawrence amateur like myself gape in wonder and appreciation. Having first battled my way through The Seven Pillars when I was about 12 (and yes, I was much too young to appreciate TEL's subtle and lovely prose) reexamining my childhood hero through new eyes was just agreeable but truly wonderful. If you want to meet the man hidden under the guise of Lawrence of Arabia, this is a superb place to start!

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a biography of the early life of the man who became known as "Lawrence of Arabia". It's very well researched and well written. I learned a lot and especially liked the archeological digs he was involved in right before WW1. He fell in love with the Middle East, especially Syria, and there were so many important finds of ancient cultures there. Reading about it made me sad when I hear about all the antiquities that are being destroyed right now by the Islamic State (ISIS.

[Kerry Hennigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having heard author Anthony Sattin talking about the topic of Young Lawrence on Dan Snow's History Hit podcast, I had to obtain a copy of his book. As a Lawrence enthusiast who carried his "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" with me through Jordan in 2009, I was excited at the opportunity to read Sattin's in-depth coverage of the fascinating formative years of T.E.'s journeys through the Holy Land, from Crusader castle to Crusader castle, and his archaeological excavations at Carchemish.

This story of Lawrence's years travelling and digging in the middle east concludes with his following his brothers into military service for Britain's war effort in WWI, a move which was to propel him - unwillingly - to the status of hero and legend. Sattin deals with the aftermath of that well-documented period of Lawrence's life, and provides fresh understanding of his reaction to the division of the "spoils" by the European powers at war's end.

Lawrence was, is, and will remain an enigma - but at the conclusion of Sattin's tale, I certainly felt I knew him better.

[Jeffrey Rasley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lawrence is such an enigmatic and interesting character, it is easy to be dazzled by him or to trash him. I think Sattin found just the right balance. Lawrence was a colonialist, and may be accused of the faults we find associated with European domination of other people and places. But he recognized the beauty of the local cultures he encountered and fought to preserve, protect, and liberate them. Lawrence was on the cusp of a new understanding of culturally sensitive development, i.e.,that Westerners can engage with other cultures in a mutually beneficial way. "We" can learn from "them" about values and knowledge we are losing in the West, such as the value of communalism and traditional medicines; and they can raise their standard of living through careful adoption of our advanced technologies.

[Andrew H · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a lot of disagreement about key issues in Lawrence's life. The Young T E Lawrence pre-dates a lot of the disagreement-- but one contentious point enters, namely the relationship between Lawrence and the young Arab, Dahoum. Sattin writes well about this, though does a meandering trek around the question of Lawrence's love of men. The book is finely written and usefully illustrated with photographs relevant to the author's analysis: a pity that it does not contain the drawings done of Dahoum. Sattin achieves a balanced and sensitive appraisal of Lawrence and the result is a book that is a delight to read and enter.

[penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of my knowledge of Lawrence of Arabia came from a dimly remembered but enjoyable movie I watched years ago. Then one day Sattin was a guest on the Empire podcast. After listening to him, I had a strong desire to learn more about Lawrence and Sattin. Reading this book was a must.

It did not disappoint, I enjoyed the writing style, the substance of research, and T.E. himself. I did feel like I knew him, and I understood him by the end. I set the book down and immediately began to wonder how much of our history is shaped by violent childhoods. In my opinion, the best books, in all genres, are the books that make you think about life and humanity.

[James]

Approachable and informative but somewhat lackluster. Every time I would go and look up a letter being quoted I found myself wanting to just keep reading TE's own letters rather than go back to this. TE before the war is so vibrant and sparkling but this book is like looking at him through a shade or only in a reflection, it never gets quite near enough.
And while I do appreciate that Sattin opens and closes with reference to his relationship with Dahoum, there are parts in the middle where the discussion of it borders of titillating, which I find frustrating.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I had read a complete and very comprehensive biography of Lawrence earlier this year, this book with its much narrower focus, concentrating almost entirely on the years 1909-1914, had a lot of interesting detail to add. An excellent and informative read.

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine, excellent biography covering Lawrence's early years - a period of his life not previously looked at in great depth - and one that helps illuminate the adult man. Well worth reading for anyone interested in Lawrence.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating “back story” of a personal favorite historical figure.

[Natacha Pavlov · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Imagination should be put into the most precious caskets, & that is why one can only live in the future or the past, in Utopia, or the wood beyond the World." - T.E. Lawrence

Oh, Lawrence—what to say about this amazing man?
As the author rightly states, most people know T.E. Lawrence through David Lean's 1962 movie showing his role in the Arab revolt. Enter this page-turner, intended as a prequel to the better-known exploits of Lawrence of Arabia as told in the post-war 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom.'
It's easy for me to now consider him a fellow 'medieval soul', what with his obsession with the middle ages and the traces left by the Crusaders. This inspired him to travel—often on foot—throughout the middle east in exploration of Crusader castles, which formed the basis of his Oxford thesis. (Also, one of the books he was to take to Arabia was Malory's 'Morte d'Arthur', which he reread during the Arab revolt.)
Just as fascinating was his eventual involvement in several archaeological sites in the region, as tensions escalated all around, culminating in World War I.

A worthy discovery of how this gifted young man found himself, and only deepened my affinity for this beautiful soul.

[Robert LoCicero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very intriguing volume. The author makes this journey through the early years of archaeological work in Syria by T.E. Lawrence quite absorbing and informative. Of course we are talking about the dynamic Englishman of World War I fame, Lawrence of Arabia. Author Sattin uses all means of original sources to present a full picture of this complex and yet finally tragic figure. From bicycle tours of France to walk-abouts in the Middle East investigating Crusader castles to several years of digs and rubbings at an ancient Hittite tell, Lawrence tested his physical and mental strengths and strongly influenced those around him. There is a wealth of information in this book and the writing style makes the acquisition of this information very enjoyable. The tale told never gets boring and the discussions of familial interchanges and political machinations of the pre-war and post-war will leave one wondering. If Lawrence's ideas for independent and assertive Arab states had been given proper consideration by the major powers after World War I could the tragedies of present day Middle Eastern conflicts been avoided. This is a fascinating story well told. There is much more to this man than the famous movie presents.

[Hans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly disappointed. I'll admit I was expecting something more along the lines of a "Young Indiana Jones" type book since T.E. Lawrence is obviously the inspiration for him. His life resonates with me on many levels especially his life of constant adventure and travel. The scholar, amateur archaeologist and even genius Military Tactician.

The problem with Lawrence is that his life has become wrapped up in so much legend that separating fact from fiction is incredibly difficult. He was an enigmatic and mysterious character with still obscure motives. The author tries to focus on his younger years because those years have more facts and less legend and his hope was that by focusing on the developmental part of his life the mystery that shrouds the adult T.E. Lawrence would clear. I think he accomplishes this part way but not completely. It still leaves you yearning to know more and understand the truth about him.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was excellent. Most of the book takes place during the time Lawrence was excavating at Carchemish prior to World War I. Lawrence had spent previous summers traveling by foot around Palestine and Syria as he was studying crusader castles. Carchemish gave him further opportunity to learn about the land, the people, the language. You understand more about him and how he became completely devoted to these lands and people and from this how he became "Lawrence of Arabia". I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Lawrence and wants to learn more about how he became a hero of World War I.

[pauline high]

Excellent book on Lawrence growing up and how his experiences led to his great passion for Arabia and his desire to give the Arabs their own land. Winston Churchill said of Lawrence ""I fear whatever our need we shall never see his like again." Before the war, Lawrence spent a lot of time in Aleppo, Syria and would have been horrified to see what has happened although probably not surprised!
"Do not try to do too much with your own hands. Better the Arabs do it tolerably than that you do it perfectly. It is their war, and you are to help them, not to win it for them" T.E. Lawrence. This quote used in the Military today.

[David G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely excellent biography. A compelling story, very well written, with no words wasted. Where the evidence is contradictory or equivocal, Mr. Sattin says so before sharing his own well-balanced judgment. This is an important book.

[Paul Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when you thought nothing else could be written about TE Lawrence this comes along. I enjoyed the book not only for Lawrence's story, but also for some of the other personalities who travelled in that region prior to World War One.

[Sarah Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had had no idea about the young Lawrence - so I found it fascinating.

[Mills College Library]

Biog L4232s 2015