With Lawrence in Arabia

by Lowell Thomas, Mitchell Stephens (Foreword)

In 1918, as the First World War ravaged the European continent, young American journalist Lowell Thomas traveled to the Ottoman Empire to report on the revolts breaking out as an indirect result of the savage European conflict. While in Jerusalem, he met and struck up a friendship with the infamous young British captain, T.E. Lawrence. Based on his travels and interviews with Lawrence, Thomas wrote the now classic With Lawrence in Arabia, the book that spawned the Lawrence of Arabia legend and served as the basis for the award-winning 1961 film of the same name.

Fantastically paced with equal measures of fact and adventure, Thomas narrates the exploits of the infamous British agent who against all odds managed to join several factious Arabian tribes into a single combat unit. With Lawrence in command, this guerilla force would go on to defeat the great Turkish Army and ensure the eventual demise of the previously impenetrable Ottoman Empire.

On the sweeping and the exotic Arabian desert that serves as the setting for this epic account, Thomas brings to life dozens of great historical figures including Emir Feisel, King Hussein I of Hedjaz, British General Edmund Alleby, and Lawrence, the enigmatic, “modern knight of Arabia.” With new forewords by modern explorers, this Explorer’s Club Classic edition of With Lawrence in Arabia is a must-have for every history buff and arm-chair adventurer.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Middle East, World War I, Classics, Military History

430 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1919

About the author

Lowell Jackson Thomas was an American writer, actor, broadcaster, and traveler, best remembered for publicising T. E. Lawrence. He was also involved in promoting the Cinerama widescreen system.

Reviews

[Tom Oman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was written by Thomas in his characteristic sensationalist style intended for consumption by the hysterical masses. He simplifies the people and events involved and often takes liberties in order to exemplify one trait or another. This book is not high on integrity or staying true to facts. It is written in an almost Gonzo style of journalism, running through the quick and dirty highlights of these exhilarating events.

Besides the fact that this book is not the academic authority on TE Lawrence and his escapades in the Middle East, it is an entertaining romp through a very exciting episode in history. I recommend it on that basis alone, as it stands unique amongst histories which can all too often come across in a dry and monotonous tone.

[Bubba · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was originally written in 1924. Thomas' grasp of ancient and medieval history is suspect. His description of modern Arabs often displays the prejudices of his era. He also hero-worships Lawrence. That said, he offers some very good first hand reporting on Lawrence and interesting descriptions of key battles in the asymetric and conventional sides of the Middle Eastern campaign. He also does some justice to Arab culture. Unlike most of the faculty I encountered in my Near Eastern studies program, I am not of the opinion that you have to throw out every pre-1979 work on the Middle East/Islamic world just b/c stereotypes existed then which are impolitic now. Should that be the case none of us would every read history.

[Conrad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lowell Thomas was obviously awe-struck by the shy and slender young Englishman, T.E. Lawrence, dressed as an Arab prince but if his book is tainted with hero-worship there is no individual in modern times more deserving of it. The exploits of Lawrence in uniting the many contentious Bedouin tribes of Arabia into a cohesive fighting force to overthrow the rule of the Turkish Ottoman Empire are staggering to say the least. Thomas captures the story of Lawrence's exploits in such a way that they read like a great adventure story. One cannot read this account without being infected by that same spirit of hero-worship - Lawrence was a remarkable man who helped to change the course of world history.

[Thomas Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of it is pure sensationalist, orientalist exaggeration, I'm sure. Much of the attitude presented by the book towards Arabs or the Turks is wildly out of date and reflective of the attitudes during the war. So that gets the book dinged a little book. The bigger problem is that Lawrence, despite much praise given to him throughout the account, also seems oddly missing through much of the book until the last third or so. This is fine, I suppose, since Thomas gives a lot of detail about Arabia and the Bedouins, and it reflects Lawrence's skill at "hiding behind the shereefs" but the problem I have is that after reading this book, it is clear that Lawrence was as enigmatic to Thomas (who was "With Lawrence in Arabia") as he continues to be to me. But I suppose this was a much faster read than trying to deal with "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom" and like I said, once Thomas begins to look a little bit more at Lawrence's feelings of failure after the war, the book gets a lot more interesting. And it's fun to see how much of this account actually made it into the movie!

[Max Nemtsov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ранняя попытка агиографии еще одного героя-одиночки, перевернувшего чужую для него культуру. На его примере хорошо видно, до чего может довести романтическая любовь к другому этносу. Нынешняя история таких людей отчего-то не выдвигает — так что дело, видимо, в эпохе, когда еще можно было играть в «великие географические открытия», хоть и сильно запоздало. Теперь это уже как-то затруднительно, да и крови требует, видимо, больше.
Хотя качество «военной журналистики» Лоуэлла Томаса таково, что «война в стране 1001 ночи» выглядит вполне «потешной» и скорее напоминает кинофильм «Большая прогулка». А может, англичане на Ближнем Востоке и впрямь воевали веселей — что, впрочем, крови не отменяет, хотя из пропагандистских соображений зверства немцев/турок Томасом выпячиваются, а про англичан/арабов говорится как-то вскользь. Но таковы уж правила игры пропагандистов: детали можно проверить по другим источникам, а канву в целом автор излагает верно (и лихо). А когда вспоминаешь, что результатом этой «джентльменской кампании» стал передел всего Ближнего Востока и создание, в частности, государства Израиль, картинка обретает замечательную неодномерность. Глубину же ей сообщает наше знание новейшей истории, включая Пальмиру, разъебанную внуками и правнуками партизан Лоренса.
Но контраст между бароном Унгерном и полковником Лоренсом все ж разителен при генеральном сходстве этих фигур. Поражает совершенная личная незаинтересованность Лоренса в плодах своих партизанских и национально-объединительных трудов — он «просто выполнял свой долг» верного имперца и вставать во главе исламской империи, судя по всему, не собирался. Получается, что несколько лет он мотался по пустыне отчасти из собственной прихоти и странного удовольствия, кормил свои вполне кабинетные фантазии и детские увлечения — любовь к археологии, среди прочего, — и реализовал интерес к до-наполеоновским военным стратегиям.
А как персонаж Лоренс замечателен (Питер О’Тул был хорошей находкой помрежа по кастингу, но изобразил на экране хуй-знает-что, а не полковника-археолога). Сейчас, повторюсь, видимо больше не делают таких людей, которые всю свою судьбу превращают в литературный сюжет. Как-то у них это получается.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this 1967 edition, Lowell Thomas added forty pages of brief biographical material concerning some of the men who served with Colonel T. E. Lawrence during the Arabian Revolt of 1916-18. He focused primarily on their career highlights and anything they had personally to say about Lawrence.

In his added forward, Thomas points out that the 1963 David Lean film "Lawrence of Arabia," although a cinematographic marvel, was a historical disaster and its rewrite and distortion of history to portray Lawrence was a "brutal travesty."

Thomas writes from personal experience having served with Colonel Lawrence. He writes in a clear, fast-paced narrative style as he relates one incident after another and in the process, demonstrates why Lawrence was such a unique and extraordinary person. The British commander, Viceroy Allenby gave Lawrence complete freedom and the resources necessary for him to get the many Arab tribes united to throw off the Turkish yolk and declare themselves a free people. To do this, Lawrence, an archaeologist by trade, lived like an Arab, dressed like one, traveled like one and displayed feats of stamina that surpassed that of the Arab sheiks and shereefs he was trying to influence and advise. As a result, he earned their undying respect and loyalty.

All in all, this is an excellent portrayal of "the Uncrowned King of Arabia." It is not a complete biography nor is it intended to be, but it does show a seldom examined aspect of the First World War that led to the downfall of the Ottoman Empire and hastened the Allied victory. Recommended to those who enjoy military history and to those readers who enjoy non-fiction.

[Abdulrahman Saggaf · Rating 1 out of 5]

بعد قراءة هذا الكتاب وسؤال ذوي الخبرة والاختصاص ومقارنة العديد من الكتب وجدت أنه كتاب مليء بالخرافات والأكاذيب والأساطير التي لا تدخل العقل

فهذا الكتاب يحاول أن يقول بأن الشريف فيصل بعد أن اكتشف أنه خائن للأمة الاسلامية أخذه التكبر ولم يتراجع عن أمره في اراقة دماء المسلمين الأتراك والتعاون في يد البريطانين وخروجه عن أمر والده الذي نهاه عن مثل هذا الأمر

ومثل هذه الأقوال الخطيرة الغير مسبوقة لم يشر الكتاب فيها إلى مصدر وحاول ترسيخ فكرة أن الأشراف خرجوا عن الخلافة الاسلامية طمعا في أموال الغرب وهذا الزعم من الأمور الغير مثبتة وكبار أهل التاريخ يقولوا بأن الأشراف مغرر بهم ومضحوك عليهم والا لماذا رفضوا معاونات الجيوش البريطانية في غزواتهم ضد العثمانيين ؟

عموما وخلاصة ما توصلت إليه من قراءة هذا الكتاب أن عنوان هذا الكتاب وخاتمته صحيحة جدا

فلورانس هو لغز حقيقي للجزيرة العربية

وحتى نتحدث عنه بصدق علينا أن ننتظر تلك الوثائق البريطانية أن تفرج جميعا وندرسها ونحللها وعلى الأشراف الهاشميين المعنيين بهذا الأمر أن يطلعونا على تاريخهم وما عندهم من وثائق

لا أنصح بقراءة هذا الكتاب أبدا فبه من الكذب ماهو مضيعة للوقت


=
رأي سابق
كتاب ممتع ينقلك لأدق التفاصيل وعلى ما يبدو أنه عبارة عن كتابين مدموجين
قام الدكتور الحسيني المعدي بترجمة هذا الكتاب ليملأ النقص العربي الذي يتحدث عن مثل هذا الموضوع المهم ويغطي الفترة الزمنية التي تتوه فيها العقول ولا تعرف شيئا عن الاستعمار والمستشرقين وضياع سلطة الدولة العثمانية في أراضي المسلمين وأسباب ضعفها
ما زلت أقرأ هذا الكتاب ومستمتع به جدا لدرجة أني أخشى أن أنتهي منه سريعا وأحاول الاطالة في قرائته

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lowell Thomas was one of those breathless sorts who was quite adept at putting himself into a good story. He was there, reporting on the Arab campaign, an imbedded reporter before the phrase came into use. Lawrence cut a unique swath of success in a war that seemed to create nothing but disaster for most commanders and their troops. His photographs and reports were a sensation and helped propel Lawrence into the public arena. This book, and Lawrence's own account of the Arab campaign in his book The Seven Pillars of Wisdom should be companions on the shelf for anybody who would seek to understand what has transpired in the Near East during the past hundred years.

[Czarny Pies · Rating 2 out of 5]

"With Lawrence in Arabia" (1924) by Lowell Thomas is generally regarded as the book that made T.E. Lawrence into a pop culture hero. Given that its goal was to turn a man into a myth, it is not surprising that it is filled with inaccuracies, omissions, tall tales and gross simplifications.
It cannot be said however that Thomas overstated the accomplishments of Lawrence. As the de facto military leader of the Arab Revolt (1916-1918) against the Ottoman Empire, Lawrence had been of extraordinary help to the main British Army led by General Edmund Allenby that expelled the Ottoman Turks from the territories currently when Syria, Jordan, Israel and Lebanon are now located.
Thomas makes it very clear at the start of his book he is writing as a propagandist. He explains in his forward that with the sponsorship of the American government, he had set out in 1917 "to help in the work of stimulating enthusiasm for the Allied cause." (p. vii) Thomas had the good fortune to arrive in the Middle East in time to see the British Forces under Allenby capture Jerusalem in December 1917. He then was introduced to Lawrence Arabia and accompanied him for several weeks on his campaigns. His team was able to photograph Lawrence and take film footage.
Thomas makes it clear that he never formally interviewed Lawrence nor did he become one of Lawrence's intimates. Similarly Thomas makes no claim to having interviewed Allenby but he does name a significant number of Allenby's senior officers as sources. Unfortunately Thomas was not particularly critical about what he was told as his book contains many highly improbable stories.
Of particular interest to me was that Thomas spoke with Gertrude Bell who like Lawrence spoke several Arab dialects fluently, was a member of the British delegation at the Paris Peace Conference and was in favour of the creation of strong, independent Arab nations in the Middle East. Thomas likely understood the political situation in the region far better than his rather loopy book would suggest.

After the war, Thomas used his material to create a public show or lecture that ran at Covent Garden in London for six months. Thomas also took his show to the United States, Canada and other countries in the British empire. Over four million people ultimately saw it.
Once the lecture series was concluded Thomas then wrote his book. Thomas however remained resolutely in the mode of the propagandist. Lawrence had an important legacy to protect. Lawrence believed that the Arabs needed strong aristocracies in order to control their tribal leaders. Through his influence at the post-war peace conferences Lawrence secured major gains for the Hashemite dynasity that had provided the political leadership for the Arab Revolt. (Thomas downplays the importance of Gertrude Bell who also promoted the Hashemite cause vigorously within the British delegation at Paris.) Hussein I, the leader of the clan, had ruled over the Kingdom of Hedjaz (a strip of territory on the western cost of the Arabian peninsula containing most notably Mecca) at the onset of WWI. Due to the intervention of Lawrence, Hussein's second son Abdullah become the king of Transjordania while Feisal the second son became King of Mesopotamia.
Thomas did not foresee how things would turn out. The Hashemite Kingdom of Hedjaz would be absorbed by Saudi Arabia in 1932. In 1958, the Hashemites would lose power in Iraq. Today, only Jordan remains under their rule As Thomas was writing "Lawrence of Arabia" in 1923, he believed that Lawrence through his promotion of the Hashemite cause had created a strong empire with staying power that would be of great benefit to the Arab peoples. Thomas' book makes for very strange reading in the 21st century.

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mean, sure. Great storytelling, great history. Boy oh boy I am not the target audience.

(p.s. movie adaptation was amazing!!)

[Jenny Freestone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lawrence of Arabia is one of the historical figures we’ve all heard of but don’t know why. I read this to try and remedy that. While I loved the author’s tone (he basically relates anecdotes about how weird and impressive Lawrence was as if to say “he’s so weird, but isn’t he so cool tho??” and the enthusiasm is infectious), he was clearly writing for an audience that was more familiar with WW2 Middle Eastern campaigns and affairs than is my 21st century self. If I hadn’t read a biography of Gertrude Bell (who I was pleased to note gets a few pages of admiring acknowledgement in this book) last summer, I would’ve had no clue at all what was happening and why it mattered. But still, it’s a great introduction to Lawrence by someone who actually knew, traveled with, and understood how and why Lawrence was brilliant, if a bit mad.

[Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had been my briefcase read for a while. Thomas wrote this before Lawrence's Revolt in the Desert and Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Thomas also created one of the first slide shows which he delivered to audiences around the world. It was this traveling slide show that made Lawrence famous and Thomas very rich.

While the language Thomas reads makes it an easy read, it is a somewhat cartoonish in its characterizations. Every Arab (save one) is a great fighter, of solid character, a good guy. Every British officer is a credit to the country. No one Thomas writes about is afraid, miserable living in a tent in the desert for years, gets dysentery, or is even argumentative.

On the upside, the description of some of the places is very interesting. The description of post-war Lawrence seemed more honest than the description of Lawrence of the big screen.

The other weakness of the book is that the timeline is not strong.

I very much like this edition. It has a very nice feel to it.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up at a rummage sale years ago and it's finally resurfaced on a long lost bookshelf. I remember reading it way before the turmoil of current day in the middle east. Back then I dog-earred a page where Lawrence said: 'The handling of Arabs might be termed an art, not a science, with many exceptions and no obvious rules ... Your success will be in proportion to your mental effort.' That was in 1924!! Not much has changed.

[Curtiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb story of the Arab Revolt led by Major T.E. Lawrence, as witnessed by correspondent Lowell Thomas. Numerous hand-drawn portraits and photographs convey the character of the war in the Middle East, and the personalities of the participants.

[Tricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes I grow weary of fiction..... this historical account of WWI in the Middle East is history that reads like fiction. FANTASTIC book.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lowell Thomas was an insightful writer. I enjoyed his view of the young Lawrence and also his interest in the Arabian people.

[Peter Henne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-written book, with a lot of good historical information (if you take it with a grain of salt). Lawrence complained that Thomas exaggerated his achievements for the purposes of spectacle, although I'm not sure which of Thomas' stories he didn't like. But this provides an interesting first-person perspective of the Arab Revolt by an outsider.

One major issue is the time in which it was written. It was still acceptable to make stereotypical, vaguely racist comments, about other cultures, and there's a lot of that in here. There's enough that it makes you question some of his insights into the Arab Revolt. But if you read it as a piece of evidence on how early 20th-century Americans viewed Arabs, it can be useful.

[Kelsey Dionne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I originally read this book because I found an old, enticing copy in a Dublin bookstore that had handwritten notes by previous owners dating back to the early 1900s.

There's an air of mystery and adventure in this story that, while likely exaggerated, amended or omitted in certain areas, still creates a stunning tale.

It's rare to find a story, especially based in factual events, that follows a heroic figure from his humble beginnings through his unlikely and unbelievable achievements. Whether or not all of it is authentic, noble, worthy, evil, or anything else, you have to admit that it's presented as a damn good story.

[Laura Brose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a much older edition which included in the back reprints of some letters to the editor written by Lawrence concerning the Western Powers' treatment of their Arab allies and fact that they did not act in good faith towards them in all instances. Some of this led to the Middle East being the powder keg that it became in more recent times. It is too bad that in spite of gaining some popular recognition (the book went through several editions and printings shortly after Lawrence's return to Britain) Lawrence's expertise was not listened to by the people who mattered in his lifetime.

[Mike O'brien · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book sucked. I stuck with it because I just lived where he worked his magic, but the book was more of an admiring report than a narrative of what happened. It's the only time in my life that I can say the movie was better than the book, and you know how slow and long the movie is? ... Well, try reading the book. Or rather, don't.

[Anaszaidan]

قرأته وأنا على أعتاب المراهقة، ولم أستمتع به حينها!. ولما أقارنه بترجمة كتاب جورج تينت (في قلب العاصفة) أجد فارقا شاسعا لصالح الكتاب الأخير.

لم أستفد من الكتاب سوى معرفة الأسماء والأحداث.ولكن أجد فيه غير ذلك. ولو رتبت الأحداث والأعلام على حروف القاموس لكان أكثر فائدة لي.

[Len Knighton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remember listening to Thomas' final newscast. I loved him on the radio; I have not loved him in print. This was the second book I've read by Thomas and both were disappointing. Too much superfluous material, in my opinion.

[R.W. Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this when the film Lawrence of Arabia first came out. Both inspired me to study T.E. Lawrence's life and then this lead to my reading the tracts, memoirs, and stories of other historical and contemporary guerrilla fighters.

[Kelv · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lawrence is large, unassuming contributor to ww1 and the fall of the Ottoman empire. The conception of a common goal, and the push towards it is memorable. It is unlikely a feat like this will ever be repeated.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

My copy of this book is actually the 1967 copy. It was my dad's. =)

[Fishsanwitt]

stamped

[Sean]

I found a 1st edition of this book (Sweet) hope the book show a little insight into the mind of the not only the T.E. but also the author.

[Michael Manzano · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found a copy of the 1967 edition with the new forward by the author discussing the David Lean film starring Peter O'Toole.

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introduction to T. E. Lawrence.

[David Butler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This title but not by this author.