Listening to stories of wars has always been tantalizing, no matter when they happened. Thomas Edward Lawrence or T.E. Lawrence as he is popularly known gives us almost an experience of being a part of the turbulence in the middle east during the First World War. It encompasses autobiographical presentation of Lawrence during the Arab revolt against the Turks during this time. General Middle Eastern and military history, politics, adventure, and drama are beautifully woven with choice of words giving this book a magnetic response.

Lawrence, though a soldier representing the British Forces of North America, had associations with Wadi Rum now a part of Jordan, a middle-eastern country. This book elaborates his dramatic experience during the attacks that he brought about on the Ottoman forces from Aqaba in the south to Damascus in the north.

This book had been referred to as “hero’s Manuscript” by National newspapers even when it’s just first draft was read out and not even come to the stands and its manuscript was lost. His depiction of Arab culture is exhilarating and takes you to the time at the same time not losing the connection with the present.

He had written a book prior to the First World War, which had the same title, that was about seven cities of the middle east. This book did not materialize then and was rewritten with the same title, however, it is all the more remarkable to read it after understanding this previous book as it shows his fascination about cities, which he later saw being destroyed during the war. This book covers the humiliating acts of cruelty and revenge of people who ended in corpses in a virulent hospital in Damascus. It is a story of a hero, who not only brought the wartime to us but was molded by events when he was shaping them.

We can re-visit this tale of action, politics, and adventure whenever we think impossible is a word. LISTEN TO LAWRENCE…!