![]() ![]() Of the biographies of Lawrence of Arabia, MacLean's, written in 1962 at the time of the film, must, I suppose, be seen as an attempt to capitalize on that frenzy. But still, if you are going to read one biography to your kids designed around a legend, saint, or mythmaker. MacLean's book came out the same year as Lawrence of Arabia the academy award winning movie (which suggests this was one of those books intended to surf the wave of interest generated by a popular film). Alistar MacLean is better known for his war novels like 'The Guns of Navarone' and 'Where Eagles Dare'. This is more literary hagiography than biography. Lawrence's work with Winston Churchill and the Colonial Office.Īgain, as a biography this is probably not where I would start for T.E. ![]() At the end, MacLean also ties the book off with a summary of the post-War years and some of the political results of T.E. But the book's real brilliance is in MacLean's depiction of the Capture of Aqaba, Battle of Tafileh and the Fall of Damascus. There is just enough wind-up with his early life, character, etc., and the history/geography of Arabia to insure the thrust of MacLean's small biography doesn't lose nonserious readers in a desert of Arab ignorance. Lawrence played in the Arab Revolt during WWI. It was a fun introduction to Lawrence of Arabia written by Alstair MacLean in 1962. (***1/2) Finished reading this with my kids, but I probably enjoyed it the most. ![]()
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