Lawrence and the Arabs

By: Robert Graves

Narrated by: Joseph Porter

T. E. Lawrence began his lifelong affair with the Middle East as a student at Oxford, taking a four-month walking tour of Syria to study the Crusaders' castles. He later returned to the area as an archaeologist and was attached to British Army Intelligence in Egypt at the outbreak of World War I. In 1916, he set out on his greatest adventure: with no backing, Lawrence joined Arab forces facing almost insurmountable odds in a rebellion against Turkish domination. His brilliance as a desert-war strategist made him a hero among the Arabs and a legend throughout the world, earning him the moniker "Lawrence of Arabia." But his near-pathological dislike of publicity led him to a life of self-imposed obscurity as T. E. Shaw, anonymous RAF soldier. This is the official biography of a unique leader of men whose larger-than-life presence still echoes.©1955 Robert Graves (P)1998 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[Mr. Graves] has done his job admirably and without any too obvious excesses of hero worship." ( New Statesman)
"[Readers] will consult Mr. Graves for information about this man." ( New Republic)

a more accessible version of the seven pillars

The foundation of modern Arabia and the influence of WWI and a person of honour.

Great in every way.

More than a biography - a look at a special (not sure I would call him great) human being and an interesting time and place.

LOA is one of my favorite movies, but Graves adds so much depth and insight

Highly recommend

An Extraordinary Complex Man

Written by a friend of Lawrence of Arabia who was also a complex educated man who was a prolific author. Has many interesting tales of Lawrence of Arabia.

History outpaces fiction every time

Remarkable man for a remarkable time amd place. The real story better than fictionalized accounts. Well read story...good narration. book written in '27 I think, so I loved the characterizations of the various peoples from a truly (well, almost) 19th Century framing.

Fascinating

Never a dull moment. Valuable to have a map at hand, though. Reader strikes the perfect tone.

Unbelievable!

Simply unbelievable. The most amazing epic of our time. The excellent narration is accurate and personal. I am going to have to listen to it again.

A lot of ego and concern about fame

What could have been a really good story seemed heavily burdened by a constant striving of the author to make Lawrence seem to be a celebrity.
( "He is the most interesting living Englishman." )
The fact that the author was personal friends with Lawrence creates too much bias.
Also the author's voice is condescending and somewhat nagging.

remarkable book

about a remarkable man. invaluable insight into the arab nation. such a unique and driven person

Dated but Excellent...

Where does Lawrence and the Arabs rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This work ranks near the top of the audiobooks I have listened too this year.

Any additional comments?

My review at Goodreads: Although somewhat dated, a very enjoyable biography of T.E. Lawrence and his work with the Arabs. I coming to believe if those dividing up the spoils of World War I had listened to Lawrence many of the issues we face today in the world would have come to a head sooner and be done with. Overall excellent work for 1920's...

A fascinating account of a remarkable man’s life during wartime

While long on detail of accounts of various battles against foes on both sides of the lines of battle, the details are there to reveal T.E. Lawrence’s very complex character through his actions and interactions. If you want to know the man, study what he does.

Secondarily it goes a long way towards explaining the roots of the conflicts that have gripped the Middle East for the past century.

But more than that, Robert Graves is a wonderful, drily witty writer and story teller. If you have read and enjoyed his novels “I, Claudius” and “Claudius The God”, you’ll enjoy “Lawrence and The Arabs”.