THE GOLDEN WARRIOR – The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia

Inbunden bok. Paragon House. 1993. 406 sidor.

Nyskick. Skyddsomslag i nyskick. –– ABSOLUT NYSKICK, oläst! – Se fler bilder! ––

During the 1920s in the aftermath of the Arab revolt against Britain, T. E. Lawrence gained global attention, both for his involvement in the Middle Eastern anti-imperialist movement, and for his vivid and sensational writings about his experiences.
• Following World War I, his appointment as an advisor to Winston Churchill nearly simultaneous with the release of an American documentary about the revolt further charged the T. E. Lawrence mania. Despite the emergence of a whole new set of problems in the Middle East, and fueled by the classic status of the epic movie Lawrence of Arabia, the T. E. Lawrence mystique continues to fascinate.
• Lawrence James’s acclaimed biography penetrates and overturns the mythology that surrounds T. E. Lawrence. With access to previously unavailable documents, James traces the sometimes spurious Lawrence legend back to its truthful roots, peeling back the layers of Lawrence's calculated public persona to reveal the gifted, tortured man behind the shimmering myth.

"Admirably balanced but occasionally suspect. – Attempts a straight academic biography of an extremely difficult subject. Notable historian Lawrence James provides relatively little original research or fresh insight, and his analysis occasionally grates. Nonetheless, he deserves credit for an intriguingly complex portrait of Lawrence.
• Despite his cynicism towards the "Lawrence legend," James scrupulously rebukes many critical claims. Addressing Phillip Knightley and Colin Simpson's accusations of pre-war espionage (The Secret Lives of Lawrence of Arabia), James argues Lawrence the archaeologist "would have found out nothing... not already well-known to the British government" (45). He also tersely dismisses conspiracy theorizing about Lawrence's death as "thriller fantasy" (495). Between this and his healthy skepticism towards Lawrence's own writings, James establishes himself as a credible biographer.
• The most interesting sections involve the Lawrence legend itself. James has a deep background in British history, and he does a great job placing Lawrence's fame in context. In the grim aftermath of World War I, James shows how much the English-speaking world needed a hero like Lawrence, who mixed traditional romanticism with modern "common man" appeal. He also captures Lawrence's complicity in starting the legend, and mixed feelings of its perpetuation. James ends the book with an overview of Lawrence's portrayal in biography and popular media, growing and mutating to meet cultural needs and the whims of biographers.
• Like other authors, James views Lawrence through his fantasies. Chafing at a strict but not unhappy childhood, the young Lawrence tested his physical limits, traveled abroad and plunged himself into foreign cultures. …"

–– GLÖM INTE ATT TITTA PÅ ALLA MINA ANDRA BÖCKER! –– Samma fraktpris oavsett hur många böcker du beställer! (Gäller inom Sverige)