Seven Pillars of Wisdom
"The Seven Pillars of Wisdom (posthumous trade edition 1935, with subsequent editions since) remains one of the few 20th-century works in English to make epical figures out of contemporaries." — Britannica
FIRST TRADE EDITION of Lawrence's remarkable memoirs of the Arab Revolt.
"Lawrence had taken part in the preliminary planning of the Arab uprising and, in October 1916, was ordered to Jiddah to assess the military situation. What followed is recorded in Seven Pillars of Wisdom, a personal, emotional narrative of the Arab revolt in which Lawrence reveals how by sheer willpower he made history. It was a testimony to his vision and persistence and a fulfilment of his desire to write an epic which might stand comparison in scale and linguistic elegance with his beloved Morte d'Arthur and C. M. Doughty's Arabia deserta. Subtitled ‘A triumph’, its climax is the Arab liberation of Damascus, a victory which successfully concludes a gruelling campaign and vindicates Lawrence's faith in the Arabs. In a way Seven Pillars is a sort of Pilgrim's Progress, with Lawrence as Christian, a figure sustained by his faith in the Arabs, successively overcoming physical and moral obstacles" (Dictionary of National Biography)
London: Jonathan Cape, 1935. Quarto, original cloth, original dustjacket, 54 black & white illustrations; 4 folding maps. Book fine; dust jacket in excellent condition with a little wear at spine ends and light discoloration at tail of spine.
Check Availability:
P: 212.326.8907
E: info@manhattanrarebooks.com