Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East

In Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East Scott Anderson takes a look at the enduring legend of T.E. Lawrence, probably one of the few authentic heroes to come out of the First World War.  For a conflict known for its mass anonymous slaughter, Lawrence appeared to be a figure from another age.  Riding with Arab horsemen or on camels, his myth harkened back to an earlier age of warfare.

But Anderson quickly disabuses us of this notion. Lawrence was a complex man, by turns kind and cruel, affectionate and aloof,  he committed treason and war crimes.  Far from being a fully commanding figure, he was guided by the events of the time as much as he guided them.  Anderson does an excellent job portraying a complex man in a complex manner.

Anderson also investigates three other adventurers in the Middle East at this time to give Lawrence some context: a German spy, an American oilman, and a Jewish agronomist. With the exception of the agronomist, all are in their twenties.  They are young men in the Middle East because of the call to adventure, but also because they fail to fit in to the upper levels of their respective societies.  In the Middle East they can remake themselves.  They were not as successful as Lawrence, but he paid a very heavy price for his transformation.

All in all, Anderson provides a gripping account of the time and the place.  Perhaps he spreads the material too thin at times, and the narrative thrust of the book falls flat.  But these times and places are few.  Overall this is a compelling read, giving an excellent sense of the time and place and people.