Description
Book SynopsisAn intimate biography of the years that turned T. E. Lawrence into Lawrence of Arabia.
Trade Review"T. E. Lawrence has always been one of the most enigmatic figures of the twentieth century, but he becomes markedly less so here. Through meticulous research and crackling prose, Sattin charts the youthful passions and influences—and not a few family and personal secrets—that helped create the future Lawrence of Arabia, and he has done so in an account so well-written that it is hard to put down. An absolutely indispensable read for anyone hoping to understand the evolution of one of the most beguiling and romantic figures of the modern age." -- Scott Anderson, author of Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East
"I enjoyed
The Young T. E. Lawrence very much. On the subject of biography, Ulysses S. Grant once wrote that 'What I want to know is what a man did as a boy,' i.e., 'the formative years,' and while Lawrence is not a boy in Anthony Sattin’s splendid book, he clearly prefigures Lawrence of Arabia—a conscious striving toward becoming a hero, and a bold exploration not only of the Middle East but of himself." -- Michael Korda, author of Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia
"Anthony Sattin knows a good story when he sees one. While most of Lawrence's biographers focus heavily on the war period, Sattin has grasped the importance of the years Lawrence spent in the Middle East beforehand, essential preparation for what followed. As a travel writer enlarging on the writings of a forerunner, Sattin also often enriches Lawrence's account. I thoroughly enjoyed the result." -- Jeremy Wilson, author of Lawrence of Arabia: The Authorised Biography of T. E. Lawrence
"Sattin’s unique portrait reveals an itinerant scholar adventurously immersing himself in the history, peoples, and landscapes of the Near East, the chrysalis of the brilliant figure soon to emerge: Lawrence of Arabia." -- Steve Kemper, author of A Labyrinth of Kingdoms
"Sattin has written a compelling account of a young man learning to live according to his dreams." -- Observer (London)
"Anthony Sattin proves that the British know how to write a great adventure as well as how to have one. This highly readable book never lacks the big story but it also does not let that history lose the hero." -- Robert Davis - New York Journal of Books
"Approaches the oft-profiled T.E. Lawrence from a new angle… engaging." -- Publishers Weekly
"Sattin paints a rich picture of these years in Lawrence’s life." -- Philip Delves Broughton - Wall Street Journal
"[A] quirky but rigorous biographical study…biographers such as Mr. Sattin have to be diggers and restorers, sifting a mass of evidence and gluing the bits together." -- The Economist
"Passionate, informed… Anthony Sattin reached that place of grace in his research for
The Young T.E. Lawrence where a writer can relax and let the story tell itself. And what a story he has to tell." -- Linda Diebel - The Toronto Star
