Seven Pillars of Wisdom a triumph.
$1,028 · Offered by Biblio
First edition
London: Jonathan Cape, 1935.. FIRST TRADE EDITION. 4to. (25 x 19 cm). pp.(6)-672. Original brown buckram with gilt-lettered spine and crossed swords device to upper cover gilt, top edge dyed brown, others uncut. In the original unclipped dust-jacket. 54 black and white illustrations and 4 maps. An excellent copy, scarce in such fine condition. "It ranks with the greatest books ever written in the English language. As a narrative of war and adventure, it is unsurpassable" (Winston Churchill). "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" (ODNB).
- Publisher: London: Jonathan Cape, 1935.
- Edition: First Edition
- Binding: hardcover
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