To Begin the World over Again: Lawrence of Arabia from Damascus to Baghdad

Hulsman John C.

ISBN 10: 0230617425 / ISBN 13: 9780230617421

Published by St. Martin's Press, 2009

Verschmutzung / Wasserschaden; Abnutzung / Risse - leicht. Through his swashbuckling adventures during the improbable Arab Revolt of World War I, T.E. Lawrence developed a unique philosophy for working with developing peoples. He then embarked on a heroic effort, harnessing his celebrity to force the British to keep the promises they made to their Arab allies. Lawrence famously said of British efforts to further Arab EUoeBetter to let them do it imperfectly than do it perfectly yourself, for it is their country, their war, and your time is short.EU He applied his extensive knowledge of the Arab world to a political vision for nation building in the Middle East whose insights continue to resonate today. In the end, however, LawrenceEU(tm)s efforts to stop Western powers from carving up the Middle East at Versailles fell tragically short, laying the foundations for the ongoing instability in that region.Weaving together a gripping historical narrative of LawrenceEU(tm)s dramatic Middle East adventur. Seller Inventory # 54e31b86-69de-40de-ae5b-6b6f91cabd9c

Synopsis:

Lawrence of Arabia is best remembered for the Oscar-winning film about his life. But there is a different T.E. Lawrence, a man who applied his unique experiences and extensive knowledge of the Arab world to a political vision for nation building in the Middle East that holds many lessons for today. Following the Arab Revolt, Lawrence embarked on a heroic effort, harnessing his celebrity to force the British to keep the promises made to their Arab allies. Alas, he was unable to stop the Western powers from carving up the Middle East at Versailles, thus laying the foundations for the ongoing instability in that region. Still, until the day he died, Lawrence continued to fight for Arab nationalism, famously saying: "Better to let them do it imperfectly than do it perfectly yourself, for it is their country, their war, and your time is short." By weaving together a gripping narrative of Lawrence's Middle East adventures and highlighting his surprisingly astute political thinking, John Hulsman teases out this and many other lessons to be learned from Lawrence about the Arab world.

About the Author: JOHN C. HULSMAN is the Alfred von Oppenheim scholar in residence at the German Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin, Germany. He has written for such publications as the LA Times, the International Herald Tribune, and Newsweek, and has appeared on The O'Reilly Factor and The Daily Show. He lives in Berlin, Germany.

Bibliographic Details

Title: To Begin the World over Again: Lawrence of ...
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: 2009
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Fair