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Thomas E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia") Discuss

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Thomas E. Lawrence ( Lawrence of Arabia ) Discuss
<B>Thomas E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia") Discusses the Book "Seven Pillars of Wisdom"</B></I> An English scholar, writer, soldier and adventurer, Thomas E. Lawrence (1888-1935) was known as "Lawrence of Arabia". He was an Arab scholar. When Turkey entered World War I, Lawrence was sent by Military Intelligence to organize Arab resistance behind Turkish lines. At the 1919 Paris Peace Conference, he lobbied for Arab independence. He wrote about his experiences in <I>The Seven Pillars of Wisdom</B></I> and <I>Revolt in the Desert.</B></I> He served in the Air Force, using the aliases Ross and Shaw for anonymity. He was killed in a motorcycle accident. Autograph letter signed, one page, 8" x 11 1/2", excellent, 5 IX 32, Southampton. An autograph letter signed, "T E Shaw," responding to a request to borrow his most famous book, <I>The Seven Pillars of Wisdom</B></I>: "You must have thought me a queer sort of skate all this time... but if you are not dead nor married, and get this, and still want to read my horrid Seven Pillars... why, will you write me again? I hope to get that loose copy in my claws within a week. It has been astray!" Shaw began writing about his wartime experiences in Paris in 1919. According to Shaw, most of the original manuscript (eight of ten books) was lost that year while changing trains at Reading. He completed a second draft in 1920, which he destroyed in 1922 upon completing a third draft. Shaw had eight copies of this third draft printed by The Oxford Times. He circulated these among friends, including playwright George Bernard Shaw, whom Shaw credited for improving the text. In 1926, Shaw had his book privately published in a small number, and it was one of these that Lawrence wanted to get "in my claws within a week." <I>The Seven Pillars of Wisdom</B></I> was published on a larger scale in 1935 after Lawrence's death. There is some light chipping from the usual folds, but the writing is unaffected. This wonderful letter has a clean signature and is in overall excellent condition. <I>Accompanied by COA from PSA/DNA.</B></I>