"All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity, but the dreamers of day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible." - T.E. Lawrence

About Lawrence

T. E. Lawrence, best known as Lawrence of Arabia, gained international renown as British liaison officer to the Arab Revolt during World War I. The British deem him one of their country's greatest war heroes, while the Arabs consider him a hero as well, for championing their cause for freedom from both Ottoman and European rule. He is the most important figure, and certainly the best known one, to come out of World War I. His name is mentioned as one of the great captains by military strategists, a group that would include Alexander, Caeser, Scipio, Napoleon, and perhaps a handful of others. Lawrence's autobiographical novel, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, is said to be one of the most widely read books in the English language. Winston Churchill said of him, "I deem him one of the greatest beings alive in our time... We shall never see his like again. His name will live in history. It will live in the annals of war... It will live in the legends of Arabia."

His legend, which is as important as his actual role in history, was disseminated by Lowell Thomas, an American journalist who spent a few weeks in Arabia with Lawrence. After the war Thomas toured the world narrating his film, With Allenby in Palestine and Lawrence in Arabia, a dramatic and romantic account of Lawrence's activities in Arabia that made Lawrence a household name. Of course, later his legend would be brought to a new generation with David Lean's magnificent film, Lawrence of Arabia. He was idolized - James Shotwell called him "the successor to Muhammad," and an Anglican priest conducting services for him compared him to Christ. John Buchan said of him that "I am not much of a hero-worshipper ... but I would have followed Lawrence over the edge of the world." I probably would have too.

If you want to know more than that, you can read the brief biography I wrote, or just go read Seven Pillars.

About Fanlistings

A fanlisting is a place for people to come together and declare their love for something, thereby building the biggest listing of fans of that thing from throughout the world. The headquarters for this effort are at the sister networks of TFL and TAFL.