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

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 self-rul

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 self-rule: “Better to let them do it imperfectly than do it perfectly yourself, for it is their country, their war, and your time is short.” 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, Lawrence’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 Lawrence’s dramatic Middle East adventures and his surprisingly astute political thinking, foreign policy expert John Hulsman reveals a different Lawrence and gives a bold new voice to this tragic hero.