Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews

Lawrence of Arabia

Lawrence of Arabia

Alistair MacLean
For ages 10 to 13
Sterling Publishing Co., 2006   ISBN: 978-1402736131

When Thomas Edward Lawrence was still just a boy he went for long walks and bike rides in the English countryside around the town of Oxford. Often he went without food, or drink, or sleep for extended periods of time and as he got older his body got stronger and more and more resilient. Intellectually Lawrence became interested in history, specifically in castles, and when he became a young man he began to travel to places to visit some of the world’s most famous castles to see and study them. He was particularly interested in Crusader castles. Many of the best examples of these were in Syria and this was how Lawrence first come into contact with the Arab people.

During his time in Syria Lawrence saw how oppressed the Syrians were by their Turkish overlords and he decided that something had to be done to help the Arab peoples free themselves from this terrible situation. When World War I broke out Lawrence, like so many other young men, went into service. Unlike so many others however, Lawrence, saw that the war gave him the opportunity to do some good. Instead of fighting in a trench in France or Belgium, Lawrence went to the Middle East. He spoke very good Arabic and knew the Arab people so the military were glad to have him. Lawrence quickly set about getting himself into a situation were he was acting as a liaison between the British and the local Bedouin tribesmen. The immediate goal was to make life as difficult as possible for the Turkish military. The long term goal, as far as Lawrence was concerned, was to free the Arabs from their Turkish oppressors for good.

In this well written book, famous author Alistair Maclean carefully explains how T.E. Lawrence and his Bedouin allies managed to overcome enemies who greatly outnumbered and outgunned them. Crossing and re-crossing inhospitable terrain on camels, Lawrence and the men who became his comrades and friends succeeded where everyone expected failure and in the process Lawrence became a legend.

Without a doubt Alistair Maclean had a deep appreciation for the history of the Middle East and in this book he conveys his appreciation and enthusiasm to his readers. Maps help readers follow the events described in the text, and they also help readers see where the places and cities are in relation to one another.