T. E. Lawrence: The True Lawrence of Arabia

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[yogi]

Wouldn’t say I’m a movie expert but the movie “Lawrence of Arabia “ is without doubt one of the best movies made. I’m a fan of Gregory peck but Peter was robbed of the Oscar that night.

[mihaelsenolt]

"As the darkness falls and Arabia calls
One man spreads his wings, as the battle begins
May the land lay claim on to Lawrence name
Seven pillars of wisdom lights the flame"

[marianhreads]

There is a chapter in The Mint (his memoir on being a soldier) where Lawrence describes riding his motorcycle. It's quite bittersweet to read.

[bikinggreg]

If you're interested in this topic, the book Lawrence in Arabia by Scott Anderson takes a deep dive into T. E. Lawrence's life, both before and after the war.

[larry-naylor]

I used to volunteer at Clouds Hill, TE Lawrence's last home and it was absolutely amazing. It is only four rooms including Lawrence's book room/bedroom and bathroom downstairs and upstairs his spare bedroom and music room/reception room and it's the most beautiful place that I have ever worked. It has such an aura of serenity about it and was a really special place. I had to give it up as it was a three hour round trip for me and the trains only ran once an hour so if I missed it I'd be stranded for an hour but I would urge anyone who comes to Dorset for a holiday to check it out. It's on the other side of Bovington so it's a bit of a trek to get to but you travel through the most beautiful countryside to see it. I have a great love and respect for this complex man but if I learned anything about him it's that he was, and continues to be, just slightly out of focus. I went to Clouds thinking that I knew who TE Lawrence was but ended up learning about him and finding so much that was complex and contradictory in his nature that I felt his true self was slightly elusive. I find this to be more true as time elapses and he fades into history. People want to project their own truths and views onto him and the real Lawrence fades from view. I think myth and conspiracy have become more important to people than who TEL (or Shaw as he went by in his later years and at his death) really was.

[thefryingdutchman]

I haven't been waiting for this video since I started watching your channel/channels 5 years ago back in high school!!! Thank you Simon

[lawrencelewis]

I've read that he actually called his motorcycles "Boanerges" -something from Shakespeare, I think. He owned maybe 5 of them. The one he died on was in the Imperial War Museum in a room all its own. I saw it there about 8 years ago. Another thing I've read is that a black saloon car was seen in the vicinity of his crash and that car may have run him off the road.

[lauriecroad]

My mother was about 15 when he died - near where I was brought up, in Poole, Dorset. Mum said that her Generation were fascinated by the story of T E Lawrence - my Father was brought up in Poole and knew of him. Subsequently, when they married, and I turned up in 1946, I was named after him... The First book I was given, in my early teens, was Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Later, as a Linesman/Fitter for Post Office Telephones/British Telecom, I worked at Clouds Hill after the National Trust took over its care.: also in various Military Camps where Officers from the East trained in the UK to use our expertise on the Battlefield - some were quite interested to know of "El Orrance", his connection to East Dorset, and the locals' knowledge of him. Fascinating character, and the "visitors" to this area (some settled) also have tales to tell of El Orrance that they were told - as part of the story of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the resulting chaos of the Axis trying to "muscle in" on the Middle East. Some asylum seekers blame the current troubles on "The Russian" influence - but what do I know?

[sleeplesslovr]

Good video, but fewer close-up shots of your face and more photos and clips relating to the topic, and context. Thanks

[patrickfahey]

Really good story, Peter O'Toole really looked like him a lot!! It's really sad how he died, he was young, too. Definitely one of histories best heroes.

[PatriciaOConnorBonsaiBalcony]

The Motorcycle that he died while riding is said to be no.2 on the world's most collectible motorcycles list. The Number one machine on the list was the Brough that he had ordered to replace that one which was never delivered in time to be collected by him, instead, the owner of the company kept it as his personal motorbike.

[rondunn]

T E L was a brilliant linguist speaking the Arab dialects perfectly and fluent French.

[JohnDoe-twes]

Have read many books on Lawrence and others about the war in that part of the world. It is very complicated politically and trying to understand the whole picture is a life's work I am sure. I still think what Lawrence did in Arabia at that time could not
really have been pulled off by anyone else. He was the right guy and the right time. He suffered once the war was over from what we call PTSD these day. He was committed to Arab independence which of course did not work out .

[philhawley]

I love your mangling mispronunciation of both Welsh and Arabic place names.

[Annie-rwec]

A controversial figure like a lot of other historical people but I think he really cared about the Arabs.
He also suffered a lot from PTSD, bad depression episodes and tried to kill himself a few times after the war. A broken man I can say...

[camilohiche]

Biographies that you have criminally overlooked so far:

Classical composers:
- Ludwig van Beethoven
- J.S. Bach
- Antonio Vivaldi

Gods/iconic figures:
- Michael Jackson
- Babe Ruth

Chess legends:
- Gary Kasparov
- Bobby Fischer

Painters:
- Gustav Klimt
- Marcel Duchamp

Architects/builders:
- Gustav Eiffel
- Frank Lloyd Wright
- Le Corbusier
- Antonio Gaudi
- Buckminster Fuller

Writers:
- Léon Tolstoï
- Fiodor Dostoïevski
- Homer
- Sophocles
- Victor Hugo
- Jules Verne
- Jorge Luis Borges
- Miguel de Cervantes
- John Steinbeck
- Dante Alighieri

Philosophers/theologists:
- René Descartes
- Confucius
- Emmanuel Kant
- John Locke
- Voltaire
- Jean Calvin

Scientists:
- Max Planck

Dictators:
- Nicolae Ceausescu
- Manuel Noriega

Explorers:
- Zheng He
- Vasco da Gama
- John Cabot
- Amerigo Vespucci
- Hernán Cortés

Other:
- Anne Frank
- Caterina de' Medici
- Cesare Borgia

[zlatiivanov]

Hey @Biographics, in that time and space there was another interesting character .... Gertrude Bell. Definitely worth the time to research.

[dungbeetle.]

A wonderful video but exhausting to listen to. Recommend playback at 0.75 speed.
Please slow down a bit, Simon! :/

[ChristopherNFP]

Thanks for recognising that it was Australian troops that conquered the city of Damascus in World War 1.

Coincidentally, Australian troops also successfully liberated the city again in World War 2. Australian troops entered the city on 20 June 1941.

[twocvbloke]

T.E. Lawrence; The reason we have crash helmets today, never thought those two would be related... :P