Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence was based in Jordan as a member of the British Forces and helped organize, carry out and sometimes even lead attacks on the Ottoman forces from Aqaba in the south to Damascus in the north.

His dramatic adventures during the war earned him international fame and became the basis of the 1962 epic historical drama “Lawrence of Arabia” where the role of Lawrence was played by Sir Peter O’Toole; the movie won seven Oscars!

After the war, T.E. Lawrence wrote and translated several books, corresponded with writers, artists, and politicians while working as an ordinary aircraftsman for the Royal Air Force, where he participated in the development of rescue motorboats.

Unfortunately, Lawrence did not live to see old age, as he was fatally injured in a motorcycle accident at the age of 46.

Download Seven Pillars of Wisdom as a PDF for free here (63,6 MB):

Seven Pillars of Wisdom

The author was a most unorthodox representative of Great Britain in Arabia – and for quite some time also the only British representative there.

He was the first Westerner who traversed Arabia from East to West, held a deep respect for the Arabian culture and learned himself Arabic. In time, he even adopted the Muslim faith and became close friends with and advisor to Ibn Saud, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia.

At the same time, however, Philby remained British to the core and maintained his British home. He was a remarkable adventurer, a man of the world, and a mapmaker extraordinaire. He was also in some ways a driven man, who often saw the world in black and white.

Harry St John Philby is mostly forgotten today or – if remembered – it is as the father of the infamous Soviet spy, Kim Philby. That is actually quite sad, as Philby Sr. is a much more interesting character, and his book is well worth reading.

It is a large file, primarily due to the many illustrations and the 814 pages. So make some coffee while downloading or have patience a minute or two 🙂

Download The Heart of Arabia – A Record of Travel & Exploration Vol I+II (67,2 MB / 814 pages)

 The Heart of Arabia vol I+II