Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia by Michael KordaMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This biography of Lawrence of Arabia begins abruptly with a chapter long on action and short on background. The listener of the abridged audio version of this book is thrust into the story midway, and only after this episode’s conclusion is there some context of the situation, early in WWI, mixed in. And only when the bulk of the story is told are we given bits and pieces of Lawrence’s earlier life. The book concludes with what could be considered Lawrence’s second life, that of a lowly soldier and airman, connected and well-off but putting in the hours like the others. The book, and Lawrence’s life, prove how far from the safety of home a man can go, figuratively and metaphorically. And it proves there are second acts, with will, perseverance, and a goal. Note the abridged version that I listened to was over 14 hours long, so I'm not sure how much was cut. The abridgment could have been the cause of the abruptness experienced at the beginning of the book. YMMV. Quite a memorable read, combining real life action, mystery, inventiveness, reward, and, yes, horror.
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