T.E. Lawrence T.E. Lawrence, author of Seven Pillars of Wisdom (1926) in about 1918. (more) Seven Pillars of Wisdom work by Lawrence Written by Raphael Hallett Raphael Hallett is the author of the "History" section of 501 Must-Read Books. His work appears in Encyclopaedia Britannica as part of a joint publishing agreement with the publisher of 501... Raphael Hallett Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Apr. 2, 2026 •History Seven Pillars of Wisdom, memoir by British scholar, military strategist, and writer T.E. Lawrence. Completed in 1922, it was first published in 1926. A more complete edition appeared in 1935. The tome is the basis for the Academy Award-winning 1962 movie Lawrence of Arabia, directed by David Lean and starring Peter O’Toole. The memoir begins in 1916, during World War I, with the Ottoman Empire allied with Germany. The English, who controlled the Suez Canal,...

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