THE DESERT AND THE STARS. A Biography of Lawrence of Arabia

New York: Henry Holt and Companyt, 1955. First Edition, Second Printing. Illustrated with photographs. 8vo, publisher's original cloth over cloth covered boards, the spine panel lettered in gilt, in the pictorially illustrated dustjacket. [xiv], 15-318 pp. A very good and well preserved copy, the dustjacket with some light rubbing to the extremities, the gilt to the spine panel slightly mellowed by time, a tight, clean and proper copy, some marginalia and notes in pencil to the final blank. THE DESERT AND THE STARS IS A LITERARY DETECTIVE STORY INVOLVING THE ECCENTRICITIES OF LAWRENCE'S PUBLIC AND PERSONAL LIFE writes the publisher. 'It tells of his personality, of his archaeological work at Carchemish, his study of medieval fortifications, his successful war experiences, and with the tragedy of his life: the refusal of the British government to honour political commitments to the Arabs which had been made to iinsure Arab entry into the war against the Turks.' The author writes that the failure of his country to honour the promises for which he was emissary embitterd Lawrence and directly brought about his withdrawal from public life. This is a book that took ten years to write. The author's research included interviews with Eric Kennington, A.W. Lawrence and many others.