• Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia

  • By: Michael Korda
  • Narrated by: Robin Sachs
  • Length: 14 hrs and 10 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (419 ratings)

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Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia  By  cover art

Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia

By: Michael Korda
Narrated by: Robin Sachs
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Publisher's summary

Michael Korda's Hero is the story of an epic life on a grand scale: a revealing, in-depth, and gripping biography of the extraordinary, mysterious, and dynamic Englishman whose daring exploits and romantic profile - including his blond, sun-burnished good looks and flowing white robes - made him an object of intense fascination, still famous the world over as "Lawrence of Arabia".

An Oxford scholar and archaeologist, one of five illegitimate sons of a British aristocrat who ran away with his daughters' governess, Lawrence was sent to Cairo as a young intelligence officer in 1916. He vanished into the desert in 1917, only to emerge later as one of the greatest, and certainly most colorful, figures of World War One. Though a foreigner, he played a leading and courageous part in uniting the Arab tribes to defeat the Turks, and eventually capture Damascus, transforming himself into a world-famous hero, hailed as "the Uncrowned King of Arabia".

In illuminating Lawrence's achievements, Korda digs further than anyone before him to expose the flesh-and-blood man and his contradictory nature. And as Korda shows in his brilliantly readable and formidably authoritative biography, Lawrence was not only a man of his times; he was a visionary whose accomplishments - as a farsighted diplomat and kingmaker, military strategist of genius, perhaps the first modern "media celebrity" (and one of the first victims of it), and an acclaimed writer - transcended his era.

Korda examines Lawrence's vision for the modern Middle East - plans that, had they been carried through, might have prevented the hatred and bloodshed that have become ubiquitous in the region.

Ultimately, as this magisterial work demonstrates, Lawrence remains one of the most unique and fascinating figures of modern times, the arch-hero whose life is at once a triumph and a sacrifice and whose capacity to astonish still remains undimmed.

©2010 Success Research Corporation (P)2010 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

“Much has been written about him, but no one has succeeded in illuminating the quintessential Lawrence of Arabia so profoundly and so well as Michael Korda. Hero is a work of brilliance, discernment and meticulous scholarship that surely will be hailed as the gold standard.” (Henry A. Kissinger)
“This magisterial biography of British soldier and adventurer T.E. Lawrence celebrates a life spent subverting authority in the most glamorous - and bizarre - ways. Korda’s vivid portrait of Lawrence and his warring impulses captures the brilliance and charisma of this fascinating figure.” ( Publishers Weekly)
“Comprehensive.... An accessible, textured story of one man who intimately knew the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” ( Kirkus Reviews)

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What listeners say about Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent book and narration

Lawrence was an enigma; at the height of his fame he retreated from the public eye. Korda captures the complexity without explaining it away. He presents Lawrence's life without simplifying it. The tone of the book is one of deep pathos and an ineluctable pitch towards disaster, but it's a lovely thing nonetheless.

I do wish we had had the option of an unabridged version.

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20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

An interesting man and an interesting story

This book is well written. Lawrence is known to most of us through the 1962 film about him, but hearing his story told is still quite interesting. He was certainly one man in ten thousand if not a million....multi-lingual, supremely confident, repulsed by killing but an expert in warfare who personally killed many men, a true friend to those whom he cared to be friends with, but a man who could not stand to be touched, even a handshake being repulsive to him. He accomplished what was considered impossible on the field of battle, and his British superiors betrayed him after the war by refusing to honor one of the goals Lawrence sought as a motivator for his actions: Arab autonomy in the Middle East.

His style of warfare has been copied by Mao Tse-dung, Ho Chi Minh, Fidel Castro, and the enemy the US faces today in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The narrator does a very good job of interpreting this fine, suspenseful book.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Superb

An excellent account of the life of one of the 20th Century's most famous,and complex characters.From the vivid descriptions of guerilla actions in the desert to the skullduggery of Anglo-French politics and all the aspects of Lawrences' life after WW1,the book is always riveting.
Excellent narration,I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great man, good book

If you have watched the movie Lawrence of Arabia then Part 1 will be a rehash. If you have not watched the movie Part 1 will be a good and interesting introduction. I have watched the movie several times and the movie served as an anchor visually for Part 1. Actually the movie was very much better than Part 1 of the book. I almost quit listening several times going through Part 1 because of the repetition. I hung in there and continued to listen. Then came Part 2 and opened up the years after where Lawrence of Arabia leaves off. Part 2 was the "rest of the story" after WWI for Lawrence. It was very interesting and worth the book. Lawrence was such an interesting and multi-talented person it would be very difficult for a book to do his life justice.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Heroic story.

A great book that tells the amazing story of T.E. Lawrence. The title is perfect. His life and legend are that of a hero in the tradition of Homeric epics... great feats by a great man whose flaws make him even more heroic. Narrator Robin Sachs sets the right tone and keeps Michael Korda's prose moving forward and the listener engaged.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

I knew almost nothing about TE Lawrence before listening to this book. Now I feel pretty well informed on this amazing and historical figure. This also added to my knowledge of the Arab world. The book tells a great story, and one that is more interesting than fiction. It is long, but I enjoyed the whole thing. The most interesting was certainly the war years, but the aftermath was well told, and kept my interest.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent book, sadly abridged

The late Robin Sachs is the perfect narrator for this sweeping account of the life of T.E. Lawrence. The picture that emerges is one of a man even more human, even more tragically flawed than the tall, blue eyed Peter O'Toole version. I have zero complaints, I'm only withholding a star because it's a great book but there is no unabridged option.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A True Hero with Ethics

Seldom do you see a person who becomes a celebrity through their heroic efforts, and doesn't want to be known or recognized for it. He essentially help create the kingdom of Jordan, Iraq and Saudi Arabian among others. He disliked the notoriety of being known as Lawrence of Arabia, and he didn't want to be paid for his book 7 Pillars of Wisdom, just to really break even. He died too young and too poor. How many men do you know of who changed the world and didn't want to be paid a fortune, achieve political gain, or even at least have a trophy wife. He didn't smoke or drink, mostly a vegetarian, and even though he portrayed depression and maybe PTSD he never complained, he just kept living and contributed to life mainly for others.
A brave man of integrity, courage, and exceptional intelligence. He had some strange habits and was eccentric, but all in all an exceptional man. The narration was terrific, and I would seek out the author and narrator again.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Middle East history revealed.

It turns out, I knew nothing about Lawrence of Arabia. He was a complicated, complex man, and his story was fascinating.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

He really was a hero

What an interesting character was Lawrence of Arabia. I'm pretty sure there has never been anyone quite like him. I was so impressed with Lawrence's great love for a people so strange and foreign to him in the beginning. He endured much on their behalf, including an unbelievably brutal rape that left him forever changed. After reading this book, I could hardly wait to re-watch the great epic movie of 1962 to see if it was a good as I remembered it. Yes, it is a great epic, but after reading the book, I have to say "The book was better."

I loved learning about World War I, of which I do not know much and am always ready to learn more. Although the story of Lawrence is not germinal to the War, it did give me some good insights into it.

Excellent Narrator

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2 people found this helpful