Seven Pillars of Wisdom

Lawrence's famous autobiographical history of the Arab wars of liberation from the Ottoman Empire during WWI is difficult to follow in this severe abridgment. The deeper historical milieu has to be known in detail by the listener for a full understanding. Nevertheless, Irish actor Jim Norton's voice aptly expresses this weary, steely, cultured Englishman with too much integrity for his times. Scenes of pain and horror are dryly presented, but Lawrence's anguish at governmental double-dealing comes clearly through. As usual, Naxos punctuates the narrative with well-chosen selections of stirring classical music. D.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine