Two more reviews of Setting the Desert on Fire can be found here and here.
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About the author
- James Barr
- is a British historian. My latest book is A Line In The Sand: Britain, France and the Struggle for the Middle East. It tells the story of the increasingly vicious struggle between Britain and France for control of the Middle East, between 1915 and 1949. It follows Setting the Desert on Fire: TE Lawrence and Britain's secret war in Arabia, 1916-1918.
Reviews of the book
“tightly focused, fast-paced ... Barr's achievement is to tell Lawrence's story more clearly and objectively, helping to make sense of a complex war fought in an unfamiliar land and language” - New York Sun
“This fast-paced history book, filled with saber-rattling sheiks, soldiers from Britain and France, spies and courtly diplomats, is a thriller” - New York Post
“This fast-paced history book, filled with saber-rattling sheiks, soldiers from Britain and France, spies and courtly diplomats, is a thriller” - New York Post
“gripping ... a colorful slice of the past affecting the present” - Chicago Tribune
“Barr tells a ... fascinating tale and turns history into a drama, with bright writing and a fascinating cast of characters" - Seattle Post-Intelligencer
“A good read which does much to explain the events you are reading about elsewhere in the paper today” - Washington Times
“no dry tale ... sets history of the Middle East into illuminating perspective” - San Jose Mercury News
“an up-close view of a decisive moment ... exciting and instructive” - Houston Chronicle
“a considerable feat” - The Times
“puts Lawrence centre stage but does not lose sight of the uprising’s larger historical context” - Financial Times
“Expertly delving into this shadowy corner of history, Barr explains why it remains hugely significant in the Middle East” - Independent
“Barr describes [Lawrence’s] exploits with pace and flair, but he also shows how the perception of British bad faith after the war has left a legacy of distrust in the Arab world” - Mail on Sunday
“A masterly account” - Express
“Barr expertly navigates an intriguing landscape of shifting alliances and labyrinthine politics peopled with eccentric characters to demystify a fascinating legend” - Publishers Weekly
“a masterful job ... For the reader interested in contemporary affairs, a review of Barr's last two chapters and epilogue would suffice in providing an excellent background in the history relevant to the modern Middle East's relationship with the West.” - Dartmouth Review
“compact, scrupulously accurate ... An excellent general history of a widely misunderstood struggle that largely defined the shape of the modern Middle East” - Booklist
“lively, well-balanced ... provides a clear, engaging history of a crucial period” - Library Journal
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