Publisher comments
This is the first publication of Lawrence's earlier and fuller version of Seven Pillars, one third longer than the revised abridgement that he issued to subscribers in 1926, which is the text published for general circulation after his death. In addition to the two volumes of text there is a companion book of illustrations,152 pages, which includes the original colour portraits commissioned by Lawrence for the book, and a selection of his war photographs.
This first edition is limited to 752 sets. 80 sets have been bound in full goatskin, and are accompanied by a proof set of the Seven Pillars portraits, and a parallel-text showing intermediate and final texts of the Introduction.
A trade edition of the text is expected in 1999 or 2000. --Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.
Back Cover copy
This 'Oxford' Seven Pillars was the source-text from which Lawrence abridged the book for a fine-press volume issued to subscribers. After his death, the subscribers' abridgement was published in English and in numerous translations. Its success was so huge that, despite pleas from critics and historians, no one would risk printing the fuller version.
'The work is a masterpiece: one of the few best of its kind in the world' - Bernard Shaw, 1923, writing about the Oxford text to Stanley Baldwin.
'...the "Oxford" is in the judgment of several critics even superior to the version offered now, and it is good news that a reprint of it may eventually be made.' - E.M. Forster, 1935, in a review of the subscribers' abridgement.
'If Seven Pillars interests you as history, or travel literature or autobiography, read the Oxford text. It's a third longer than the subscribers' abridgement and contains all kinds of things you won't find there.' - Jeremy Wilson, T.E. Lawrence's authorised biographer and editor of this edition.
