In my time at Jesus College, Oxford (1956-58), I must have passed Eric Kennington’s evocative bust of T. E. Lawrence scores of times. It stood in the college lodge, on Turl Street, and portrayed a famous alumnus who had led an early life as an archaeologist before he became a British officer and legendary leader of the World War I “Arab revolt” against Turkish rule.
What I knew only dimly was that a much-traveled American journalist named Lowell Thomas—who had briefly taught elocution at Princeton—was often credited with the creation of the Lawrence legend, a legend sensationally magnified a generation later by David Lean’s magnificent film. As viewers of that vivid movie know, Lawrence assumed the leadership of the Arabs under King Feisal. He affected Bedouin costume, becoming an accomplished desert fighter.
