T. E. Lawrence, Revolt in the Desert

Publication history

Revolt in the Desert was a popular abridgement of the subscribers text of Seven Pillars of Wisdom, which itself was a revised abridgement of the 1922 'Oxford' Seven Pillars. Hence Bernard Shaw's comment, in his review of Revolt, that it was an abridgement of an abridgement.

Lawrence was obliged to issue Revolt in order to pay off the overdraft incurred during production of the subscribers' Seven Pillars. Published by Jonathan Cape in March 1927, Revolt was an immediate best-seller. After five printings, the Seven Pillars production loan was cleared. British publication then ceased, though overseas editions were allowed to continue.

Lawrence gave all further earnings, which came from the American edition and numerous translations, to a charitable trust. This contributed substantial sums to the R.A.F. Benevolent Fund.

Following Lawrence's death in 1935, his literary executor decided to release the text of the subscribers' Seven Pillars for general circulation. Revolt was not reprinted in England until the text had gone of copyright.