Barnabas File

David Lean’s 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia was both visually engaging and emotionally compelling as it told the story of T. E. Lawrence, the young British military officer who played a pivotal role in the Middle East during World War I.  In the book Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of theModern Middle East , author Scott Anderson both demythologizes Lawrence and attempts to place his actions within the larger context of history. In order to do this, Anderson weaves Lawrence’s story with those of three spies from the era--German Curt Prüfer, American – and Standard Oil employee – William Yale, and Zionist Aaron Aaronsohn.  Each sought not only to further the goals of their countries but their own ambitions as well.  The result is complex, interesting, and informative, and helps us to understand how we ended up with the Middle Eastern quagmire of today. In many ways, this wartime period was a much simpler time when men in their twent...