A Fresh Station: T. E. Lawrence writing and riding at Cranwell, limited edition

Description: A Fresh Station: T. E. Lawrence writing and riding at Cranwell T. E. Lawrence, Richard Knowles, and Marc Kuritz London, Horbury & San Diego: Rickaro Books and Churchill Book Collector, 2019 First, limited, and numbered edition Condition: New Normal 0 false false false EN-CA JA X-NONE This is the first, limited, and hand-numbered edition of an essay presenting a previously unrecorded letter by T. E. Lawrence. In 2018, the subject letter, penned in 1925 entirely in T. E. Lawrence’s hand, was discovered laid into copy “50” of the 1935 British limited issue of Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Lawrence wrote this letter while posted to the Royal Air Force RAF Cadet College at Cranwell, where he completed the famous 1926 “Subscribers'” or “Cranwell” edition of Seven Pillars of Wisdom. This letter consists of 22 lines written by Lawrence on the blank verso of an RAF “Application for Mechanical Transport.” Lawrence remains a remarkably enigmatic figure. We investigate his character and his exploits though his published works - which span the WWI Arab revolt and life inside the inter-war RAF to crusader castles and ancient Greek translation to technical manuals on high speed boats - but it may be that Lawrence’s letters offer some of the clearest views. As this letter and the enfolding essay A Fresh Station suggest, the fragmentary candor and verities of Lawrence’s correspondence may best enable us to approach the animating spirit of this singular, complex, and multi-faceted person. The letter is addressed to Captain Raymond Goslett M.C. (1885-1961), “the supply wizard of Al Wajh and Al Aquabah,” a key figure in the Arab Revolt and wartime friend of Lawrence who inadvertently played a role in facilitating his fame. The letter also references Arthur Dayer Makins, D.F.C., R.R.G.S., F.I.M.T. (1885-1974), a Royal Flying Corps flight lieutenant with X Flight in Arabia who after the war was associated with the motor trade. Lawrence cited both men by name in his acknowledgements for the 1926 subscribers' edition of Seven Pillars and each was gifted a copy. Also referenced, pejoratively, is Lowell Thomas, to whom Lawrence owed the discomfort of both his fame and famous sobriquet. A remarkable First World War odyssey as instigator, organizer, hero, and tragic figure of the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire transformed Thomas Edward Lawrence (1888-1935) from an eccentric junior intelligence officer into “Lawrence of Arabia”. He spent the rest of his short life struggling to reconcile and reject, to recount and repress this indelible experience and celebrity. Integral to and emblematic of that struggle were both the writing of Seven Pillars of Wisdom and Lawrence’s retreat into the ranks of the RAF – both of course central to this compelling letter. In the short span of 164 words Lawrence references many of the disparate, competing threads that skeined his life – personal conflict about publication of his literary masterpiece, the famous 1926 Subscribers' edition, love of motorcycles, the sensibility for comradeship that made him, however reluctantly, a leader of men, and even a glimpse of the personal peace he always seemed to want but seldom seemed to find. A Fresh Station publishes an essay sketching Lawrence’s life writing and riding at Cranwell specifically through the prism of this letter. The title is taken from Lawrence’s own reference in the letter to Cranwell as “…a fresh station, where I have no leisure after the day’s work.” Of an edition of 150 hand-numbered copies, 149 are bound thus by the Fine Book Bindery in quarter cloth featuring navy spine and blue-grey boards evoking RAF colours, the spine printed in silver, the front cover bearing the initials Lawrence was wont to use at the time. The illustrated contents are printed by The Logan Press on 150 gm Logan Book Wove paper and include a full facsimile of Lawrence’s letter, as well as images of Lawrence, Goslett, and Makins. These new, hand-numbered copies are offered exclusively by the authors, proprietors respectively of Rickaro Books of England and Churchill Book Collector of America. Ref #: 005932 CHURCHILL BOOK COLLECTOR We are Churchill Book Collector, a professional bookseller specializing in books and other published works by and about the great twentieth century statesman and acclaimed writer, Sir Winston Churchill. We offer both a singular inventory and approachable expertise. The integrity of our inventory is backed by our membership in the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America (ABAA), the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), and the Independent Online Booksellers Association (IOBA). Churchill's official biographer, Sir Martin Gilbert, rightly called Churchill's long life "remarkable and versatile". Statesman, soldier, war correspondent, ardent social reformer, combative cold warrior, painter - Churchill was many things, but perhaps above all a master wordsmith. We’re here to help Churchill’s words find your shelves. Our extensive inventory features some of the rarest material offered – including fine first editions and inscribed copies – as well as reading copies and works about Churchill’s life and time. While we specialize in Churchill, our inventory also includes noteworthy first and collectible editions by other authors, ranging from Xenophon to T. E. Lawrence, spanning exploration and empire to twentieth century fiction. We are able to help with anything from finding individual books to assembling full collections, working closely with individual collectors to identify and accommodate their preferences and budget. We are also able to commission preservation cases and fine bindings. Please contact us if you have books to sell. We buy, and in some cases consign, fine and collectible individual items, as well as whole collections.

Price: 110 USD

Location: San Diego, California

End Time: 2024-11-29T20:37:09.000Z

Shipping Cost: 12 USD