The Life of My Choice

The Life of My Choice is Wilfred Thesiger's autobiography chronicling his travels and expeditions across Africa and Arabia in the mid-20th century. The narrative follows his progression from an aristocratic upbringing in Ethiopia to his years as a desert explorer and photographer. Thesiger recounts his experiences living among the Bedu tribes of Arabia's Empty Quarter and the marsh Arabs of Iraq, documenting their traditional ways of life before modernization. His time serving in Ethiopia, Sudan, and other regions during World War II forms another key segment of his story. The book includes Thesiger's black and white photographs, which capture the landscapes and peoples he encountered during his decades of exploration. His writing style is direct and sparse, focusing on observations and events rather than personal reflection. This autobiography presents themes of cultural preservation and resistance to modernization, while exploring the complex relationship between Western explorers and traditional societies. The work stands as both a historical record and a meditation on the value of choosing an unconventional path in life.

Readers appreciate Thesiger's honest, straightforward writing style and his detailed accounts of travels through Arabia, Iraq, and Africa. His photography and descriptions of remote cultures resonate with adventure readers and anthropologists. Reviewers highlight his respect for traditional ways of life and criticism of modernization. Many note his rejection of comfort and luxury in favor of immersive experiences with local peoples. Some readers find his writing dry or overly focused on physical hardships. Others note his colonial-era perspectives can feel dated or problematic to modern audiences. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.24/5 (157 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (31 ratings) From reviews: "His descriptions of crossing the Empty Quarter are unmatched" - Goodreads reviewer "Sometimes plodding but rewards patient readers" - Amazon reviewer "Important historical account but reflects biases of its time" - LibraryThing reviewer

Arabian Sands by Wilfred Thesiger A British explorer's chronicle of crossing the Empty Quarter of Arabia captures the vanishing nomadic way of life in the region during the 1940s.

Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence A firsthand account details Lawrence's experiences with Bedouin tribes during the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire from 1916 to 1918.

Desert, Marsh and Mountain by Wilfred Thesiger The narrative follows journeys through Iraq's marshlands, the mountains of Kurdistan, and remote areas of Afghanistan, documenting traditional ways of life on the brink of change.

Among the Mountains by Wilfred Thesiger This work records travels through the Hindu Kush, Karakorams, and Himalayas, focusing on the isolated mountain communities and their customs.

Wind, Sand and Stars by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry A pilot's memoir combines accounts of early aviation with observations of desert life in North Africa during the 1920s and 1930s.

🐪 Wilfred Thesiger crossed the Empty Quarter of Arabia twice between 1945-1950, becoming one of the first Europeans to explore this vast desert region and document the lives of the Bedouin people. 📝 The author rejected modern conveniences throughout his life, preferring to live among indigenous peoples in Africa and Arabia, and famously stated he "would not wish to travel in any other way than by camel." 🌍 During his time in Ethiopia, Thesiger became the first European to enter the Aussa Sultanate and explore the Awash River to its end, a journey that had claimed the lives of two previous European expeditions. 📸 Though not primarily a photographer, Thesiger took over 38,000 photographs during his travels, creating an invaluable historical record of disappearing ways of life, particularly of the Marsh Arabs of Iraq and the Bedouin of Arabia. 🎖️ Before becoming an explorer and writer, Thesiger served in the SAS and SOE during World War II, leading guerrilla operations against Italian forces in North Africa and organizing resistance in Ethiopia.