In 1979, the author of this work read Arabian Sands by W. Thesiger, which had an impact on his life and made him become a desert explorer. In tribute to Thesiger, he has written this biography of Thesiger`s motivations and achievements. A man of great paradoxes and contradictions, Thesiger revered traditional peoples, but retained at the same time a profound pride in his own race and background. He felt most intensely alive when living on the same level as his tribal companions, yet rejoiced in his ability to return to the civilized world. Basing much of his work on extended interviews with Thesinger, the author also follows in Thesinger's footsteps, interviewing many of his former travelling companions and throwing new light on the celebrated Arabian expeditions.