Marie Colvin's Compilation of War Reporting: On the Front Line

conjunction: For some reason I never read anything by or about Marie Colvin until a few weeks ago when Lindsay Hilsum's biography caught my eye. The reason being I never read the Sunday Times!

Having read that I was like every other reader mightily impressed at her dedication and courage. So then I decided to read this book of her Journalism.

It says "Collected journalism" - not so much you might say for a long career. But when you read it you realise it's all about being in the right place at the right time.

I am 73 and read books about history and politics all the time. But as Marie says there is no substitute for being at the front. I learnt things about the crises in Palestine, Libya and Syria I could have learned no other way. Other journalists draw conclusions from other's reports. Marie went to see for herself and took the same risks as the fighters at the fronts, over and over again.

She was a personal friend of Arafat and met Gadaffi personally many times. I found her personal views emerging from her reports particularly in Palestine and Syria, though she was not a preacher.

She was a servant of world peace.

United Kingdom on Jun 18, 2023

preeta chag: “Bravery is personal” writes Marie Colvin on October 10, 1999.

And her bravery sadly cost her life. Marie Colvin, winner of the of the Orwell Special Prize was an award winning Sunday Times war correspondent reporting from conflict zones across the world losing her life tragically in Syria amidst raging battle lines.

This book is a collection of her journalistic reporting …… a huge canvas painted with vivid colors of brutality and terror.

From 1987 to 2012. You name it and she had been there. Spanning from Iran-Iraq. Libya. Middle East. Kosovo. Chechenya. East Timor. Sri Lanka….and countless others.

Her reporting is stark with blunt facts and images graphically penned down. In fact all her stories begin with people …… their pain and helplessness staring at the reader in the face. Her reporting reflects her desire to document, her search for truth and her conviction to take the risks.

This book has her interviews with Yaseer Arafat, and her queer encounters with Col Gadaffi. She documented the cruel brutality of Saddam Hussain and his son Uday Hussain’s doubles account is shocking.

The book fluctuates between timelines which...

India on Sep 22, 2022

Steven James Beto: One of the best visual descriptions of war as it affects non-combative citizens written with heart and compassion.

United States on Jul 19, 2021

Deidre Kellogg Ketroser: The compelling, riveting story of the amazing late journalist/war correspondent Marie Colvin. She was fearless in her pursuit of the truth in whatever conflict she was covering, and put her life at risk repeatedly. She is a heroine. Her story is important.

United States on Apr 10, 2020

Colin: Although I haven't finished this book yet, I am looking forward to reading the rest - it is an enthralling, informative read. Marie Colvin is a genuine journalist, worthy of the name, unlike many reporters in the mainstream media. She obviously put herself in dangerous situations to find out what was happening in various conflicts and she gives honest insights into what is happening and who is involved. She has revealed information that the regular newspapers and TV news did not tell us, for example that in the Iraq / Iran War both sides were sold weapons by the US.

Well worth reading.

United Kingdom on Feb 04, 2020

Kindle Customer: On the Front Line

This book is super interesting. The journalist reports the war from the human side. Whoever has the reason is not important. It is the suffering, the feeling and the hopes of future what move the sides. It is easy to listen the side that has the power and the government, but what about the other side?

It exposed her to a risky situation trying to cover the both side of the story. She exposed the human horror of the war describing the effects of the war in the civilian population of woman and children.

In this book I cried the suffering of the people and specially the children. I relived the history in the events that affected the world in several decades the reported the conflict. I also laughed with the weird situations during the news covered.

The reading is good, active and vibrant in every chapter. It is j that a person is telling you the story from the first source.

It is a five stars book.

She is not partial, but see both side of the story. The abuse from one side to the other is painful and in some instance sadistic. There is no way to laugh when someone is being tortured.

The book of On The Front Line...

United States on Apr 09, 2019

Kindle Customer: This is a collection of news reports from Marie Colvin's career. She always had a unique insight into the lives of ordinary people, in extraordinary situations. These were not victims but people, fellow humans who were caught up in situations not of their making.

Her compassion shines through, as do moments of humour. We have lost a great journalist but also the voice of the ordinary citizen. Her reports brought the suffering of people to life. She was the voice of the suffering.

Her death leaves us all worse off. Let's hope that others will take up the baton.

United Kingdom on Apr 09, 2019

mcgee: This is a collection of reports from Marie Colvin. The newest is about 6 years old but they still have a vibrancy and the ring of truth. The horror of war for the people who happen to be in the way is graphically described.

United States on Dec 25, 2018

Rajiv Chopra: I have to say that this is, in many ways, quite an extraordinary book. In some ways, it is the tale of an extraordinary woman as well

At one level, the book is quite tiring, and the reason I say this is because it represents the tale of humanity at its best and at its worst.

When you sit in front of your television screen and listen to politicians and TV anchors debate, you are shielded from the true horrors of war.

This is what Marie Colvin brings to us, in a way. She is noncommittal in her writing style, no hysteria anywhere. She retains her essential humanity right through her career.

An essential read for anyone who wants to read about humanity at its best, and worst.

United States on Jun 12, 2016

Patch: Marie Colvin was a force. Whether by concentration of mind or body - and many times both - she went where the hotel residing, press release reading media correspondents do not venture.

There is a revealing line as she takes the enforced break from work after losing her eye from grenade shrapnel wounds whilst in Sri Lanka reporting on the Tamils, although reporters had been banned by the Government from doing so - that speaks of her connection to the ordinary civilians caught up in the nightmare of warfare that flouts any hint of the Geneva convention.

She says,
"Simply: there’s no way to cover war properly without risk. Covering a war means going into places torn by chaos, destruction, death and pain, and trying to bear witness to that. Not so much as to what kind of toys are being used – I’ve never been able to figure out if that is a MiG or a Tornado shooting at me, or 105mm or 155mm artillery. I care about the experience of those most directly affected by war, those asked to fight and those who are just trying to survive." end quote.

She took the risks and paid with her life but her words are there for history to read and as the book contains her...

United Kingdom on Dec 14, 2012