Under the Wire: Marie Colvin's Final Assignment

by Paul Conroy

The true story of iconic war correspondent Marie Colvin (called by her peers "the greatest war correspondent of her generation") featured in the film A Private War, produced by Charlize Theron and starring Rosamund Pike. Also the basis of the documentary Under the Wire.

Marie Colvin was an internationally recognized American foreign war correspondent who was killed in a rocket attack in 2012 while reporting on the suffering of civilians inside Syria. She was renowned for her iconic flair and her fearlessness: wearing the pearls that were a gift from Yasser Arafat and her black eye-patch, she reported from places so dangerous no other correspondent would dare to go.

Photographer Paul Conroy forged a close bond with Colvin as they put their lives on the line time and time again to report from the world's conflict zones, and he was by her side during her final assignment. A riveting war journal, Under the Wire is Paul's gripping, visceral, and moving account of their friendship and the final year he spent alongside her.

When Marie and Paul were smuggled into Syria by rebel forces, they found themselves trapped in one of the most hellish neighborhoods on earth. Fierce barrages of heavy artillery fire rained down on the buildings surrounding them, killing and maiming hundreds of civilians. Marie was killed by a rocket which also blew hole in Paul's thigh big enough to put his hand through. Bleeding profusely, short of food and water, and in excruciating pain, Paul then endured five days of intense bombardment before being evacuated in a daring escape in which he rode a motorbike through a tunnel, crawled through enemy terrain, and finally scaled a 12-foot-high wall.

Astonishingly vivid, heart-stoppingly dramatic. and shot through with dark humor, in Under the Wire Paul Conroy shows what it means to a be a war reporter in the 21st century. His is a story of two brave people drawn together by a shared compulsion to bear witness.

Genres: Nonfiction, Journalism, War, Biography, Memoir, Middle East, Audiobook

344 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Ines · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book at the same time with "In extremis" by the journalist Lindsey Hilsum, both o them about Marie Colvin's tragedy. I just closed Conroy’s book and my blood was boiling...
I just want to say "ashamed Conroy!!!" because this is everything but not the true memory of a death...
I explain better, in the first part of the book we find a tireless accurate story ( maybe too much!! Even dialogues a bit suspicious!!) of the days lived with her and all the visited places together before arriving in Baba Amr ( outside Homs).
The whole turns in an almost imperceptible mode for the readers, from the Subject " Marie" to just tell how he, Paul Conroy, managed to save himself.
Believe me, not even two phrases to explain how he behaved in the face of Marie’s shocking death, nothing... no feeling, no humanity, no empathy, love...the absolute nothingness. What’s the point of writing a book to remember Marie Colvin’s last moments and then liquidating it all with a bulletin-style war telegram to tell you how she died? But what’s the point of writing a book like that, and then cheating you and moving the subject on which the book is based? But this is absurd..
The feeling is precisely of having used this drama for other purposes and targets... he became the pivot on which the story turns, Marie was relegated to initial bait...
Other setting and attention instead in the book of the Hilsum...( you can find it in my reviews)





Ho letto questo libro in contemporanea a " In extremis" della giornalista Lindsey Hilsum, tutti e due sulla tragedia di Marie Colvin,.. sono qui che ho appena chiuso il libro di Conroy e mi ribolle il sangue....
mi viene solo da dire"Vergognati Conroy!!!" perchè questo è tutto tranne che il ricordo vero di una morte...
Spiego meglio, nella prima parte del libro troviamo un instancabile racconto preciso ( forse fin troppo!! Persino dialoghi un po' sospetti!!) dei giorni vissuti in prima linea suoi luoghi visitati con Marie prima di arrivare a Baba Amr ( vcino a Homs). Il tutto vira in una modalità quasi impercettibile x i lettori, dal Soggetto " Marie" ad unicamente raccontare di come lui, Paul Conroy, è riuscito a salvarsi..
Credetemi, neanche due parole in croce per spiegare come si è comportato di fronte alla sconvolgente morte di Marie, nulla... nessun sentimento,nessuna umanità, nessuna empatia, amore...il nulla assoluto. Che senso ha scrivere un libro per ricordare gli ultimi momenti di Marie Colvin e poi liquidare il tutto unicamente con un bollettino stile telegramma da guerra per dirti come è morta? ma che senso può avere scrivere un libro del genere, per poi truffarti e spostare il soggetto su cui la narrazione del libro è basato?? ma questo è assurdo....
La sensazione è proprio quella di aver usato questo dramma per altri fini e scopi....cioè lui ne è diventato il perno su cui il racconto gira, Marie è stata relegata ad esca iniziale...
Altra impostazione e attenzione invece nel libro della Hilsum...( ma qui arriverà in altro momento la recensione..)

[Ярослава]

Мері Колвін - легендарна військова репортерка і дуже колоритна постать (бодай візуально її майже всі впізнають за піратською пов'язкою на оці - вона втратила око при, так би мовити, виконанні), що загинула у Сирії. Ця книжка - мемуари британського фотокора Пола Конроя, який разом із Колвін пробрався в повністю оточений урядовими військами повстанський анклавчик під Хомсом - і став свідком її смерті від бомбардування. Трагічні історії з їхнього останнього спільного завдання і розповіді про героїзм місцевих активістів, які ризикують життям, намагаючись рятувати західних репортерів, чергуються з авантюрними пікарескними оповідками із раніших війн (штибу спроб перетнути кордон Іраку на шині від вантажівки чи пробирання в оточене місто на яхті). Я ніжно люблю тему воєнкорів, тому читала з великим задоволенням, але заради справедливості мушу визнати, що написана книжка паршивенько: автор фотограф, у нього не було потреби вчитися писати адекватні діалоги, урізноманітнювати лексику, добирати синоніми, не покладатися на прийнятне в усних розповідях, але не дуже естетичне на письмі самолюбування, абощо. Себто на форму треба одразу заплющити очі, зате анекдотки прекрасні!

[Dan Walsh · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't often write reviews but in this case I felt I had to offer a balance to the baffling amount of 5 star reviews this book received, because a couple of chapters in I was annoyed that I'd been encouraged by them. I can only imagine they were given by friends and family of the author.

Here's the thing: Under The Wire is a great story but a terrible book. It's difficult to criticise it without feeling mean-spirited because Paul Conroy is undoubtably a brave and well meaning guy. But Paul is a photographer not a writer and that fact becomes apparent very early in. To be fair the blame for how bad this book is has to be shared 50/50 with whoever is supposed to have edited it.

Here's a quick run down:

Pros:
- Clever jumping back and forth through time and places to build up back story.
- A gritty insight into the horrors of modern day war.
- The story of brave people trying to do the right thing.

Cons:
- Utterly dreadful childishly bad writing that distracts from what should be a compelling story.
- Paul "constantly" "tirelessly" "frequently" overuses adverbs that break up the flow of the narrative.
- There's no insight into the repercussions of Marie Colvin's death.
- I don't believe any conversation in this book happened as described. For some bizarre reason, when people talk to each other, they all call the person they're talking to by their first name. EVERY time. EVERY person. EVERY conversation.
"Paul do you think it's safe here?"
"Marie I don't know what to say"
"Wa'el how are you?"
"Paul I'm fine today"
"Marie we are getting into the car now"
"Paul I'm good"
(Not actual conversations from the book!) It's completely jarring and irritating and ruins the flow every time.

- Just bad bad writing, trying to be poetic with incomprehensible descriptions. Childishly bad stuff:
Here's an actual paragraph from page 177:
"We continued on our cross-country route as the sun bade us it's daily farewell. Slowly, with the silent and stealthy movement of a cat stalking it's prey, we were robbed of vision. Night fell upon us and with the darkness came the fear. It wrapped its invisible tenticles silently around all of us in the vehicle. No one spoke. The night belonged to the hunter and the hunted."

Page 253:
" "What?" I replied in shock. The news was like a smack in the face, so powerful we're the words that tumbled from their lips."

Page 277:
"I'm sure I could have dismissed the whole affair as a rather quirky dream. Sadly, this wasn't the case and, just when I thought I had seen it all, there was more to come."

- Weird continuity errors: on one page he's walking down the street in winter, a few paragraphs later he's talking about how it's an autumn day.
- Constant childish talk about how much he loves cigarettes. There's "lovely" cigarettes in every chapter. Rarely have anything to do with the story, he just likes taking about cigarettes. A lot.

To sum up: Paul is a great guy, a brave photographer and an admirable human being but he is one of the worst writers I have ever read and this a painfully bad book to read. It's an amazing story but it should have been written by someone else. Ultimately the editor/publisher has a lot to answer for, bad editing and shameful use of Marie Colvin's name to sell Paul's bad writing. Absolutely not a 5 star book.

[Lawren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a difficult one. The story was great but the writing was not. I made the comment to myself a few times while reading: "Well he's not a writer, he's a photographer.." - Also, when it got to the part where Marie died, that was it. There were a few comments on breaking the news to some others about Miss Marie being gone... but that was it. I think I actually looked at the cover again to see what the title of the book was. I thought: isn't this book supposed to be about Marie Colvin at least the author witnessing war in relation to Marie Colvin. Shouldn't we have some information on the aftermath and effect of her death on the war correspondent community and the business of reporting? I would like to give it 3.5 stars.

[Rupert Colley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Veteran war photographer, Paul Conroy, has written a compelling and direct book on his experiences in 2012 covering the conflict in Syria while working alongside American journalist, Marie Colvin. Weaving between the Syrian narratives, he also describes their adventures, the year before, in Libya during the final days of Muammar Gaddafi’s rule and his brutal end.

Early on in Under the Wire, Conroy describes Colvin giving a speech in a church on Fleet Street, London, in which she argued ‘passionately’ for the need to send reporters to dangerous places. And Colvin had certainly been to several dangerous places; hot spots such as Kosovo, Libya and Chechnya. Her raison d'être, Conroy tells us, was to inform the world of injustice, and to use mass media to hold governments to account.

Roy Greenslade, writing Marie Colvin's obituary in The Guardian, quoted her as saying, ‘My job is to bear witness. I have never been interested in knowing what make of plane had just bombed a village or whether the artillery that fired at it was 120mm or 155mm’. It was this, in February 2012, while reporting for the Sunday Times, that motivated their mission into Syria and to the Baba Amr district in the city of Homs. At the time, Homs was heavily under siege with the forces of President Assad relentlessly pounding the city on a daily basis.

Both Colvin and Conroy are adept at laughing off their fears, and we see them, frequently, in situations of utter terror yet still coming up with a quip. Conroy describes them being escorted through Libya when they came under attack. Having dodged the bullets, Colvin concludes, ‘I guess one way to find the front line is to drive straight into it’.

Colvin, we are told, was equally at ease with British aristocracy as she was with a Kurdish warlord or an Afghan taxi driver. She certainly must have made a striking figure with her steely determination and her ability to coax and charm the most hardened of men while all the time sporting her eye patch. (Colvin had lost her left eye in Sri Lanka in 2001).

Conroy smokes his way through the book, and through the danger. After his terrific injuries in Homs, and while been seen to in a makeshift hospital, Conroy’s first reaction is to ask for another cigarette. Colvin, we soon learn, was a technophobe. Throughout, she constantly complains that her laptop or email or phone has broken. Conroy, patiently and with only a whiff of exasperation, usually fixes her technical problems with a mere switch of a button.

Everywhere our brave journalists meet the war wearied, the oppressed, the desperate, and men with AK47s. They are frequently transported round on trucks that, in Britain, wouldn’t stand a chance of passing their MOTs, often perilously close to snipers, mine fields and more AK47-touting, trigger-happy killers.

A particularly hair-raising chapter is Conroy’s description of their passage, via a three-kilometre dark tunnel, into Homs. Disorientated, unable to stand or stretch, unable to see, and with a lack of oxygen, he relates with great skill the tortuous walk into the ‘lion’s den’ of a city under siege. Conroy is, by profession, a photographer, not a writer, but his descriptions here are such that you feel his agony with every step.

Days before her death, on 22 February 2012, Marie Colvin was interviewed by three major news agencies and was able to inform the world just what was happening in Homs: of unarmed civilians bombed, children dying in hospitals, the lack of medical supplies, and of homes destroyed – all under the name of President Assad. On YouTube, there is one of those reports, in which she justifies why TV audiences in the West should be confronted with the ‘horrific’ and ‘heart breaking’ image of a baby in Homs dying from shrapnel wounds.

Conroy and Colvin were sheltering in a house, their ‘media centre’, when they were joined by a group of French journalists, including 28-year-old, Rémi Ochlik, the ‘wonderful, smiling Rémi’, whom Conroy knew from their days together in Libya. On 22 February, the house came under attack from shells. Conroy describes the chaos, the panic and the searing pain of his own wounds, which, alarmingly, included a fist-sized hole right through his thigh. Fighting to escape, he comes across the bodies of Colvin and Ochlik. ‘Marie, the Martha Gellhorn of our generation, now lay motionless in the ruins of Baba Amr. Farewell, Chechen queen.’

The final part of the book, relates Conroy’s evacuation, with the aid of Syrian rebels, out of the city, the country, and across the border into Lebanon.

Paul Conroy’s book is a gruelling read but one that, for him, needed to be written, and one that, for us, needs to be read a fuller appreciation of modern conflict.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul Conroy is a photographer. It would be naive of anyone to read this book expecting Paul to write in a way other more experienced authors would. Sometimes the writing style can be somewhat basic, inhibiting the flow of the read, however (to the best of my knowledge) Conroy’s first endeavour into the world of writing is to commended for the story it tells, one of bravery (sometimes bordering stupidity), an adventure like no other, humour and ultimately immense sadness.

Conroy tells the story of his time spent in the Syrian city of Homs in the early stages of the Syrian civil war. Conroy is a war photographer, and works hand in hand with Marie Colvin to tell the story of the people of Homs as Assad’s relentless military slaughtered civilians, rebels and just about anything else while everyone else watched on. Under the Wire used a clever way of jumping back to previous conflicts Paul reported on that had an influence how he got to the present day, it works surprisingly well, giving more in-depth context behind relationships and experiences.

I felt the death of Colvin could have been developed further, the aftermath of her murder on both Conroy and in a wider context.

The book does a good job at highlighting the stomach churning experiences the Syrian people have now endured for 10 years. Paul’s personal experience is an excellent example of a team of people who are willing to put their lives on the line to ensure the tragic experiences endured by others doesn’t get lost in history.

If you remember Conroy is a photographer, not an experienced author this book is very much worth a read.

[Alexandra Daw · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a difficult one to review. Mostly because you feel a cow for giving a book like this three stars when the author risked life and limb to write it. But there were a few too many tunnels and bombs and rockets for me - as indeed for the poor author I imagine. I was left feeling both gobsmacked and unsatisfied at the same time. Gobsmacked that someone would willingly do this for a living. Unsatisfied at the same time because I still wonder why. I wanted to know more about what drives people in this most dangerous of professions. Maybe I will just never "get it". But I'm still glad I read it.

[LAPL Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Where are all the men?" the editor asked Marie Colvin, who would not abandon hundreds of refugees in war-ravaged East Timor, and answered, "I suppose they just don't make men like they used to." They may not make war journalists, male or female, to match the likes of Marie Colvin who was one of the greats and valued as such by her colleagues.

International photographer Paul Conroy recounts the reporting he and Marie Calvin did in 2012 in the Baba Amr section of Homs, Syria which was known for its support of opposition forces. In unadorned language and incidents we are taken into the world of war journalists and how they get their stories. Journalists were not welcome in Syria, so Conroy and Colvin hatched different schemes, but eventually negotiated with smugglers to get from Lebanon to Syria. They were driven by several trucks and cars, often with headlights off, deposited in cement block houses where they waited for more rides, trekked through unlit fields and eventually to a tunnel, about 2 miles long and 4 feet in height, through which they walked hunched over, to an exit to wait for more rides.

Colvin was not a thrill seeker, but was driven by the need to see first-hand what took place in war zones: East Timor, Chechnya, Sri Lanka, Libya and Syria. Often fueled by adrenaline, cigarettes (Finally ordered to give them up by her dentist, she inhaled the smoke when Conroy would light up.), coffee and whatever food was available plus a competitive edge, Colvin went and stayed in places where no one else would go. Having left Homs once because there were confirmed rumors that there would be a final assault on the city, which then did not take place, Colvin returned with Conroy for a second time which proved deadly for her and French photographer Rémi Ochlik. Paul Conroy and Edith Bouvier were seriously wounded and eventually smuggled out. There is evidence that these journalists were specifically targeted because they had witnessed and filed reports on the bombing of civilians and hospitals by the Syrian army. Marie Colvin firmly believed it was a journalist's job to see, investigate, ask questions and report, and there was no substitute for being where the action was. On the front line : the collected journalism of Marie Colvin will be available in the near future as part of LAPL's collection.

Reviewed by Sheryn Morris, Librarian, Central Library

[Chris Chester · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about the career of war correspondents much like I have mixed feelings about this book.

As a member of a respected news organization, my first feeling is one of reverence for people like Paul Conroy and Marie Colvin, who hoof it in dangerous situations so that the world can know the truth about the atrocities committed by men like Bashar Assad. Without them, we would never know much more than official government reports tell us, which we know is only ever a shade of reality.

But when you set aside the sheer bravado and romance of the idea, it just seems really fucking stupid. Conroy openly describes how his job shattered his first marriage and sets his whole family on edge every time he goes out on assignment.

And for what? Some situations, like the plight of the Free Syrian Army in Homs, are unfixable even when you speak truth to power. Dozens of people put their lives at risk to make sure that Conroy could make it out of Syria so he could "tell their story." That's the refrain the reader is offered time and again.

By the end of the book, I had lost track of the number of young men who drove Conroy on motorbikes through enemy fire, offering grim humor and cigarettes in the face of fate. These guys are not long for this world with the decisions they've made, but now their lives are potentially even shorter because we needed to get a few photographs in The Sunday Times?

I'd be sick with guilt, and I think you can tell Conroy is, given his fawning depiction of the FSA.

I can't really fault the book though. It's a gripping account of a lifestyle that I could never live, but that I am abstractly glad other people can.

[Kazzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always feel odd giving a star rating to a non-fiction book, especially one like this. I read In Extremis by Lindsey Hilsum in December ‘22 and I sobbed reading the epilogue. I knew after reading it that I had to read Paul Conroy’s own account. It was no-less heartbreaking and poignant.

Paul’s account of his work with Marie Colvin and his own body of work had me laughing, had me smiling, had me choking up, and had me sending photos of paragraphs to a friend so that I had someone to suffer alongside me as I read through their ordeal. Was it well written? No. Did it need to be? No. I didn’t want flowery writing. I wanted what happened. Some people in other reviews question the dialogue. Do you recall every conversation you’ve ever had perfectly verbatim, never mind after traumatic events? That’s not the point of it. It gets the point across. That’s how Paul remembered it. It’s autobiographical. It’s not fiction and doesn’t serve to entertain us.

Absolutely one-of-kind. I’m not great at reviewing non-fiction books but this is quite something. Thank you Paul for sharing this with the world.

[Kyarra Keele · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you read the description and are wondering if this book is worth your time, I would say go ahead and read it. This is a very interesting story and was certainly equal parts informative and entertaining. It lost 2 stars for me simply because despite fascinating me at the time of reading, it truthfully didn't strike me enough to be memorable over time, or something I would rave about to a friend. And as a side note, this book almost read like something fictional despite being true, which could be a pro or delta depending on your preferences/expectations.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never realized the danger a war journalist puts themselves in, to discover the truth. Paul Conroy, a photographer, was working with Marie Colvin when she was killed in Syria in 2012. This book sheds light on the devastation in Syria and how war affects the innocents. It also shows how civilians deal with living in terror, every single day, somehow remain brave enough to fight in the resistance. Paul Conroy does an excellent job setting the scene for us, but I would have liked a little more info on Marie’s career before her last mission to Syria.

[Tony Lowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read that shows us what news reporters go through to show the world the horrors happening all around the world. The dangers that Herself and Paul went through to get the story out is a feat and a half. But not just these two. All war reporters around the world go to the extreme. A fantastic book and one that everyone should take time out to read.

[Marion Roux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harrowing , but a must-read.
Marie Colvin found her purpose in describing the humanitarian costs that war forces civilians to pay. She went into the thick of things - she lost an eye in Sri Lanka.
This is Paul Conroy's recounting of Marie's final assignment into Syria.
What they both encountered there, demands respect from the reader

[Muhammad Ahmad · Rating 5 out of 5]

A detailed account of the killing of Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik by the Syrian regime during the siege of Baba Amr and the gripping story of Paul Conroy's near-miraculous escape from the besieged zone, helped by the heroic efforts of Syrian media activists and the FSA's Farouk Brigade. A must read.

[James ives · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the world to see

A captivating read from the Syrian frontline.... The bravery of Paul Marie and the Fsa and the commitment to the cause of humanity against the reign of terror makes this a must read

[Fionnuala · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story, average writing. Conroy comes across as a genuinely likable guy, and I don't doubt for a moment how he must have been utterly devastated by the deaths of his friends and colleagues. But I get the feeling that somebody in the editing room decided that this should be an Action Story, and so it's got all of the excitement and drama but very little reflection and emotion. In a book marketed as being about the death of a person, I feel that the person in question should feature a little more.

Don't get me wrong, there's a lot about Conroy and Colvin's adventures and how their friendship grew. It's all very vivid and true to life -- friendships bloom quickly in warzones, and while some people might find it difficult to believe, you really can meet someone and in hours feel like you've known them your whole life. (Thinking back to my own time as a journalist in Ukraine recently, I remembered somebody I met and after a grand total of 12 hours (only two and a half spent in his precense, the rest over text) I already knew I'd kill or die for him. Such is war.) I can't imagine how devastating the loss of a friendship of their length would be. There's a lot of great scene-setting in this: the comedy, the chaos, the camraderie. It's all very true to life, and I wish this close examination of a friendship had continued throughout the whole book. Instead, after Colvin's death, it's like she exits stage left and we really don't hear from her again, nor do we see anything about what Conroy was thinking. While his escape from Syria was incredibly interesting and genuinely a great action tale, I kept waiting for him to reflect on Colvin's death. At first I thought well, of course, when you're that injured you're probably not thinking about much else. Then I thought well, of course, when you're trying to escape from a war-torn country where people literally want you dead you're probably not thinking about much else. But then Conroy got on the medevac flight and that was it. Book ended. I was more than a little disappointed.

I'm all for a good action story, and I'm even lenient regarding the questionable writing style many of them are written in: short, sharp sentences, written almost like a movie, everything happening and liberal use of clichés. It's not my usual style but for an action scene it works. And if a book sells itself as all action, I don't mind finding this. (War Junkie: One Man's Addiction to the Worst Places on Earth comes to mind -- the writing style was literally cheesy and in anything else I would have been too embarrassed to continue, but the book is called War Junkie. I knew what I was getting.) This book sold itself as being about an exciting story, yes -- but it also hangs heavily on the friendship between Colvin and Conroy, and the fact it's the story of an incredibly brave woman's final assignment. And there's just not enough of that -- not the friendship, not about Colvin, not about the impact of her death. If I hadn't already read In Extremis: The Life of War Correspondent Marie Colvin I would have only come away with the basic facts about Colvin, and for a book that markets itself as a tribute to her and a friendship tragically severed, that's really not enough.

Definitely worth reading for the story, and it's not without feeling -- there is some there, enough for the book to feel sincere. But I'd recommend In Extremis if you're looking for a real portrait of Colvin, and the impact of both her life and loss.

[Tammam Aloudat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an account of someone who survived the slaughter machine of one of the most cruel modern wars, a slaughter that is imposed by the Syrian regime on its own people. Conroy entered Homs as a war photographer and lost two of his colleagues and a part of his leg there and lived to tell the story.

This is mainly a story about Marie Colvin, the war journalist who survived many wars including the one that claimed her eye with an RPG in Sri Lanka to die in Baba Amr in Syria targeted intentionally by the regime that didn't want journalists telling its story.

Rather than review the book, I will remember the one time I met Marie Colvin. It was on my first mission with the Red Cross to Iraq. I was still a starry eyed 25 years old going on my first real work as a health delegate with the Red Cross in Iraq after the American invasion and was put in a hotel in Baghdad called Hamra hotel. The place was bizarre but I still didn't know how the "field" should be so was able in my naiveté to take it all in like someone watching a movie. The sounds of explosions outside collided with the sound of the music inside the hotel that had the last functioning swimming pool in the city and a bar filled with alcohol and foreigners with nothing else to spend their money on. There were all types from journalists to aid workers and from mercenaries to coalition soldiers, cocktails and satellite phones and guns were carried around and people seemed to be in their element.

No one was more so though than the woman who entered one evening with an eye patch and sat confidently on a table beside the swimming pool. I was told by a colleague who knew better that this is Marie Colvin, the famous war journalist. I was so fascinated I stared a few seconds too late. I hope she wasn't offended.

Nine years later, Marie Colvin was killed in the shelling of the Media Centre in a city in my country. She covered wars and was under fire many times but this one was the final mission she had. Conroy tells of a journalist that had a deep sense of duty to witness and expose the suffering of people who fall victim to conflicts they have no control over. She left Baba Amr and came back again to complete the story and she never went out again.

I just wish I'd said hello on that note afternoon in Baghdad.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t usually write reviews but some of the 1 stars have made me want to explain why I gave it 5 stars.

I can forgive some of the writing style (though I do think the editor must have been asleep on the job not to pick up some of the discrepancies - someone is 26 on one page then in his thirties a few minutes later, something happened on 30 Feb) as this was such an important story and had me holding my breath in some places and crying in others.

People have said he doesn’t give enough weight to Marie’s death but this was written so close to the time it happened I felt that he still hadn’t processed everything and had a lot of trauma to come. He has paid tribute to her and the people who saved him, died and are still suffering in Syria in the only way he can. Without his account it’s unlikely we would ever have found out exactly what it was like and what happened to Marie.

Recommend watching the documentary and reading Lindsey Hilsum’s excellent book too then writing to your local MP to ask why the hell the people of Syria are still suffering 8 years after this reporting took place and why our Western governments aren’t helping to stop this dreadful genocide. We all need to take responsibility for continuing what Marie tried to do and Paul assisted her with.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly , rest in peace Maria Colvin . A huge loss to humanity. She made the ultimate sacrifice to get this story out . And same to you Paul Conroy. And to all the others that helped. Everyone showed incomprehensible courage .
I found this book incredibly powerful and moving . I truly feel hate for Syrian Regime and pain for what the Syrian people went through . I also feel ashamed this is happening in our planet . I loved Paul’s sense of humour all the way through the book , you need that in troubled waters to keep going . He’s getting some flank by some snotty reviews that have gone into far too much detail to have a dig at someone who’s done far more for humanity than just listing pages of sentences they wanted to shit on . Maybe they will go to the next war to show us how they are better than Paul .
I loved Paul’s writing . I’ve read pompous books from war correspondents before they are a drag .
This is easy reading but not the subject matter that will make you angry & upset or if you’re that way inclined what to correct the grammar or punctuation of the author
Read it or watch the film it’s on prime & Apple TV £3 to rent and learn what an evil bastard Al Assad was and is .

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have rather conflicting feelings about this book. It's not really about Marie Colvin but about the author himself, and her name and the fact that she was killed on this assignment, seems to be used to make it more marketable, so yes, she features prominently, but it's not about her. It certainly didn't stop with her death. The situation was hellish, the journalists unbelievably courageous, the rebels who helped them equally if not more so. I found the writing generally good, but the conversation did not sound real to me; every sentence pretty much included the name of the person being addressed, and all the Brits (and I am one) sounded a little 'off', continually calling each other 'mate', which I found jarring, although it is a common term of address in the UK across all classes and socio economic groups. I read the first half and then put it down for a few days before finishing it in one afternoon.

[Lisa Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

British freelance photographer shares his relationship with the late war correspondent Marie Colvin in Under the Wire; A Country at War. A City Under Siege. A Friendship Under Fire. A terrific read as Conroy alternates between time in Libya and the days leading up to the tragic event with Colvin in Syria. My only complaint I wish he had included photos. This is an adrenaline rush from the beginning. I would recommend Lindsey Hilsum's terrific book about Colvin as well. One can only imagine how difficult it is to watch friends, colleagues perish in a war zone. The conditions under which these journalists work are horrific. In this case Bashar al-Assad should be prosecuted for his war crimes against the innocent men, women and children and the journalists who have given their life to report the atrocities in Syria. Of course, as a coward, he ran to where else, Russia.

[Jenny Perin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lo valuterei 10 stelle si 5, se si potesse. Libro più bello in assoluto che abbia mai letto e anche il più terrificante. Non per la modalità di scrittura (Paul Conroy è un ex militare e fotografo di guerra), ma per il contenuto. Questo non è un romanzo di invenzione, ma la vera storia di Marie Colvin, reporter di guerra, morta in Siria a febbraio 2012. Libro di denuncia per quelli che sono i crimini di guerra e voce di tante persone, adulti, vecchi, bambini morti tra i muri di casa, o nel tentativo di fuggire.
Questo è un libro che ti cambia. L'impressione angosciante di essere nel tunnel con Paul e di essere tornati salvi in Libano, non mi abbandonerà facilmente.

[Lynn Keeling · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling and disturbing book giving an in-depth look at the world of war journalists. Marie Colvin was determined to tell the stories of the innocents and put her life on the line to achieve this. Having seen her final video showing the death of a young child in horrific circumstances it is easier to understand her. Paul Conroy was her photographer and friend. He himself was horribly injured in the attack that killed Marie but has kept her mission alive over the years since her death. Horribly graphic at times but we'll worth reading.

[oliwia]

"Abu Falafel, Abu Falafel, come here! Get on the motorbike!" shouted Abu Bakr.
"No," I responded firmly, "Some of these boys are dying. Please, take them first."
"Abu Falafel, get in. You need to go now. We want you to live and tell about us. Get in. Please."

In the present world, war journalists' bravery is not talked about enough. More people should be made aware of the atrocities happening in many places around the world even now - whether it is Ukraine, Syria or Palestine - everyone deserves to be heard.

This is a must read.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharing tender reflections of true friendship, surrounded by brutal and horrific realities of war, Paul Conroy seems, himself, a remarkable journalist as he relates the details surrounding the final days of Marie Colvin's life and career. He bears witness to the cruel slaughter of those not willing to embrace the Assad regime, and, he enlightens the reader with his depth of understanding of combat and artillery as a former British gunner. A heartbreaking, yet fascinating read.

[Bernice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping gut wrenching reading. It is more than just a story about the death of Marie Colvin, one of the better known women war correspondents who tragically died whilst covering the events in Syria. Despite the stories and photographic evidence provided by both Paul and Marie along with many other journalists from around the world little has been done to ease the suffering of the residents hopelessly trapped with no means of escape.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Maybe not the best literary experience I've ever had but a great telling of an extraordinary experience, told by the person who lived it. As an ex soldier and experienced conflict photographer Paul has a unique skill set, and a lot of luck! I was lucky enough to meet Paul a couple of times just before he went to Syria. He struck me as a thoroughly decent, down to earth bloke; despite being clearly mad!

[Andrew Sell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A shocking account of Homs in 2012. How the world ignored what was happening, is even more of a tragedy. The lengths the journalists went to enter Syria, cross the country, and sneak into the besieged Homs are mind-blowing; not many came out alive. Paul was blown up but somehow made it back to tell the tale. He is an ex-British Army soldier turned war photographer, a war/adrenaline junkie from Liverpool with balls of steel... Great read.

[Frappyfraps · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una storia vera e straziante, non tanto quella di Marie, personaggio sublime e donna tostissima la cui storia è quasi eroica, ma quella della guerra in Siria che fa da scenario alla sua. Impossibile non commuoversi in certi passaggi.
Scrittura a volte faticosa e un po' ridondante ma un libro che merita anche solo come testimonianza.