On All Fronts - Clarissa Ward - 4 stars

[Booknblues]

Clarissa Ward's On All Fronts: The Education of a Journalist is an interesting account of modern day journalism. It is a memoir of her life as a privileged child in which she discusses going to Yale and her decision while there to become a journalist. After 9/11 she decided this was the direction she wanted her life to go in.

We follow her journey as a young journalist trying to find her way, working first as a producer and finally finding her way into reporting. She has worked for many networks, Fox, CBS, and CNN. She talks about how she was encouraged to wear her hair down, when she preferred it up:

I returned my hair to its usual style. In later years, I would be asked again to wear my hair down, or to cut it short. Wearing your hair up in TV news appeared to be something of a revolutionary act. While Fox was particularly egregious in dictating a “look” that its female talent should embrace, every US television network clearly placed great emphasis on how women should look and dress on air. I would see pretty girls with no real talent ascend to meteoric heights and brilliant women who were less telegenic languish, unused. No matter who you work for or what story you cover, television is at its essence a superficial business.

What I appreciated the most is how she brought to life her experiences in many different and dangerous situations, in Japan after the earthquake and Tsunami, in Lebanon, in Palestine, in Syria, and with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

She is not a person who views events with stoicism and she likes to get to know people in situations where she is so it is clear that much of her experience has taken an emotional toll on her.

I had this book since last year, but seeing her bravery reporting in Afghanistan in August, I knew I had to move it up to the top.

I highly recommend this book for those who are interested in journalism in war torn places.

[Holly R W]

I was very impressed with Ms. Ward during her recent reporting from Afghanistan. Now, I'd like to read her book. Thanks for your review!

[Booknblues]

Holly R W wrote: "I was very impressed with Ms. Ward during her recent reporting from Afghanistan. Now, I'd like to read her book. Thanks for your review!"

Holly, I was very impressed as well. I followed her on twitter and she stayed and made sure that all of her Afghani helpers and their families were evacuated and that impressed me even more.

I found this lengthy video of her talking with Rory Stewart which I am watching and listening to at this very minute:

https://jackson.yale.edu/video/event-...