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In Extremis: The Life of War Correspondent Marie Colvin
Marie Colvin was hard-drinking, braver than the boys, with a troubled and rackety personal life. With fierce compassion and honesty, she reported from the most dangerous places in the world, fractured by conflict and genocide, going in further and staying longer than anyone else. In Sri Lanka in 2001, Marie was hit by a grenade and lost the sight in her left eye - resulting in her trademark eye patch - and in 2012 she was killed in Syria. Like her hero, the legendary reporter Martha Gellhorn, she sought to bear witness to the horrifying truths of war, to write ‘the first draft of history’ and crucially to shine a light on the suffering of ordinary people.
Written by fellow foreign correspondent Lindsey Hilsum, this is the story of the most daring war reporter of her age. Drawing on unpublished diaries and notebooks, and interviews with Marie’s friends, family and colleagues, In Extremis is the story of our turbulent age, and the life of a woman who defied convention.
Written by fellow foreign correspondent Lindsey Hilsum, this is the story of the most daring war reporter of her age. Drawing on unpublished diaries and notebooks, and interviews with Marie’s friends, family and colleagues, In Extremis is the story of our turbulent age, and the life of a woman who defied convention.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2018
About the author
Lindsey Hilsum
8 books77 followersLindsey Hilsum is the author of "In Extremis: the Life of War Correspondent Marie Colvin" (2018)and "Sandstorm: Libya in the Time of Revolution" (2012). She is the international editor of Channel 4 News, and has covered many of the conflicts of recent times including Syria, Ukraine and Libya as well as the Trump administration, terror attacks in Europe and refugee movements. She was Beijing Bureau Chief from 2006-8, and reported from Baghdad during the 2003 US invasion, and Belgrade during the NATO campaign in Kosovo. In 1994, she was the only English-speaking foreign correspondent in Rwanda when the genocide started. Lindsey writes for Granta and the New York Review of Books, and has won several awards for her journalism including the Patrons' Medal from the Royal Geographical Society. Before becoming a journalist she was an aid worker, first in Central America and then in Africa.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 525 reviews
May 19, 2019
Fearless, reckless, addicted to adventure and danger, all descriptions used to describe war correspondent, Marie Colvin. Her life from the beginning was one of non conformity. Her father often despaired of his daughters decisions, and his early death left Marie feeling guilty and needy. Now she would never gain her father's approval, something that haunted her. She was full of contradictions, throwing herself in danger in the most notorious places, yet yearning for a stable, loving marriage and children.
She reported on all the major atrocities of our times. Would meet Gaddaffi, who was one strange duck.
Arrafat and his wife would befriend and try to protect her. She would leave part of herself in Sri Lanka, and report on carnages everywhere. When other reports left the dangerous areas for safety, she would stay longer, always aware that her stories mattered. They showed the world the injustices happening. She was hard drinking, smoked continuously, partied hard, but somehow managed what few others reporting could and did.
Her home life was messy, she had many relationships, but they couldn't hold up under her lifestyle. This was a very well researched book, and I loved how thoughtfully it was put together. Told with empathy, and honesty. A woman who put everything on the line for truth. The author reads the book, and while i loved the tone of her voice, I wished the speed with which she read had been more consistent.
She reported on all the major atrocities of our times. Would meet Gaddaffi, who was one strange duck.
Arrafat and his wife would befriend and try to protect her. She would leave part of herself in Sri Lanka, and report on carnages everywhere. When other reports left the dangerous areas for safety, she would stay longer, always aware that her stories mattered. They showed the world the injustices happening. She was hard drinking, smoked continuously, partied hard, but somehow managed what few others reporting could and did.
Her home life was messy, she had many relationships, but they couldn't hold up under her lifestyle. This was a very well researched book, and I loved how thoughtfully it was put together. Told with empathy, and honesty. A woman who put everything on the line for truth. The author reads the book, and while i loved the tone of her voice, I wished the speed with which she read had been more consistent.
August 24, 2018
As the adult book buyer for an indie bookstore, I begged our publisher rep for an advance copy as soon as she told me about In Extremis. Ever since reading Lynsey Addario’s memoir a few years ago, I’ve been a bit obsessed with the stories of war correspondents, particularly those of the women who have reported from the Middle East in the last 2 decades. I devoured In Extremis in nearly one sitting. Marie Colvin was an icon, a real gem of a human being who played by her own rules. Written by a fellow female journalist and her friend for nearly 15 years until her death, In Extremis is a masterful blend of Marie’s own diary entries from her life, interviews with her friends and family, and Lindsey Hilsum’s own recollections of their time together as well as her recounting of momentous events in the course of Marie’s life. I turned every page with gusto and can’t wait for the rest of the world to read this, my new favorite book.
December 12, 2023
I left this review; I kept putting it off. It's taken me six months to put pen to paper. I think I couldn’t find the words, as this woman was simply remarkable. She was flawed, but she was so amazingly clever and committed to her belief in her work. I chose to listen to the audio version, and I honestly do not know how I stumbled across this title. Possibly it was the stunning cover photo of this woman with her eye patch. 'What is her story' I may have wondered? Her story. Well. Where to begin.
Marie Colvin was brilliant, she did what others would not willingly do. She reported from the front lines, slept on floors, slept outside. She was fearless, and perhaps this was her main attribute, or downfall. She lost an eye in 2001, Sri Lanka, and being the ballsy woman she was chose a patch, not a prosthetic. I think what you saw was what you got. I read her to be slightly neurotic, original, quirky, and unafraid to be these things. I loved her.
She was unafraid, working in a male dominated field, she pushed the boundary on everything. An addictive nature, this is obvious, many failed relationships, though many many friends all trying at various times in her life to get her into rehab, suggest self-care and take time away from the life and death situations she continually found herself in.
From Marie (externally to this book):
"Many of you here must have asked yourselves — or be asking yourselves now — is it worth the cost in lives, heartbreak, loss? Can we really make a difference?
"I faced that question when I was injured. In fact, one paper ran a headline saying, 'has Marie Colvin gone too far this time?' My answer then, and now, was that it is worth it. ...
It was Marie’s lot, and passion in life to make a difference in exposing the horrors of war and especially the atrocities that befall civilians, those she believed to be the forgotten victims. And that’s what she was doing when she was killed, before enacting her exit strategy. Her interest to her own safety did not match the commitment to her story.
I did not set out to be a war correspondent. It has always seemed to me is that what I write about is humanity in extremis, pushed to the unendurable, and that it is important to tell people what really happens in wars..
This book, written by Marie’s close friend and colleague was compelling, written with loads of empathy and respect, and drawn from over 300 diaries and notebooks from age thirteen to her death. It tells of Marie’s love of family, her education, her endearing and often and often maddening qualities as well. This woman sat down with Gaddafi who was enamoured by her. She always held her own and removed herself from many perilous situations over her unbelievable career. Marie was largely unknown in America, whe was a legend in the United Kingdom, as the foreign correspondent of The Sunday Times.
In September of 2012, Marie Colvin lost her life doing the important work she loved, covering the plight of Syrian civilians trapped in Homs, the city under siege and relentless military attack from the Syrian army.
This book had a tremendous effect on me, knowing little about this part of history. I was telling everyone about it at the time. A remarkable woman who won numerous awards for her journalistic work. She remarked to friends near the end of her life that she was witnessing some of the worst she had seen humans do to each other, and on one of her last Facebook posts - "getting this story out is what we got into journalism for."
I am so grateful to this woman, and to her friend Lindsey Hilsum for telling her story so eloquently. This book is a firm favourite of 2023. I implore all to read it.
I listened to this audiobook via the Indyreads platform and my public library, which is an initiative of the State Library of NSW.
Marie Colvin was brilliant, she did what others would not willingly do. She reported from the front lines, slept on floors, slept outside. She was fearless, and perhaps this was her main attribute, or downfall. She lost an eye in 2001, Sri Lanka, and being the ballsy woman she was chose a patch, not a prosthetic. I think what you saw was what you got. I read her to be slightly neurotic, original, quirky, and unafraid to be these things. I loved her.
She was unafraid, working in a male dominated field, she pushed the boundary on everything. An addictive nature, this is obvious, many failed relationships, though many many friends all trying at various times in her life to get her into rehab, suggest self-care and take time away from the life and death situations she continually found herself in.
From Marie (externally to this book):
"Many of you here must have asked yourselves — or be asking yourselves now — is it worth the cost in lives, heartbreak, loss? Can we really make a difference?
"I faced that question when I was injured. In fact, one paper ran a headline saying, 'has Marie Colvin gone too far this time?' My answer then, and now, was that it is worth it. ...
It was Marie’s lot, and passion in life to make a difference in exposing the horrors of war and especially the atrocities that befall civilians, those she believed to be the forgotten victims. And that’s what she was doing when she was killed, before enacting her exit strategy. Her interest to her own safety did not match the commitment to her story.
I did not set out to be a war correspondent. It has always seemed to me is that what I write about is humanity in extremis, pushed to the unendurable, and that it is important to tell people what really happens in wars..
This book, written by Marie’s close friend and colleague was compelling, written with loads of empathy and respect, and drawn from over 300 diaries and notebooks from age thirteen to her death. It tells of Marie’s love of family, her education, her endearing and often and often maddening qualities as well. This woman sat down with Gaddafi who was enamoured by her. She always held her own and removed herself from many perilous situations over her unbelievable career. Marie was largely unknown in America, whe was a legend in the United Kingdom, as the foreign correspondent of The Sunday Times.
In September of 2012, Marie Colvin lost her life doing the important work she loved, covering the plight of Syrian civilians trapped in Homs, the city under siege and relentless military attack from the Syrian army.
This book had a tremendous effect on me, knowing little about this part of history. I was telling everyone about it at the time. A remarkable woman who won numerous awards for her journalistic work. She remarked to friends near the end of her life that she was witnessing some of the worst she had seen humans do to each other, and on one of her last Facebook posts - "getting this story out is what we got into journalism for."
I am so grateful to this woman, and to her friend Lindsey Hilsum for telling her story so eloquently. This book is a firm favourite of 2023. I implore all to read it.
I listened to this audiobook via the Indyreads platform and my public library, which is an initiative of the State Library of NSW.
June 10, 2019
What a shock this book was!! it has taken me a lot of time in comparison to other books because what is brought it stuns you in the depth.
The Hilsum has done a maddish and phenomenal job in putting together the whole career and all the Marie's war reports ... a precise and meticulous job, listing and telling all the moves and investigations made by Marie...
now i am not listing to you all, but she has actually been in all the places of war from the 80' to 2012 in Syria, her death's place.
I have been abducted from all these moves, the politics and the diplomacies that concealed behind the clashes to forehead of all the choices of the various journalistic headings with the various places to cover, here the Hilsum has been insuperable, rather perhaps until too much diffuse in this survey of decades that you will find in the book.
What is silly and that left me breathless is definitely Marie’s private life, I do not know for what reason or choice... surely there was her family's approval well before the editorial decisions on what or not to report.... The figure of a very fragile, alcoholic, and mentally unstable woman comes out of it. A total inability to healthy and lasting relationships, all this mixed with a job that led her to witness unthinkable tragedies, and therefore also afflicted her by post-traumatic shock syndrome....
Put it all together, and you will understand the unimaginable pain this woman was constantly experiencing.
I was shocked and annoyed to read his condition, I felt embarrassed for this... I don’t even dare to imagine how her friends lived her continuous boozes and cries and fights sometimes in front of politicians, diplomats or english and New York society.
It’s crazy that such a strong, determined, dedicated woman in her job as a war correspondent.... is then reduced to a" living larva" unable to make the simplest decisions.
But it is precisely in this situation that I felt truly torn and gradually also full of understanding for her... I only hope that she has attained an eternal supreme good, close to her father, the only man who most desired and wished for as sacred love..
Che shock questo libro!! mi ha preso molto tempo rispetto al solito perchè ciò che viene riportato ti stordisce nel profondo .
La Hilsum ha fatto un lavoro pazzesco e fenomenale nel mettere insieme tutta la carriera e tutti i reports di guerra di Marie.... un lavoro precisissimo e certosino, elencando e raccontando tutti gli spostamenti e indagini effettuate da Marie...
Ora non ve le sto ad elencare tutte, ma lei è stata in tutti i luoghi di guerra da metà anni ottanta sino al 2012 in Siria, luogo della sua morte.
Mi sono trovata rapita da tutti questi spostamenti, la politica e le diplomazie che si celavano dietro agli scontri a fronte di tutte le scelte delle varie testate giornalistiche con i vari luoghi da coprire, qui la Hilsum è stata insuperabile, anzi forse fin troppo prolissa in questa indagine di decenni che troverete nel libro.
Ciò che sciocca e che lascia il lettore senza fiato è sicuramente la vita privata di Marie, non so bene per quale motivo o scelta.... sicuramente ci sara stata l'approvazione della famiglia ben prima delle scelte editoriali su cosa o non riportare....... ne viene fuori la figura di una donna fragilissima, alcolizzata, e mentalmente instabile. Una totale incapacità a relazioni sane e durature, tutto questo misto ad un lavoro che la portava ad essere testimone di tragedie inimmaginabili, e quindi afflitta anche da sindrome di shock post traumatico.....
mettete insieme tutto, e capirete che dolore inimmaginabile viveva costantemente questa donna..
ho provato shock e fastidio nel leggere questa sua condizione, mi sono sentita in imbarazzo per questo... non oso neanche ad immaginare come i suoi amici vivessero le sue continue sbronze e o sceneggiate davanti a politici, diplomatici o l'alta società inglese e new yorkese.....
E' pazzesco che una donna cosi forte, determinata,scrupolosa nel suo lavoro come corrispondente di guerra.... si riduca poi ad una larva vivente incapace di prendere le le decisioni più semplici.
Ma è proprio in questa situazione che mi sono sentita veramente straziata e pian piano anche piena di comprensione per lei.... spero solo che abbia raggiunto un bene supremo eterno, vicino al suo papà, l'unico uomo che piu' desiderava e che più bramava come sacro amore....
The Hilsum has done a maddish and phenomenal job in putting together the whole career and all the Marie's war reports ... a precise and meticulous job, listing and telling all the moves and investigations made by Marie...
now i am not listing to you all, but she has actually been in all the places of war from the 80' to 2012 in Syria, her death's place.
I have been abducted from all these moves, the politics and the diplomacies that concealed behind the clashes to forehead of all the choices of the various journalistic headings with the various places to cover, here the Hilsum has been insuperable, rather perhaps until too much diffuse in this survey of decades that you will find in the book.
What is silly and that left me breathless is definitely Marie’s private life, I do not know for what reason or choice... surely there was her family's approval well before the editorial decisions on what or not to report.... The figure of a very fragile, alcoholic, and mentally unstable woman comes out of it. A total inability to healthy and lasting relationships, all this mixed with a job that led her to witness unthinkable tragedies, and therefore also afflicted her by post-traumatic shock syndrome....
Put it all together, and you will understand the unimaginable pain this woman was constantly experiencing.
I was shocked and annoyed to read his condition, I felt embarrassed for this... I don’t even dare to imagine how her friends lived her continuous boozes and cries and fights sometimes in front of politicians, diplomats or english and New York society.
It’s crazy that such a strong, determined, dedicated woman in her job as a war correspondent.... is then reduced to a" living larva" unable to make the simplest decisions.
But it is precisely in this situation that I felt truly torn and gradually also full of understanding for her... I only hope that she has attained an eternal supreme good, close to her father, the only man who most desired and wished for as sacred love..
Che shock questo libro!! mi ha preso molto tempo rispetto al solito perchè ciò che viene riportato ti stordisce nel profondo .
La Hilsum ha fatto un lavoro pazzesco e fenomenale nel mettere insieme tutta la carriera e tutti i reports di guerra di Marie.... un lavoro precisissimo e certosino, elencando e raccontando tutti gli spostamenti e indagini effettuate da Marie...
Ora non ve le sto ad elencare tutte, ma lei è stata in tutti i luoghi di guerra da metà anni ottanta sino al 2012 in Siria, luogo della sua morte.
Mi sono trovata rapita da tutti questi spostamenti, la politica e le diplomazie che si celavano dietro agli scontri a fronte di tutte le scelte delle varie testate giornalistiche con i vari luoghi da coprire, qui la Hilsum è stata insuperabile, anzi forse fin troppo prolissa in questa indagine di decenni che troverete nel libro.
Ciò che sciocca e che lascia il lettore senza fiato è sicuramente la vita privata di Marie, non so bene per quale motivo o scelta.... sicuramente ci sara stata l'approvazione della famiglia ben prima delle scelte editoriali su cosa o non riportare....... ne viene fuori la figura di una donna fragilissima, alcolizzata, e mentalmente instabile. Una totale incapacità a relazioni sane e durature, tutto questo misto ad un lavoro che la portava ad essere testimone di tragedie inimmaginabili, e quindi afflitta anche da sindrome di shock post traumatico.....
mettete insieme tutto, e capirete che dolore inimmaginabile viveva costantemente questa donna..
ho provato shock e fastidio nel leggere questa sua condizione, mi sono sentita in imbarazzo per questo... non oso neanche ad immaginare come i suoi amici vivessero le sue continue sbronze e o sceneggiate davanti a politici, diplomatici o l'alta società inglese e new yorkese.....
E' pazzesco che una donna cosi forte, determinata,scrupolosa nel suo lavoro come corrispondente di guerra.... si riduca poi ad una larva vivente incapace di prendere le le decisioni più semplici.
Ma è proprio in questa situazione che mi sono sentita veramente straziata e pian piano anche piena di comprensione per lei.... spero solo che abbia raggiunto un bene supremo eterno, vicino al suo papà, l'unico uomo che piu' desiderava e che più bramava come sacro amore....
July 25, 2022
The incredible life of an amazing journalist with a passion for people. Lindsey Hilsum's book is an incredible tribute to Marie Colvin.
About Marie's dedication to learning about her subject: "Marie put in the time so that the officials felt that they were friends not just contacts. She had a way of making Arafat feel comfortable and he liked female company." Additionally, "He respected her dedication to learning about the Palestinian cause."
Marie was so trusted by Arafat that he allowed her to travel on his plane, where she could observe him up close. "An aid always carried a pot of honey because the chairman liked five teaspoonfuls in hot milk as well as honey drizzled on the cornflakes submerged in tea that he had for breakfast every day." He also carried a blanket in his luggage "so he could curl us for a catnap whenever he needed." These are the details that humanized him and that Marie had taken the time to notice and write about.
Her reporting was exceptional. "Marie's scoops including getting the first confirmation that Arafat was about to recognize the state of Israel and that the Americans had agreed to talks with the PLO earned her high praise."
From Marie herself, "I did not set out to be a war correspondent. It has always seemed to me that what I write about is humanity in extremis pushed to the unendurable and that it is important to tell people what really happens in wars declared and undeclared." She was truly motivated to try to make a difference in our world.
From the epilogue:
At her funeral "as pipers played Amazing Grace the mourners stepped out into the sunlight where a knot of Tamils stood silently holding placards and handing out leaflets. 'Yesterday you lost your eye for Sri Lankan Tamils and gave vision to the blind world,' read one. 'Today you gave your life for fellow Syrians and gave teary eyes to the world. Tomorrow you will live forever all over the world in the hearts and minds of the lovers of humanity.'"
About Marie's dedication to learning about her subject: "Marie put in the time so that the officials felt that they were friends not just contacts. She had a way of making Arafat feel comfortable and he liked female company." Additionally, "He respected her dedication to learning about the Palestinian cause."
Marie was so trusted by Arafat that he allowed her to travel on his plane, where she could observe him up close. "An aid always carried a pot of honey because the chairman liked five teaspoonfuls in hot milk as well as honey drizzled on the cornflakes submerged in tea that he had for breakfast every day." He also carried a blanket in his luggage "so he could curl us for a catnap whenever he needed." These are the details that humanized him and that Marie had taken the time to notice and write about.
Her reporting was exceptional. "Marie's scoops including getting the first confirmation that Arafat was about to recognize the state of Israel and that the Americans had agreed to talks with the PLO earned her high praise."
From Marie herself, "I did not set out to be a war correspondent. It has always seemed to me that what I write about is humanity in extremis pushed to the unendurable and that it is important to tell people what really happens in wars declared and undeclared." She was truly motivated to try to make a difference in our world.
From the epilogue:
At her funeral "as pipers played Amazing Grace the mourners stepped out into the sunlight where a knot of Tamils stood silently holding placards and handing out leaflets. 'Yesterday you lost your eye for Sri Lankan Tamils and gave vision to the blind world,' read one. 'Today you gave your life for fellow Syrians and gave teary eyes to the world. Tomorrow you will live forever all over the world in the hearts and minds of the lovers of humanity.'"
May 16, 2019
Marie Colvin (1956 – 2012) is that war correspondent with the black eye-patch. Home was for her Oyster Bay, Long Island. She was educated at Yale. Here she came under the tutelage of John Hersey. In 1984 she became the UPI Bureau Chief in Paris. From 1986 she became The Sunday Times’ Middle East correspondent and from 1995 its Foreign Affairs correspondent.
Marie’s breakthrough story came with her interview of Libyan leader Gaddafi in 1986. She covered the discord in Beirut, the intifada in Israel, the Iran-Iraq war and the Iraq-Kuwait war.
In the Balkans she reported from inside Kosovo, hoping that the condition she brought to the fore would motivate the US to support the Kosovo Liberation Army soldiers. She crossed into Kosovo with a member of the KLA and spent days in muddy trenches being shot at by Serbian forces. This was in March and April 1999. In September of the same year, East Timor civilians were being terrorized. The Indonesian army and militia had killed one third of the Timorese people. Through her coverage she strove to keep UN forces in place and Red Cross aid available to its people. Saving individual lives is what motivated Marie, and what she liked to do best. Closing the year in Chechnya, she climbed the Caucasus Mountains in mid-winter.
Reporting on the Tamil Tigers, behind the lines in Sri Lank in 2001, she lost her left eye to a grenade. She was drawn to / addicted to fighting for the underdog, but her luck was running out. In Syria, February 2012, covering the siege of Homs, she was killed, alongside photographer Remy Oshlick. Had she become oblivious to the risks she was taking? She was fifty six year old. Her aim was to tell people what really happens in war.
Marie’s personal relationships--with lovers, ex-lovers, husbands and ex-husbands--were intense, just as were her relationships with colleagues and friends. Marie lived her life with a passion. The book is based on Marie’s own diary entries and more than a hundred interviews with Marie’s two ex-husbands, former lovers, members of her family, friends and colleagues.
Looking at her life we see not only her own life, but also what it entails to be a war correspondent. Life is lived on a taut spring, at any and every moment ready to snap. Partying. Nights at bars. An abundance of liquor and multiple packs of cigarettes make up the daily ration of what is consumed—not food. Switching bed partners and sexual infidelities are the norm. Sleep? What is that? I do not quite understand how these reporters can do their jobs and live as they do, but this is their way of coping. Wound up and taut, the never-ending tension of the job results not seldom in PTSD. Survival guilt plagues many.
All aspects of Marie’s life are covered—the wear and tear of the job, its physical and emotional consequences, as well as her relationships with friends and family. Don’t think Marie was fearless; she chose to confront fear head on. Both her vulnerability and her strength are revealed. I came to care for her. I laughed with her. I saw exactly how she was thinking. I got to know her as a person. Marie was a person “easy to love and hard to help”. This comes through in the telling. Extremely interesting tidbits are added. I will mention but one—I had never heard of sympathetic ophthalmia. Loosing vision in one eye put her at risk for loosing vison in the other!
Marie Colvin covered those conflicts others shied away from because they were too dangerous. There is no distance between herself and those she reports on. Throughout her life she remained determined to bear witness and to bring events home vividly. To make people care.
The author was Marie’s friend. I wondered whether she would present a balanced and honest view of her? I believe she has. Hilsum identifies points where Marie drew incorrect conclusions. She discusses both her strengths and weaknesses. They met for the first time during the Kosovo War. With the passage of time they met more and more frequently, both socially and on the job. Hilsum writes that they saw themselves as the “ Thelma and Louise of the press corps.” Two women among so many men. She spoke with Marie over Skype shortly before she was killed. Lindsey Hilsum is the International Editor of Channel 4 News in Britain and a longtime war reporter herself.
Keeping track of Marie’s friends, colleagues and lovers is sometimes difficult. The author has a tendency to only occasionally state the surname of the individual spoken of.
Lindsey Hilsum is not only the author but also the narrator of the audiobook. She reads at an uneven speed, making some sections difficult to follow. Parts are read much too rapidly. Her pronunciation of words is not always clear. On the other hand, her involvement and enthusiasm is engaging. Three stars for the narration.
Marie’s role models? John Hersey, spoken of above, and Martha Gellhorn must be named. Clearly, Marie will be a role model for future generations.
**********************
Book that meant much to Marie Colvin:
The Face of War 4 stars by Martha Gellhorn
The View from the Ground 4 stars by Martha Gellhorn
The Golden Notebook 4 stars by Doris Lessing
Hiroshima 3 stars by John Hersey
Marie’s breakthrough story came with her interview of Libyan leader Gaddafi in 1986. She covered the discord in Beirut, the intifada in Israel, the Iran-Iraq war and the Iraq-Kuwait war.
In the Balkans she reported from inside Kosovo, hoping that the condition she brought to the fore would motivate the US to support the Kosovo Liberation Army soldiers. She crossed into Kosovo with a member of the KLA and spent days in muddy trenches being shot at by Serbian forces. This was in March and April 1999. In September of the same year, East Timor civilians were being terrorized. The Indonesian army and militia had killed one third of the Timorese people. Through her coverage she strove to keep UN forces in place and Red Cross aid available to its people. Saving individual lives is what motivated Marie, and what she liked to do best. Closing the year in Chechnya, she climbed the Caucasus Mountains in mid-winter.
Reporting on the Tamil Tigers, behind the lines in Sri Lank in 2001, she lost her left eye to a grenade. She was drawn to / addicted to fighting for the underdog, but her luck was running out. In Syria, February 2012, covering the siege of Homs, she was killed, alongside photographer Remy Oshlick. Had she become oblivious to the risks she was taking? She was fifty six year old. Her aim was to tell people what really happens in war.
Marie’s personal relationships--with lovers, ex-lovers, husbands and ex-husbands--were intense, just as were her relationships with colleagues and friends. Marie lived her life with a passion. The book is based on Marie’s own diary entries and more than a hundred interviews with Marie’s two ex-husbands, former lovers, members of her family, friends and colleagues.
Looking at her life we see not only her own life, but also what it entails to be a war correspondent. Life is lived on a taut spring, at any and every moment ready to snap. Partying. Nights at bars. An abundance of liquor and multiple packs of cigarettes make up the daily ration of what is consumed—not food. Switching bed partners and sexual infidelities are the norm. Sleep? What is that? I do not quite understand how these reporters can do their jobs and live as they do, but this is their way of coping. Wound up and taut, the never-ending tension of the job results not seldom in PTSD. Survival guilt plagues many.
All aspects of Marie’s life are covered—the wear and tear of the job, its physical and emotional consequences, as well as her relationships with friends and family. Don’t think Marie was fearless; she chose to confront fear head on. Both her vulnerability and her strength are revealed. I came to care for her. I laughed with her. I saw exactly how she was thinking. I got to know her as a person. Marie was a person “easy to love and hard to help”. This comes through in the telling. Extremely interesting tidbits are added. I will mention but one—I had never heard of sympathetic ophthalmia. Loosing vision in one eye put her at risk for loosing vison in the other!
Marie Colvin covered those conflicts others shied away from because they were too dangerous. There is no distance between herself and those she reports on. Throughout her life she remained determined to bear witness and to bring events home vividly. To make people care.
The author was Marie’s friend. I wondered whether she would present a balanced and honest view of her? I believe she has. Hilsum identifies points where Marie drew incorrect conclusions. She discusses both her strengths and weaknesses. They met for the first time during the Kosovo War. With the passage of time they met more and more frequently, both socially and on the job. Hilsum writes that they saw themselves as the “ Thelma and Louise of the press corps.” Two women among so many men. She spoke with Marie over Skype shortly before she was killed. Lindsey Hilsum is the International Editor of Channel 4 News in Britain and a longtime war reporter herself.
Keeping track of Marie’s friends, colleagues and lovers is sometimes difficult. The author has a tendency to only occasionally state the surname of the individual spoken of.
Lindsey Hilsum is not only the author but also the narrator of the audiobook. She reads at an uneven speed, making some sections difficult to follow. Parts are read much too rapidly. Her pronunciation of words is not always clear. On the other hand, her involvement and enthusiasm is engaging. Three stars for the narration.
Marie’s role models? John Hersey, spoken of above, and Martha Gellhorn must be named. Clearly, Marie will be a role model for future generations.
**********************
Book that meant much to Marie Colvin:
The Face of War 4 stars by Martha Gellhorn
The View from the Ground 4 stars by Martha Gellhorn
The Golden Notebook 4 stars by Doris Lessing
Hiroshima 3 stars by John Hersey
January 19, 2019
Marie Colvin, a foreign affairs correspondent, lived her life on the edge. From a young age danger and life risking pursuits exhilarated her. Giving a voice to those unfortunate victims of war was the elixir she needed. Her passion was helping, through interviews, the vulnerable civilians whose safety was of no concern to the ruthless leaders engaged in bloody conflicts.
Even reading about some of the situations civilians in Sri Lanka, Chechnya, Syria, East Timor, and the Middle East was heartbreaking. How much horror and cruelty can we see before we are changed by it, sometimes irrevocably? I believe Marie was definitely changed. Her life away from reporting was filled with fear, depression, alcohol, cigarettes, and bad relationships.
Marie Colvin was a courageous woman, one who seemed happiest when helping the helpless and risking her life. She lost an eye in Sri Lanka and her life in Baba Amr, Syria. I think she lost a piece of herself in each war zone assignment, and I'm not sure had she survived, she could have adjusted to everyday life.
Lindsey Hilsum, a friend of Marie's, based this book on the 300 journals and diaries Marie kept. It is well-written, informative, and heartbreaking. The world needs more people like Marie, but perhaps the cost is too great.
Even reading about some of the situations civilians in Sri Lanka, Chechnya, Syria, East Timor, and the Middle East was heartbreaking. How much horror and cruelty can we see before we are changed by it, sometimes irrevocably? I believe Marie was definitely changed. Her life away from reporting was filled with fear, depression, alcohol, cigarettes, and bad relationships.
Marie Colvin was a courageous woman, one who seemed happiest when helping the helpless and risking her life. She lost an eye in Sri Lanka and her life in Baba Amr, Syria. I think she lost a piece of herself in each war zone assignment, and I'm not sure had she survived, she could have adjusted to everyday life.
Lindsey Hilsum, a friend of Marie's, based this book on the 300 journals and diaries Marie kept. It is well-written, informative, and heartbreaking. The world needs more people like Marie, but perhaps the cost is too great.
May 7, 2023
Biography of journalist Marie Colvin (1956 - 2012). She traveled around the world to report on war, including Kosovo, Chechnya, Lebanon, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, East Timor, Palestine, Libya, and Syria. She gave a voice to the civilians caught in war zones, reporting what she observed first-hand, countering propaganda by telling the truth. She believed by reporting the toll on women and children, she could make a difference in the world, and her actions backed up her beliefs.
She lived life on the edge, often taking risks beyond what others thought prudent. She lost the sight in one eye in Sri Lanka. She lost her life in Syria. This book provides a comprehensive picture of her personality, including her faults as well as her heroism. She engaged in reckless behavior in her personal life, drinking to excess and not taking care of her health. Her relationships with men (covered in excessive detail) were mostly unhealthy. She suffered from PTSD. Sailing became an ongoing source of solace.
Her life story is told with compassion by one of her colleagues and friends. The book is well-researched, filled with excerpts of Marie’s articles and snippets of interviews with her family, companions, and colleagues. It is a fascinating book about a fascinating person. It is hard for me to even envision putting oneself in harm’s way on a regular basis, and I can only imagine the horrors she witnessed. Anyone interested in journalism and journalists, and the single-minded pursuit of the truth will appreciate this book.
She lived life on the edge, often taking risks beyond what others thought prudent. She lost the sight in one eye in Sri Lanka. She lost her life in Syria. This book provides a comprehensive picture of her personality, including her faults as well as her heroism. She engaged in reckless behavior in her personal life, drinking to excess and not taking care of her health. Her relationships with men (covered in excessive detail) were mostly unhealthy. She suffered from PTSD. Sailing became an ongoing source of solace.
Her life story is told with compassion by one of her colleagues and friends. The book is well-researched, filled with excerpts of Marie’s articles and snippets of interviews with her family, companions, and colleagues. It is a fascinating book about a fascinating person. It is hard for me to even envision putting oneself in harm’s way on a regular basis, and I can only imagine the horrors she witnessed. Anyone interested in journalism and journalists, and the single-minded pursuit of the truth will appreciate this book.
January 13, 2019
One of the best books I have read this year, if not the best.
March 1, 2019
I am sitting in front of this 2-dimensional white space. And i do not know how i can write something to express what I think about Marie Colvin in those two dimensions. It just does not fit. I am not talking about her biography I’ve just finished. It is very good, at least when I was reading it, i was not thinking even for a moment about the quality of what I was reading. So it has to be good then. I had a minor issue (not sure even whether to call it ‘an issue’ rather a scratch of my consciousness) that Lindsey Hilsum used and extensively quoted Marie’s dairies. She kept the diary for her whole life and they were made available for the biography. It felt too early to comb through Marie’s intimate thoughts in a way. But without it, the biography would probably feel so immediate and authentic…
But Marie. It is difficult to write anything as it is quickly becomes something of a cliche such as “beautiful life” or “she believed she could make this world a better place”. I do not want to add my tiny little drop to her growing mythology. But what if in her case it is simply true? She believed the journalists could influence the sides to stop slaughtering the innocent. And it worked sometimes after her reporting. She was very unlucky in love, her lovers and husbands betrayed her, she drunk a lot, she was glamorous and reckless. But she had the purpose in her journalism, and, when she was in the war zone, she was happy, she felt needed. And she was. According to Lindsey, she was the last of a kind. Nowadays the western journalists do not go into the conflict zones physically. The conflicting sides know how powerful the news are. So they target any independent journalist deliberately. Therefore, we do not know anymore what happens there. We find out from video clips etc. But people who do these clips often “have a cause” according to Lindsey. Marie was not so much interested in taking sides, she always reported about the plight of the civilians in war: Middle East, Iraq, Chechnya, Tamil territories, Arab spring, Syria..
My thoughts about her are very personal. It is not simple admiration, though there is that as well. I just feel i understand her so deeply. Maybe because i could see some of her features in my best female friends. Maybe, because due to my hobby of taking street photos and a few forays into photojournalism, I’ve been punched in face a few times, my camera got broken as well. Nothing of course to compare. But i know the feeling of danger, and you are becoming totally different person at that moment. You’ve just do not know yourself well enough. But everything becomes so simple at the same time, so crystal clear, that it is a kind of weird happiness.
Her life is getting a lot of publicity recently. It looks like the movie is dreadful. The documentary "Into the Wire" seems to be good. But I think I will stop with reading this book for now. I also hope she would be remembered as a human being, not a mythical, fearless hero.
But Marie. It is difficult to write anything as it is quickly becomes something of a cliche such as “beautiful life” or “she believed she could make this world a better place”. I do not want to add my tiny little drop to her growing mythology. But what if in her case it is simply true? She believed the journalists could influence the sides to stop slaughtering the innocent. And it worked sometimes after her reporting. She was very unlucky in love, her lovers and husbands betrayed her, she drunk a lot, she was glamorous and reckless. But she had the purpose in her journalism, and, when she was in the war zone, she was happy, she felt needed. And she was. According to Lindsey, she was the last of a kind. Nowadays the western journalists do not go into the conflict zones physically. The conflicting sides know how powerful the news are. So they target any independent journalist deliberately. Therefore, we do not know anymore what happens there. We find out from video clips etc. But people who do these clips often “have a cause” according to Lindsey. Marie was not so much interested in taking sides, she always reported about the plight of the civilians in war: Middle East, Iraq, Chechnya, Tamil territories, Arab spring, Syria..
My thoughts about her are very personal. It is not simple admiration, though there is that as well. I just feel i understand her so deeply. Maybe because i could see some of her features in my best female friends. Maybe, because due to my hobby of taking street photos and a few forays into photojournalism, I’ve been punched in face a few times, my camera got broken as well. Nothing of course to compare. But i know the feeling of danger, and you are becoming totally different person at that moment. You’ve just do not know yourself well enough. But everything becomes so simple at the same time, so crystal clear, that it is a kind of weird happiness.
Her life is getting a lot of publicity recently. It looks like the movie is dreadful. The documentary "Into the Wire" seems to be good. But I think I will stop with reading this book for now. I also hope she would be remembered as a human being, not a mythical, fearless hero.
September 8, 2019
Sometimes I judge a book by its cover. When I saw the photo of leather jacket clad Marie Colvin with a small smile and an eye patch, I instantly wanted to know more about her because she sure looks like she has some stories!
I knew nothing about Colvin going in and the more I read I would shake my head in disbelief that this is a true story!
Long Island raised and Yale educated, Marie Colvin went on to work for The Sunday Times in London and rose to fame for her bravery and compassion. Influenced by war correspondent Martha Gallhorn and also her late father's love of politics and writing (and constantly seeking his approval even in death), Marie gave a voice to the victims of the major conflicts of her time.
She interviewed both Gaddafi and Arafat and risked her life countless times entering war zones in East Timor, Kosovo, and Sierra Leone.
She'd spend weeks or sometimes months on the front line reporting when communication was available and then jet around the world to places like London and Paris where she'd meet, love, and fight with countless lovers and friends.
Marie always hoped for a solid marriage and children of her own but these were the two things that eluded her. Twice divorced, Marie's relationships were passionate and dramatic like all aspects of her life but couldn't withstand the intensity.
August 26, 1992. What we as Western journalists should do in Iraq, as anywhere else, is try to make it understandable. It is now a place of mystery and violence to most Americans. Always my family is worried when I say I'm here and doesn't believe me when I say Baghdad is one of my favorite cities in the world. But you are a difficult people to explain, people of extremes, capable of extreme toughness and extreme sentimentality.
Marie Colvin lived two lives simultaneously, each with equal passion.
Her journals detail a woman longing for stability in the form of a faithful husband and a family of her own while also detailing thrilling flings and carefree adventures and parties with friends.
At the drop of a hat, she'd get on a plane to fly to the Middle East to report the horrors of war with little more than the clothes on her back.
"Marie never practiced partisan journalism, the kind that adopts a cause and reports only the facts that advance it. Having no ideology, she never flinched from reporting stories that cast a bad light on people for whom she had sympathy. She was simply drawn to the underdog."
At 56, Marie lost an eye to shrapnel while reporting in Sri Lanka. Already suffering from a drinking problem and depression, she now endured PTSD from her time in the field. She began to fear she was losing her nerve.
"She could survive seven weeks in a war zone without alcohol even though, by many measures, she was an alcoholic. She had suffered PTSD because of her conflict experiences, yet she was in her element in a place where death was a constant danger. Personal pain could blind her to the needs of others, yet she thought of her friends in London while under extreme stress and when communication was difficult. She identified too closely with those she saw as victims of war, and yet her reporting was calibrated and contextualized."
In Extremis is a fascinating look at the life and death of a daring, unpredictable, and complex woman. I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy biographies and journalism.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
I knew nothing about Colvin going in and the more I read I would shake my head in disbelief that this is a true story!
Long Island raised and Yale educated, Marie Colvin went on to work for The Sunday Times in London and rose to fame for her bravery and compassion. Influenced by war correspondent Martha Gallhorn and also her late father's love of politics and writing (and constantly seeking his approval even in death), Marie gave a voice to the victims of the major conflicts of her time.
She interviewed both Gaddafi and Arafat and risked her life countless times entering war zones in East Timor, Kosovo, and Sierra Leone.
She'd spend weeks or sometimes months on the front line reporting when communication was available and then jet around the world to places like London and Paris where she'd meet, love, and fight with countless lovers and friends.
Marie always hoped for a solid marriage and children of her own but these were the two things that eluded her. Twice divorced, Marie's relationships were passionate and dramatic like all aspects of her life but couldn't withstand the intensity.
August 26, 1992. What we as Western journalists should do in Iraq, as anywhere else, is try to make it understandable. It is now a place of mystery and violence to most Americans. Always my family is worried when I say I'm here and doesn't believe me when I say Baghdad is one of my favorite cities in the world. But you are a difficult people to explain, people of extremes, capable of extreme toughness and extreme sentimentality.
Marie Colvin lived two lives simultaneously, each with equal passion.
Her journals detail a woman longing for stability in the form of a faithful husband and a family of her own while also detailing thrilling flings and carefree adventures and parties with friends.
At the drop of a hat, she'd get on a plane to fly to the Middle East to report the horrors of war with little more than the clothes on her back.
"Marie never practiced partisan journalism, the kind that adopts a cause and reports only the facts that advance it. Having no ideology, she never flinched from reporting stories that cast a bad light on people for whom she had sympathy. She was simply drawn to the underdog."
At 56, Marie lost an eye to shrapnel while reporting in Sri Lanka. Already suffering from a drinking problem and depression, she now endured PTSD from her time in the field. She began to fear she was losing her nerve.
"She could survive seven weeks in a war zone without alcohol even though, by many measures, she was an alcoholic. She had suffered PTSD because of her conflict experiences, yet she was in her element in a place where death was a constant danger. Personal pain could blind her to the needs of others, yet she thought of her friends in London while under extreme stress and when communication was difficult. She identified too closely with those she saw as victims of war, and yet her reporting was calibrated and contextualized."
In Extremis is a fascinating look at the life and death of a daring, unpredictable, and complex woman. I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy biographies and journalism.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
November 14, 2018
From BBC Radio 4 - Book of the week:
Lindsey Hilsum's compelling biography is a tribute to the courageous and inspiring journalist who sought always to bear witness to the brutal truths of war. Read by Juliet Aubrey.
Episode 2:
In Lindsey Hilsum's account, the brave journalist is in the world's most dangerous city.
Episode 3:
In Lindsey Hilsum's account of the brave journalist, there is a career-defining moment.
Episode 4:
In Lindsey Hilsum's account, the courageous journalist is on assignment to Chechnya.
Episode 5:
In Lindsey Hilsum's biography, the courageous journalist covers the Syrian conflict.
Lindsey Hilsum's new book tells the story of Marie Colvin, the brave and daring journalist who, throughout a career distinguished by bravery and compassion, was driven to shine a light on the realities of some of the world's most devastating conflicts from the 1980s until 2012 when she was killed covering the war in Syria. Away from the battlefield, she was a hard-drinker and had a reputation for throwing wild parties. She was a great friend, but her personal life was often troubled and rackety. After she was hit by a grenade in Sri Lanka in 2001, she was tormented by debilitating nightmares, and was eventually diagnosed with PTSD, nevertheless, she continued her work documenting the suffering of ordinary people enduing war.
Lindsey Hilsum is the International Editor for Channel 4 News and has covered many conflicts, sometimes alongside Marie Colvin.
Abridged by Penny Leicester
Produced by Elizabeth Allard
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...
Lindsey Hilsum's compelling biography is a tribute to the courageous and inspiring journalist who sought always to bear witness to the brutal truths of war. Read by Juliet Aubrey.
Episode 2:
In Lindsey Hilsum's account, the brave journalist is in the world's most dangerous city.
Episode 3:
In Lindsey Hilsum's account of the brave journalist, there is a career-defining moment.
Episode 4:
In Lindsey Hilsum's account, the courageous journalist is on assignment to Chechnya.
Episode 5:
In Lindsey Hilsum's biography, the courageous journalist covers the Syrian conflict.
Lindsey Hilsum's new book tells the story of Marie Colvin, the brave and daring journalist who, throughout a career distinguished by bravery and compassion, was driven to shine a light on the realities of some of the world's most devastating conflicts from the 1980s until 2012 when she was killed covering the war in Syria. Away from the battlefield, she was a hard-drinker and had a reputation for throwing wild parties. She was a great friend, but her personal life was often troubled and rackety. After she was hit by a grenade in Sri Lanka in 2001, she was tormented by debilitating nightmares, and was eventually diagnosed with PTSD, nevertheless, she continued her work documenting the suffering of ordinary people enduing war.
Lindsey Hilsum is the International Editor for Channel 4 News and has covered many conflicts, sometimes alongside Marie Colvin.
Abridged by Penny Leicester
Produced by Elizabeth Allard
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...
January 28, 2019
“Why do I cover wars.... It is a difficult question to answer. I did not set out to become a war correspondent. It has always seemed to me what I write about is humanity in extremis, pushed to the unendurable, and that it is important to tell people what really happens in war—declared and undeclared.” (Marie Colvin, The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka, April 22, 2001)
Lindsey Hilsum’s new biography of Marie Colvin is a stark reminder of the plight of journalists in our ever-dangerous world. According to the Washington Post at least 43 journalists were killed in 2018 with another 12 deaths whose causes are not totally clear. The role of a journalist is to report the news as accurately as possible so citizens can make intelligent judgements about world events. The life of Colvin presented in IN EXTREMIS: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF THE WAR CORRESPONDENT MARIE COLVIN reflects that dedication and commitment to that truth. Hilsum, international editor for Channel 4 News in England is the perfect candidate to write about Colvin’s life as she herself covered wars and conflicts in the Middle East, the former Soviet Union, and Africa. The recent murder of Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi by the Saudi Arabian government reflects the danger journalists face. The evidence points to the murder being ordered by the Saudi Royal Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman because of Khashoggi’s negative reporting of Saudi policies. In this case a journalist was not killed on the battlefield, though in a sense he was. In Colvin’s case she would give her life reporting from Homs, Syria district of Baba Amir, killed by an artillery attack in 2012 during the civil war that continues to this day.
Colvin was raised in a comfortable middle-class Catholic family on Long Island, a lifestyle she would totally reject after studying with legendary journalist John Hersey at Yale and move on to a dangerous yet rewarding career as a war correspondent. Hersey was one of the first individuals who impacted Colvin’s life and work. Another, her role model, Martha Gellhorn whose work during World War II was exemplary. Hilsum meticulously chronicles Colvin’s relationships and how they affected her love life and career. Perhaps the most important being Sunday Times correspondent, David Blundy. This bond was less sexual and more of a lifetime friendship as they shared the same approach to their work, humor, and the way they approached the world. Hilsum details other important relationships pointing out their importance to Colvin’s life and work which both seemed conceived as a war zone. Colvin was married twice to husbands who repeatedly lied to her, had her own series of affairs and one-night stands, suffered miscarriages, and would resort to alcohol to deal with her pain.
Colvin’s big break came in 1985 as a UPI reporter she was sent to Morocco with other journalists to witness the celebration of King Hassan’s twenty-five-year reign. This morphed into an assignment in Libya as its leader, Muammar Gaddafi, the self-declared revolutionary and supporter of terrorism decided to engage the United States in a manner that could only bring President Reagan to respond with overwhelming force. During their relationship Colvin was able to score several interviews with the Libyan strong man, and while avoiding his sexual advances enabling her to explore his rogue ideology and what he might do next. Hilsum delves into how Colvin conducted interviews and developed her approach to revolutionaries, terrorists, or as they described themselves, freedom fighters. For Colvin, her reporting was designed to focus on “the role and feelings of the individual in the collective violence of war.” (56)
Hilsum’s approach reflects Colvin’s dedication to her craft and the dangers she faced on a regular basis. Be it confronting Muammar Gaddafi, her special relationship with Yasir Arafat, or interviewing other individuals who rebelled against existing power structures. The reader is presented with an inside look at the pitfalls and obstacles journalists like Colvin faced each day in Libya, Iraq, Israel, Kosovo, Chechnya, East Timor, Afghanistan, and finally in Syria over the last three decades. Hilsum relies on over three hundred journals maintained by Colvin, interviews with her peers, and impeccable research to construct a fascinating picture of Colvin’s private life and career which she had difficulty keeping separate.
Hilsum does a nice job presenting the background history of each conflict area Colvin explores. The author tries to explain the myriad factions in Lebanon as Beirut is divided at a green line with Maronite Christians, Amal, Palestinian groups, bourgeoning Hezbollah all backed by different powers be it Iran, Russia or Syria. In dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Hilsum bores down deep to explain its origins, the constant explosion into violence be it the Intifadas, the wars against Hamas, and the attempts at peace. Hilsum describes Colvin’s approach to reporting as other journalists would file from the relative safety of Paris and Cyprus when covering Middle East tension, Colvin would get up close and want to experience events before she reported. Danger be damned, as her journalism was distinguished by her personal experience and she would become part of the nomadic group of journalists who wandered the landscape of the Middle East.
For Colvin the Middle East held a tremendous fascination which explains many of her stories. She was able to develop a trusting relationship with the elusive Yasir Arafat and interviewed him over twenty times. Hilsum describes the arcane nature of Palestinian politics and the reclusive nature of the Palestinian Chairman. Arafat is the perfect example to study as Colvin had the uncanny ability to get people to speak to her. Colvin’s reputation was secured as she was able to sneak into Basra in 1986 during the Iran-Iraq war, Beirut during the 163-day siege of the Bourj al-Barajneh refugee camp in 1987, and her reporting helped create world pressure to get the Syrians to force their surrogates to stop the fighting. The following year her stories describing the first Intifada against Israel reaffirmed her status as a war correspondent. Colvin was not known for her stylistic approach to writing, but she got the facts and the human-interest component, at times leaving it to her editors in London to fit the puzzle of her reporting together in a more coherent whole.
The years 1998 through 2001 found Colvin moving from what area of conflict to another with seemingly no time in between. 1998 saw her in Kosovo reporting on the devastation caused by Serbian nationalists. 1999 revolved around Indonesia as rebels in East Timor declared their independence. Later that same year Colvin moved on to Chechnya as the new President of Russia, Vladimir Putin decided to crush Chechen rebels who had broken away from Russia during the collapse of the Soviet Union. Finally, becoming involved in the Sri Lankan Civil War where she was shot trying to leave a Tamil rebel held area, resulting in a loss of her eye, and a deep depression as she tried to recover physically as well as emotionally.
Hilsum chronicles Colvin’s eventual psychological spiral as she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder for which she received treatment. But her developing alcoholism was never treated. As Hilsum vividly explains, “She could not unseen what she had seen, and he [a colleague] feared she was losing her ability to distance herself from horror.” (Washington Post, December 21, 2018) As Colvin describes herself in a November 12, 2010 piece it was difficult to distinguish between bravery and bravado. (294)
Colvin was a remarkable woman who had many irreconcilables demons within, but she found herself to a large extent as a war correspondent that made life, at times tolerable. She witnessed and personally suffered a great deal of sadness and joy in her life, but her work is a testament for what journalism can accomplish, and the hope that those in power will care when reporting reaches the newspapers, websites, or television. Hilsum has done an excellent job capturing the essence of who Colvin was and how she made her life meaningful.
Lindsey Hilsum’s new biography of Marie Colvin is a stark reminder of the plight of journalists in our ever-dangerous world. According to the Washington Post at least 43 journalists were killed in 2018 with another 12 deaths whose causes are not totally clear. The role of a journalist is to report the news as accurately as possible so citizens can make intelligent judgements about world events. The life of Colvin presented in IN EXTREMIS: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF THE WAR CORRESPONDENT MARIE COLVIN reflects that dedication and commitment to that truth. Hilsum, international editor for Channel 4 News in England is the perfect candidate to write about Colvin’s life as she herself covered wars and conflicts in the Middle East, the former Soviet Union, and Africa. The recent murder of Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi by the Saudi Arabian government reflects the danger journalists face. The evidence points to the murder being ordered by the Saudi Royal Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman because of Khashoggi’s negative reporting of Saudi policies. In this case a journalist was not killed on the battlefield, though in a sense he was. In Colvin’s case she would give her life reporting from Homs, Syria district of Baba Amir, killed by an artillery attack in 2012 during the civil war that continues to this day.
Colvin was raised in a comfortable middle-class Catholic family on Long Island, a lifestyle she would totally reject after studying with legendary journalist John Hersey at Yale and move on to a dangerous yet rewarding career as a war correspondent. Hersey was one of the first individuals who impacted Colvin’s life and work. Another, her role model, Martha Gellhorn whose work during World War II was exemplary. Hilsum meticulously chronicles Colvin’s relationships and how they affected her love life and career. Perhaps the most important being Sunday Times correspondent, David Blundy. This bond was less sexual and more of a lifetime friendship as they shared the same approach to their work, humor, and the way they approached the world. Hilsum details other important relationships pointing out their importance to Colvin’s life and work which both seemed conceived as a war zone. Colvin was married twice to husbands who repeatedly lied to her, had her own series of affairs and one-night stands, suffered miscarriages, and would resort to alcohol to deal with her pain.
Colvin’s big break came in 1985 as a UPI reporter she was sent to Morocco with other journalists to witness the celebration of King Hassan’s twenty-five-year reign. This morphed into an assignment in Libya as its leader, Muammar Gaddafi, the self-declared revolutionary and supporter of terrorism decided to engage the United States in a manner that could only bring President Reagan to respond with overwhelming force. During their relationship Colvin was able to score several interviews with the Libyan strong man, and while avoiding his sexual advances enabling her to explore his rogue ideology and what he might do next. Hilsum delves into how Colvin conducted interviews and developed her approach to revolutionaries, terrorists, or as they described themselves, freedom fighters. For Colvin, her reporting was designed to focus on “the role and feelings of the individual in the collective violence of war.” (56)
Hilsum’s approach reflects Colvin’s dedication to her craft and the dangers she faced on a regular basis. Be it confronting Muammar Gaddafi, her special relationship with Yasir Arafat, or interviewing other individuals who rebelled against existing power structures. The reader is presented with an inside look at the pitfalls and obstacles journalists like Colvin faced each day in Libya, Iraq, Israel, Kosovo, Chechnya, East Timor, Afghanistan, and finally in Syria over the last three decades. Hilsum relies on over three hundred journals maintained by Colvin, interviews with her peers, and impeccable research to construct a fascinating picture of Colvin’s private life and career which she had difficulty keeping separate.
Hilsum does a nice job presenting the background history of each conflict area Colvin explores. The author tries to explain the myriad factions in Lebanon as Beirut is divided at a green line with Maronite Christians, Amal, Palestinian groups, bourgeoning Hezbollah all backed by different powers be it Iran, Russia or Syria. In dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Hilsum bores down deep to explain its origins, the constant explosion into violence be it the Intifadas, the wars against Hamas, and the attempts at peace. Hilsum describes Colvin’s approach to reporting as other journalists would file from the relative safety of Paris and Cyprus when covering Middle East tension, Colvin would get up close and want to experience events before she reported. Danger be damned, as her journalism was distinguished by her personal experience and she would become part of the nomadic group of journalists who wandered the landscape of the Middle East.
For Colvin the Middle East held a tremendous fascination which explains many of her stories. She was able to develop a trusting relationship with the elusive Yasir Arafat and interviewed him over twenty times. Hilsum describes the arcane nature of Palestinian politics and the reclusive nature of the Palestinian Chairman. Arafat is the perfect example to study as Colvin had the uncanny ability to get people to speak to her. Colvin’s reputation was secured as she was able to sneak into Basra in 1986 during the Iran-Iraq war, Beirut during the 163-day siege of the Bourj al-Barajneh refugee camp in 1987, and her reporting helped create world pressure to get the Syrians to force their surrogates to stop the fighting. The following year her stories describing the first Intifada against Israel reaffirmed her status as a war correspondent. Colvin was not known for her stylistic approach to writing, but she got the facts and the human-interest component, at times leaving it to her editors in London to fit the puzzle of her reporting together in a more coherent whole.
The years 1998 through 2001 found Colvin moving from what area of conflict to another with seemingly no time in between. 1998 saw her in Kosovo reporting on the devastation caused by Serbian nationalists. 1999 revolved around Indonesia as rebels in East Timor declared their independence. Later that same year Colvin moved on to Chechnya as the new President of Russia, Vladimir Putin decided to crush Chechen rebels who had broken away from Russia during the collapse of the Soviet Union. Finally, becoming involved in the Sri Lankan Civil War where she was shot trying to leave a Tamil rebel held area, resulting in a loss of her eye, and a deep depression as she tried to recover physically as well as emotionally.
Hilsum chronicles Colvin’s eventual psychological spiral as she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder for which she received treatment. But her developing alcoholism was never treated. As Hilsum vividly explains, “She could not unseen what she had seen, and he [a colleague] feared she was losing her ability to distance herself from horror.” (Washington Post, December 21, 2018) As Colvin describes herself in a November 12, 2010 piece it was difficult to distinguish between bravery and bravado. (294)
Colvin was a remarkable woman who had many irreconcilables demons within, but she found herself to a large extent as a war correspondent that made life, at times tolerable. She witnessed and personally suffered a great deal of sadness and joy in her life, but her work is a testament for what journalism can accomplish, and the hope that those in power will care when reporting reaches the newspapers, websites, or television. Hilsum has done an excellent job capturing the essence of who Colvin was and how she made her life meaningful.
November 10, 2018
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...Lindsey Hilsum's compelling biography is a tribute to the courageous and inspiring journalist who sought always to bear witness to the brutal truths of war. Read by Juliet Aubrey.
Description: Lindsey Hilsum's new book tells the story of Marie Colvin, the brave and daring journalist who, throughout a career distinguished by bravery and compassion, was driven to shine a light on the realities of some of the world's most devastating conflicts from the 1980s until 2012 when she was killed covering the war in Syria. Away from the battlefield, she was a hard-drinker and had a reputation for throwing wild parties. She was a great friend, but her personal life was often troubled and rackety. After she was hit by a grenade in Sri Lanka in 2001, she was tormented by debilitating nightmares, and was eventually diagnosed with PTSD, nevertheless, she continued her work documenting the suffering of ordinary people enduing war.
Lindsey Hilsum is the International Editor for Channel 4 News and has covered many conflicts, sometimes alongside Marie Colvin.
January 20, 2019
The first half of this book could have been condensed to 10% of its content & would have made the entire book much more interesting. An incredible story of an amazing woman but the writing style was cumbersome to say the least.
May 22, 2019
Hilsum's biography of Marie Colvin, the reporter who was killed in 2012, is a well written, rose colored glasses off type of biography. Drawing on interviews as well as Colvin's diary entries, Hilsum presents a complicated portrait of a woman. It is refreshing to read a book about a woman who seems so on point and is just as problematic as the rest of us.
Considering recent attacks on the press coming from politicians, it is important to read this book.
Considering recent attacks on the press coming from politicians, it is important to read this book.
June 5, 2021
In all honesty I picked this up on a whim after it was endlessly plugged by my local libraries and their audiobook app. Boy am I glad I did.
This biography details the life of Marie Colvin; from precocious young girl to a world renowned war correspondent at the top of her game. This book does shy away from the bad - in either her job or personal life.
The white time I was completely immersed in Marie’s life and I was gripped from beginning to end.
This biography details the life of Marie Colvin; from precocious young girl to a world renowned war correspondent at the top of her game. This book does shy away from the bad - in either her job or personal life.
The white time I was completely immersed in Marie’s life and I was gripped from beginning to end.
December 31, 2018
Way too much about her tumultuous personal life
March 24, 2020
Marie Colvin was reckless to the point of stupidity, always focused on 'getting the story' and so passionate about war reporting that it pretty much ruined her life and eventually killed her. That's not a spoiler. You're not going to read about Marie Colvin without being aware that she's no longer around, and most likely you'll only read 'In Extremis' if you know a bit about her.
I probably knew less than I should have. As a Brit and more of a TV news consumer than a written word news addict, I held the indomitable Kate Adie as my hero journalist. I don't actually recall Colvin's work which is pretty shameful, given that she turned up and got stuck into pretty much every major conflict of the past few decades. She also schmoozed and sometimes made genuine friendships with some of history's most fascinating people - Gadaffi, Arafat and many others. She never quite got round to writing Arafat's biography but knew him and his wife very well. She brought the plight of opressed people from all over the world to the public attention - perhaps most notably in Timor l'Este, Sri Lanka, Kosovo and Syria.
'In Extremis' was written by Lindsey Hilsum, not a name I recognised but as soon as I saw her picture, I knew she was one of my favourite Channel 4 reporters. She was clearly a good friend of Colvin and this book is very much the tribute of a friend who cared deeply about her. We learn that Colvin loved terrible men deeply and intensely, drank way more than was good for her, spent way more than she had, and threw herself towards trouble and rarely stepped away from it.
My problem, and the reason this is 3 stars rather than 4, is that the book just feels way too long and repetitive. It took me ages to get through because it felt like I was on a repetitive carousel of 'Marie gets drunk - Marie falls in love with a bastard - Marie goes to war - Marie files incredible award-winning reports from the front line - Marie finds out bastard is a bastard - Marie gets drunk ..........and repeat. Again and again. It's like watching a car crash on slow-motion repeat.
On my Kindle, the book ran to 1073 pages. It'll be different on yours depending on screen settings, but it's about twice the length that could have kept my attention. Fair enough, about the last 200 pages are photos, references, and a comprehensive index, none of which are ideally presented in ebook format.
All heroes have feet of clay and Colvin was no exception to that rule. I can't help but wonder if her employers would ever have been able to get her to hang up her flak jacket and retire and I also wonder whether she'd have been able to adapt to today's 24 hour rolling online news formats when her specialisation was the carefully crafted, in-depth, Sunday supplement essay.
RIP Marie Colvin. Will we ever see her like again?
I probably knew less than I should have. As a Brit and more of a TV news consumer than a written word news addict, I held the indomitable Kate Adie as my hero journalist. I don't actually recall Colvin's work which is pretty shameful, given that she turned up and got stuck into pretty much every major conflict of the past few decades. She also schmoozed and sometimes made genuine friendships with some of history's most fascinating people - Gadaffi, Arafat and many others. She never quite got round to writing Arafat's biography but knew him and his wife very well. She brought the plight of opressed people from all over the world to the public attention - perhaps most notably in Timor l'Este, Sri Lanka, Kosovo and Syria.
'In Extremis' was written by Lindsey Hilsum, not a name I recognised but as soon as I saw her picture, I knew she was one of my favourite Channel 4 reporters. She was clearly a good friend of Colvin and this book is very much the tribute of a friend who cared deeply about her. We learn that Colvin loved terrible men deeply and intensely, drank way more than was good for her, spent way more than she had, and threw herself towards trouble and rarely stepped away from it.
My problem, and the reason this is 3 stars rather than 4, is that the book just feels way too long and repetitive. It took me ages to get through because it felt like I was on a repetitive carousel of 'Marie gets drunk - Marie falls in love with a bastard - Marie goes to war - Marie files incredible award-winning reports from the front line - Marie finds out bastard is a bastard - Marie gets drunk ..........and repeat. Again and again. It's like watching a car crash on slow-motion repeat.
On my Kindle, the book ran to 1073 pages. It'll be different on yours depending on screen settings, but it's about twice the length that could have kept my attention. Fair enough, about the last 200 pages are photos, references, and a comprehensive index, none of which are ideally presented in ebook format.
All heroes have feet of clay and Colvin was no exception to that rule. I can't help but wonder if her employers would ever have been able to get her to hang up her flak jacket and retire and I also wonder whether she'd have been able to adapt to today's 24 hour rolling online news formats when her specialisation was the carefully crafted, in-depth, Sunday supplement essay.
RIP Marie Colvin. Will we ever see her like again?
January 6, 2019
This was my first book of 2019, I chose it after making a personal commitment to read 1-2 nonfiction books about strong women every month. (Need to take a break from some of the romance fluff I have indulged in throughout 2018). This was an excellent read, which I found really moving and difficult to put down. It was truly a well-crafted biography, clearly utilizing both Marie's personal diaries and the varying perspectives of family members and people who were touched by her life (and her lifetime of dangerous risk taking). Beyond the subject matter and an admiration for Marie Colvin, as well as all war correspondents, Lindsey Hilsum left me with a renewed appreciation for female friendship.
May 20, 2019
Could tell Marie had a fascinating and important life, but I won't be getting her story from this particular book. Couldn't make it past the first couple of chapters; writing style is like a 5th grade book report.
December 29, 2018
Thorough going portrayal of the life and work of one determined, brave American war correspondent. Few are called. The risks are great.
September 16, 2019
What begins as an understated, slow-burning biography unfurls into a vivid and rich account of the life of a woman who was truly remarkable. Troubled and flawed yet burning with ambition and justice, Colvin was the best of us and the worst of us; beautifully human and inspiring in her constant fight to give a voice to those without one.
It takes a journalist to know a journalist and Hilsum's skill in bringing Marie to life in these pages cannot be understated. The bravery and dedication to shining a light on all facets of Colvin's character - no matter how dark or unflattering - is a testament to her will as a writer and something which, if her description of Marie is anything to go by, Colvin would have approved of whole-heartedly. The writing, as much as the story of Marie's life, is compelling and I am completed besotted by Colvin and her achievements: Hilsum's biography has unleashed a new personal obsession.
The conclusion of this biography should surprise no one and yet it still shocks and saddens: you come to know Marie in these pages, intimately. You are there alongside her at her darkest personal moments and there at her dazzling, glorious political victories where the very existence of her journalism changed the course of events. And in living alongside her for a fleeting 370 pages, you come to know her. And in knowing her, you suffer the loss of her at the end.
It takes a journalist to know a journalist and Hilsum's skill in bringing Marie to life in these pages cannot be understated. The bravery and dedication to shining a light on all facets of Colvin's character - no matter how dark or unflattering - is a testament to her will as a writer and something which, if her description of Marie is anything to go by, Colvin would have approved of whole-heartedly. The writing, as much as the story of Marie's life, is compelling and I am completed besotted by Colvin and her achievements: Hilsum's biography has unleashed a new personal obsession.
The conclusion of this biography should surprise no one and yet it still shocks and saddens: you come to know Marie in these pages, intimately. You are there alongside her at her darkest personal moments and there at her dazzling, glorious political victories where the very existence of her journalism changed the course of events. And in living alongside her for a fleeting 370 pages, you come to know her. And in knowing her, you suffer the loss of her at the end.
June 12, 2019
This book drags. I found the parts dealing with war reporting to be insightful, but listening to the tragedy of Marie Colvin's personal relationships and her alcoholism becomes tedious. I will blame my lack of patience with her personal demons in part due to my "reading" the book via Audible.com. I do think the author did an excellent job of researching the life of this war correspondent and found myself perpetually wondering how the author was able to compile such detailed information, especially about Marie's personal life. I would not recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2019
A work of art & an incredible portrait. Read this book in 4 days, camping in the Australian bush, and it is an experience (the reading, I mean) that I’ll never forget. Remarkably well written.
October 30, 2022
This a book which is somewhat boring in the beginning, but staying with it becomes super rewarding. Ms Colvin was an intrepid journalist and flawed in her personal life, but one of those flawed people that made life fun for those around her. As you get to know the seemingly fearless reporter and the hard drinking woman struggling to find love and fight her demons, you understand that you probably couldn’t have one without the other. I think she died the way she would have wished, but when you finish the book, that realization doesn’t make it any less sad.
September 6, 2024
Astonishing. Covered her times spent reporting wars and uprisings all over the Middle East, parts of Africa, and South Asia. What she witnessed - and the PTSD and addictions that followed - will make you go numb?????? A true hero who was interested in humanity and bravery rather than bravado and disillusionment.
January 8, 2019
Audio book read by author. This is an affecting, harrowing account of the life of war correspondent, Marie Colvin, who was killed in Syria, trying to leave Homs, in 2012. Colvin was an outsize character, fascinating to others, a prodigious drinker, and a dedicated and effectively fearless reporter. She dedicated her professional life to being the voice of the innocent, civilian victims in some of the most fiercely violent conflicts around the world, including Chechnya, East Timor, Libya, Egypt, Palestine, Sri Lanka, Kosovo, and ultimately Syria, where she would die at the age of 56. The book recounts her experiences under-fire, getting into and out of war zones, ignoring other peoples' warnings about when it was time to leave, as well as her association with figures such as Arafat and Ghadaffi. But most of all, the book tells the story of her dedication to reporting the toll on civilians caused by the various conflicts. She was committed to the notion that her reporting of the toll on women and children could change the events, the world. In a sense, maybe she was right--after her death, survivors and partisans of conflicts in Sri Lanka and Syria, in particular, remembered her participating and mourned her loss. I was not convinced that the reporting achieved change: I wish it were so but don't believe it.
That, however, may be exactly the point of why you would want to read this book. As the author says, Marie never lost her humanity and her faith in the importance of being there, on the ground, to witness the violence and suffering. It seems she kept some core of herself immune from the horrors she witnessed so that she could continue reporting. That core remained inviolate, even as she pursued much reckless behavior, in her relationships with men, in her drinking and partying, in her neglect of sleep, health, food, in her PTSD, in the loss of an eye to shrapnel.
Determined as she was in pursuing her career as a war correspondent and not allowing her gender to impede, she did have many devoted friends, lovers, and family. She longed for a stable family life but was unable to put that together for herself. She discovered sailing and that became a core solace in her life.
I believe the author wants to get across just how charismatic, loved, and important to her friends she was. I don't doubt it, but to me how exasperating she was, her hubris, her lack of sweet common sense was even more powerfully portrayed. I realized that I was experiencing her as though she were an explorer, crossing a frozen terrain barefoot, or swimming around the world, or a senseless genius who can just do no other than the thing she has devoted herself to. Marie Colvin was a fascinating and heroic character who saw things I cannot imagine. This story of her life is fascinating to read and I recommend it.
That, however, may be exactly the point of why you would want to read this book. As the author says, Marie never lost her humanity and her faith in the importance of being there, on the ground, to witness the violence and suffering. It seems she kept some core of herself immune from the horrors she witnessed so that she could continue reporting. That core remained inviolate, even as she pursued much reckless behavior, in her relationships with men, in her drinking and partying, in her neglect of sleep, health, food, in her PTSD, in the loss of an eye to shrapnel.
Determined as she was in pursuing her career as a war correspondent and not allowing her gender to impede, she did have many devoted friends, lovers, and family. She longed for a stable family life but was unable to put that together for herself. She discovered sailing and that became a core solace in her life.
I believe the author wants to get across just how charismatic, loved, and important to her friends she was. I don't doubt it, but to me how exasperating she was, her hubris, her lack of sweet common sense was even more powerfully portrayed. I realized that I was experiencing her as though she were an explorer, crossing a frozen terrain barefoot, or swimming around the world, or a senseless genius who can just do no other than the thing she has devoted herself to. Marie Colvin was a fascinating and heroic character who saw things I cannot imagine. This story of her life is fascinating to read and I recommend it.
November 30, 2020
This is a deep dive into Colvin's personal and professional life. It covers everything, and I mean everything, you might care to know about her, including everything you probably don't need to know or want to know. Her entire childhood and family dramas, the details of her many love affairs and friendships, her dependence on alcohol, the clothes she wears (outerwear and underwear), etc. Oh yes, and her work as a journalist. That's the part I was interested in.
Fortunately, the author's obsession with details extends to the professional work. Colvin's war correspondence is impressive. She ventured bravely into so many war zones that she developed PTSD. Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq, East Timor, Syria, Kosovo, Chechnya, Libya, you name it, she was there. She lost an eye to shrapnel and kept going. She stayed in the most dangerous areas when other journalists escaped to safety. She usually focused on the experience of civilians and refugees, the innocents caught between the combatants. She was killed in battle.
The title is based on her famous quote: "It has always seemed to me that what I write about is humanity in extremis, pushed to the unendurable, and that it is important to tell people what really happens in wars".
I also recommend two films about her work: A Private War and Girls of the Sun. There is also another book that includes Colvin titled Bearing Witness: The Lives of War Correspondents and Photojournalists by Denise Leith.
Fortunately, the author's obsession with details extends to the professional work. Colvin's war correspondence is impressive. She ventured bravely into so many war zones that she developed PTSD. Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq, East Timor, Syria, Kosovo, Chechnya, Libya, you name it, she was there. She lost an eye to shrapnel and kept going. She stayed in the most dangerous areas when other journalists escaped to safety. She usually focused on the experience of civilians and refugees, the innocents caught between the combatants. She was killed in battle.
The title is based on her famous quote: "It has always seemed to me that what I write about is humanity in extremis, pushed to the unendurable, and that it is important to tell people what really happens in wars".
I also recommend two films about her work: A Private War and Girls of the Sun. There is also another book that includes Colvin titled Bearing Witness: The Lives of War Correspondents and Photojournalists by Denise Leith.
May 8, 2020
Slow start of a read until the final part of the book. Marie Colvin was a lion, cutting her teeth in Libya interviewing Gaddafi in the late 1980’s, Beirut, the First Intifada and Iraq then covered nearly every major conflict in the Middle East up to the Arab Spring and her tragic death in Syria. All of these conflicts she was there on the ground going to unimaginable lengths to get her story (read: farther than anyone else). Yet, until the final part, the reader is left with very little substance of her reportage, and more details of her tumultuous personal life. While it covers Marie Colvin the woman, I wish it would have gone more into the details of her work besides just the danger she exposed herself too. I also wished it would have delved more into how technology changed journalism over the course of her career, something that gets barely gets more than a few paragraphs in the book. Overall, would recommend.
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