You Don't Belong Here by Elizabeth Becker

You Don't Belong Here by Elizabeth Becker
You Don’t Belong Here by Elizabeth Becker is a gripping non-fiction account of 3 female journalists who covered the Vietnam War, their stories having finally been given the attention they deserve. There is Catherine Leroy, a French daredevil photographer who parachuted alongside American soldiers to take some of the most iconic images of the conflict. There is also Frances Fitzgerald, an American socialite-turned-reporter who traded her life of comfort to be on the frontlines of the most gripping story of the decade. Finally, there is Kate Webb, an Australian from Canberra who paid her own way to Vietnam to escape her own tragedies before being captured by the Viet Cong and presumed dead. While each of these women come from different backgrounds, they all struggled at great personal cost to forge their place in a world of men. But in doing so, they revolutionised war reporting and their sacrifices paved the way for subsequent women to find their place in journalism.

Becker’s writing is rich in historical detail, cites countless sources and also includes snippets from journals and letters that paint a vivid picture of life in Vietnam not only for reporters, but also the American soldiers and Vietnamese people. Her book is an essential history of the Vietnam War in its own right, especially given that she focuses on the women whose work has been blatantly snubbed in so much of the previous literature. Perhaps most profoundly, Becker herself was also a female reporter in Vietnam at the time of the war, and therefore positions herself as a great authority on the subject. She peppers through some of her own experiences of prejudice faced throughout her career and recounts the many obstacles faced by women at the time. Ultimately, You Don’t Belong Here is a tale of hope and resilience against all odds and one that I would highly recommend to anyone wanting to learn more about the history of journalism or the Vietnam War.
 

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