The Face of War

This is a collection of Gellhorn's writings as a war correspondent beginning with the Spanish Civil War, World War II and then through Indonesia, Vietnam and the Six Day War. I learned a great deal about the events that happened before my birth (WWII etc) and even more about the wars since. I could not read her writings on Vietnam. They just made my guilt and shame about that war even deeper. These selections are not about strategy and tactics. They primarily focus on the terror and pain war brings to civilians. Anyone in national office or aspiring to national office needs to read these to understand the terrible cost humanity pays in war. Be aware that Gellhorn does not strive for "objectivity" when she feels bad people, leadership or politics are at fault. This book should be required reading in U.S. high schools.

I was surprised by the number of typos in the on line version-- was a bit distracting. Some interesting history in the various articles, especially about the Spanish Civil War and WW II. For a person who could not stay away from conflicts (major or minor), I was a bit surprised by some of the lack of background detail on some of the more minor conflictsAlso, unlike some of her earlier articles, the articles on the wars/ conflicts she wrote about near the end of her career (and at the end of the book) are a bit didactic in their focus on her anti-war sentiments, as genuine as they must have been. Interesting that there is no mention of her experiences with (during war) and later, failed marriage to Ernest Hemingway.

7. Many people are possibly familiar with her being one of the wives of writer Ernest Hemingway but in her own right she was one of the most brilliant and prolific investigative reporters of the twentieth century. In this work Gellhorn takes us from war in Spain, many areas of campaigns in WWII, the middle east as well as Viet Namn, South America and although not a war the disaster of Chernobyl. Some of her reporting and interviews were so damning and explosive they were not even published in the news media. She told it like it was, interviewing the people who were effected by the events. Perhaps the administrations of the leaders of the United States were afraid of the truth. This was an eye opening series of interviews and a legacy of a journalist who braved the dangerous areas to get the story told for the people of the world. Very revealing a remarkable collection of her stories. Highly recommend.

Gellhorn's journalism is evocative of Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" sensibilities. She places herself in the midst of human conflict and gazes around the world trying to make sense of the madness of war. Everywhere she finds hope nestled in with despair. Everywhere she sees the duality of our nature--to be both beautiful and horrific. I wish that we had journalists like her reporting every day, or at least every month, or even once in a blue moon. She predates the likes of Joan Didion and Tom Wolfe, but if you are a fan of either "Slouching Towards Bethleham" or "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Tests" she is for you. She even reminds me of the Hunter S. Thompson we see in "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail" in that she makes herself an integral part of the story. Within the context of WWII it ranks up there with John Hersey's "Hiroshima" as a plea to reduce our nuclear arsenal and embrace those better angels of our nature. This is an important book, and one that should be read for generations.

Narrative war reports from the late 30’s and beyond. The horrors callus the writer allowing her to continue reporting the horrors war inflicts. Why we war is a question humanity overlooks for one’s own gain. Gave it a 4 for bluntness and numerous spelling and other errors possibly from the translation of her early work. Needs a thorough page by page review to clean up the errors.

Ms Gellhorn is one very gutsy woman, and takes all the danger she finds herself in without flinching. Unlike most war reporters, the vast majority of whom are men, she doesn't get caught up in who's winning or losing, reporting like it's some sporting event. Her interviews with the ordinary soldiers, as well as the higher ups, on both sides provides an insight into the human cost of war, and makes you feel deeply for the soldiers who are just pawns to what Dylan so aptly called the Masters of War. This is the best war reporting book I've ever read.

I admit I have ordered Martha Gellhorn books because of a movie based on her war experience shared with Ernest Hemingway. Martha was his 3rd wife but an extremely in dependant woman who lived her own life as a journalist/war correspondent. This book is a first hand account of war and suffering by its war-torn citizens. Yes, it was insightful and sad in spite of years that have passed.I'm so happy that Amazon offers books that I might never have access to otherwise.

After reading "Beautiful Exiles" by Meg Waite Clayton, a well researched novel about Earnest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn, I was anxious to read some of her writing. I found this collection of stories very interesting. She was an extraordinary woman who had many quite remarkable experiences. I enjoyed her reporting.

Superb eloquent writing, but it would be. , tragic and disgusting that she could just as well be writing about exactly the same humanitarian horrors right now 60 years on, and it is always the poverty stricken voicesless that suffer the most Someone wrote that this ought to be part of secondary school and univercity reading, absolutely spot on. Gellhorn writes about the very real impact on people from 9 wars zones in a 40 year span.

Gave my an excellent insight into the areas/wars covered, very interesting

The book is ridden with typos, enough to disrupt the reading. So my complaint is about this edition of the book, 9th of December 2014, and not about the content, that's to say the writing ability and stories told by the author. In this last regard the book would get 5 stars for the articles on the Spanish civil war, the war in Finland, those about WWII and Israel. And 3 stars for the rest, Vietnam, Central America and the cold war ... those being based on really short experiences on the ground or mere speculation.

Martha Gellhorn is legendary for a reason: She reported war from where the bullets were flying, and her prose was magnificent. So what we have here is a superb book weakened by innumerable typos. Gellhorn deserves better. So does the reader. But buy the book anyway; you won't regret it.

She is a superb writer and very compelling. I loved every minute of it. I have never been a pacifist although I did oppose Vietnam. She convinced me that most wars are truly stupid, even the ones some of us think are righteous.