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Paul Conroy

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Under the Wire: Marie Colvin's Final Assignment Hardcover – October 8, 2013

by Paul Conroy (Author)

4.7 476 ratings

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

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

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

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

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

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In February 2012, American foreign-war correspondent Marie Colvin was killed by artillery fire in Syria. Her death, along with that of French photographer Rémi Ochlik, became international news as officials wrangled over retrieving their bodies and struggled to evacuate other journalists injured in the attack. Conroy, Colvin’s photographer, was with her and was nearly killed as well. In this tense, hour-by-hour account, he takes readers back to Syria and the events that led to their being behind the battle lines. He also recalls an earlier assignment with Colvin in Libya, providing insight into the stress war correspondents live under in their quest for truth. Conroy pulls no punches, but he clearly admired Colvin and it’s easy to understand why. Her relentless determination to document the suffering of civilians trapped within wars they cannot control is the stuff of legend. “We can help,” she explains at one point, “we can show the world; we can bear witness.” Colvin was a significant voice in international journalism and will be sorely missed, and Conroy’s account is unforgettable. --Colleen Mondor

Review

Bookviews
Anyone who has spent any time in a war zone, in combat, or just wondering what it is like will thoroughly enjoy this book. One might say they shared a foxhole or two together and the story he tells is gripping and a great tribute to his friend, a great journalist.”

Sunday Times
A fine and gripping account of how the brave, rackety band of war reporters and photographers bring the human consequences of war to our breakfast tables.”

The Times, UK
Paul Conroy's touching memoir...is a tribute to the metier of reporting conflict...It's a touching, if heartbreaking story.”

Humphrey Hawksley, BBC
A masterpiece, possibly the finest account of war of this generation.”

Books Examiner
This is an eye-opening account of what journalists go through to tell the world about the atrocities going on in war-torn countries like Syria.”

Another Opinion

David Remnick, The New Yorker
Colvin devoted her lifeand gave her lifefor the proposition that the truth of history demands witnesses. Her death, like that of so many others, is yet another reminder, as if any more were needed, that experience in the field is no shelter from disaster.”

Tom Fletcher, British ambassador to Lebanon

Paul's experience is a chilling testimony to what families in Homs are experiencing. We need renewed focus on humanitarian support and to put an end to violence.”

Booklist

In this tense, hour-by-hour account, he takes readers back to Syria and the events that led to their being behind the battle lines Colvin was a significant voice in international journalism and will be sorely missed, and Conroy's account is unforgettable.”

Vanity Fair
In Under the Wire, Conroy relives their odyssey and its harrowing final hours.”

Publisher's Weekly
Conroy's visceral account is provides readers with a greater appreciation for the work of war correspondents and insight into the sacrifices they make.”

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grand Central Publishing; Complete Numbers Starting with 1, 1st Ed edition (October 8, 2013)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 344 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1602862362
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1602862364
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.2 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.3 x 1.2 x 9.2 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,224,303 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,317 in Survival Biographies
- #1,721 in Journalist Biographies
- #8,741 in Military Leader Biographies

Customer Reviews:
4.7 476 ratings

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476 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book compelling and engaging. They describe it as an excellent read that captures the spirit of journalism and a journalist's desire to report the truth, no matter the danger. The book is well-written and personal, making it a must-read for customers.

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Storytelling Readability Character development Journalistic content Writing quality

14 customers mention "Storytelling"14 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's storytelling compelling and gripping. They find it relatable and inspiring, providing a glimpse into the lives of those on the front lines. Readers describe the author as brave and skillful.

"A compelling, edge of your seat story that will bring you into the action and leave you with a sense of awe and admiration for the fearless..." Read more

"This is a vividly told story about the journalists and photographers who put their lives in jeopardy to keep the world informed of the reality of war..." Read more

"...own safety, to ensure that the story would be told - it is a great account of life, human suffering, human bravery and selflessness and the true..." Read more

"...writing, historical and political background and a gift for telling the human story...." Read more

9 customers mention "Readability"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book an excellent read that provides a great insight into their lives at the front line.

"...An outstanding read which needs to be read by as many people as possible." Read more

"...Now I know. Hair-raising tale and well worth my time to read...." Read more

"This book is one I can relate to from my guts. I loved every minute of the read. Marie was such a great character,may she rest in peace...." Read more

"This book is SOOO good. 10/10" Read more

4 customers mention "Character development"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development. They find Marie a great character and wonderful human being. The book explores human suffering, bravery, and selflessness.

"...also leave you saddened at the loss of a great journalist and wonderful human being, Ms.Colvin, in a senseless and outrageous war...." Read more

"...would be told - it is a great account of life, human suffering, human bravery and selflessness and the true costs of war...." Read more

"...She emerges as a larger-than-life character who cared about the people she wrote about and the always assessed the impact of war on them, whether..." Read more

"...I loved every minute of the read. Marie was such a great character,may she rest in peace...." Read more

4 customers mention "Journalistic content"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's journalistic content. They find it captures the spirit of journalism in an essential way. The book is praised for its ability to recall and tell the truth, even in danger.

"...It will also leave you saddened at the loss of a great journalist and wonderful human being, Ms.Colvin, in a senseless and outrageous war...." Read more

"...The details are so well recalled and told that I felt I had watched the journey myself and I learned so much along the way...." Read more

"This book captures the spirit of journalism in an essential way...." Read more

"A BRAVE AND SKILLED REPORTER WHO WAS TRULY LARGER THAN LIFE..." Read more

4 customers mention "Writing quality"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the writing quality of the book. They say it's well-written and personal, making it a must-read.

"...This book is well written, personal, and truly gives one a sense of the dangers, and rewards, of being a war correspondent." Read more

"...Paul Conroy helped sort out the confusing media bits with incisive writing, historical and political background and a gift for telling the human..." Read more

"...It was a memoir of Paul Conroy. Parts of ithe book were really well written. I felt I was right there in the tunnel with them at times...." Read more

"Excellent book, a must read." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

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Lori Vx
Very real, unembellished account of war and death
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2019
Verified Purchase
I had just finished Under the Wire and wanted to know more about Marie Colvin's last assignment, as I recalled the day it happened and reading her obituary in the Sunday Times so wanted to fill in the blanks a bit. Paul Conroy does a great job of revealing their working synergy and their desire to tell the truth, no matter the danger. The many messages in this story - from Marie's desire to ensure that the whole world would know the truth about Assad's destruction of Syria to the stories of the many FSA who looked after Marie and Paul and their colleagues while risking their own safety, to ensure that the story would be told - it is a great account of life, human suffering, human bravery and selflessness and the true costs of war. The details are so well recalled and told that I felt I had watched the journey myself and I learned so much along the way. Marie Colvin was a hero who lost her life telling stories we might otherwise have never known. Paul Conroy is a brilliant photographer, writer and warrior for the truth.

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Kathlene Biswas
The High Cost of Tyranny
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2013
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This is a vividly told story about the journalists and photographers who put their lives in jeopardy to keep the world informed of the reality of war. Conroy makes us painfully aware of the horrors being perpetrated on the Syrian people by their own government. Marie paid the highest price due to her deep commitment to make the rest of the world see the desperation of life in Syria. An outstanding read which needs to be read by as many people as possible.

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2 people found this helpful

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VideoAdventures
A calm, compassionate biography of an extraordinary woman
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2025
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The author writes of his work with Colvin -- dangerous work to reveal the horrors of war maiming and killing the innocents of the world.

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Shawn Thompson aka the intimate ape
When the back story comes first in journalism
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2017
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This book captures the spirit of journalism in an essential way. Paul Conroy comes to journalism naturally and genuinely, finding his path gradually, without schooling, which then becomes his entry into the true character of Marie Colvin and her essential spirit as a journalist, in a line stretching back through Martha Gellhorn (forget the diversion into E. Hemingway) and through Nellie Bly. Along the Colvin way, with the pirate's eye patch glaring at a world veiled behind its own black obscurities, is the contrast between the true, independent journalist like Colvin and those other journalists who lapse into stupor as though drugged and let themselves be managed by committees and bureaucracies. Colvin and Conroy gravitate to the crisis zone where they find their liberty and freedom to report, to right the balances of life, to ensure a hearing for justice. Conroy's book is an extensive journey through the back story of what produces truth in journalism and the character of the true journalist that goes with it. But the public does not normally see the back story that yielded the truth, and the character that yielded the truth, and it is too easy to miss it in journalism school, where the standard journalism text turns journalism into a technicality that can be taught and graded and an abstraction that can be grasped. The only shame in this book by Conroy is that it has not been issued in paperback form, which I could then make required reading for my deprived journalism students.

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5 people found this helpful

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Ronald Lovell
A BRAVE AND SKILLED REPORTER WHO WAS TRULY LARGER THAN LIFE
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2014
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Since I first started seeing Marie Colvin interviewed on CNN, I had admired her courage and her diligence as a journalist. She was definitely from the old school of swahbuckler journalists of another era. I was saddened by her tragic death. Both "On the Front Lines" and "Under the Wire" are compelling in telling her life story and giving readers a sampling of her newspaper dispatches from many trouble spots over the past 10-15 years. She emerges as a larger-than-life character who cared about the people she wrote about and the always assessed the impact of war on them, whether it be Siri Lanka or Syria pr ,mamny other places, mostly in the Middle East. Her account of being shot in one eye, the horror of the pain that caused and how she coped with it for the rest of her life is heartbreaking and inspiring. Her colleague Paul Conroy was with her when she died and his own accdount of how he got out of Syria alive is exciting and dramatic. Both books sould be on the required reading lists of journalism schools everywhere.

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2 people found this helpful

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montevicar
Hair-raising story
Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2014
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I have always wondered how reporters get to places of conflict-what they are eating when people around them are short of food and water and how they survive. Now I know. Hair-raising tale and well worth my time to read. I appreciate the dilemma of guilt about using up resources while feeling the need to inform the rest of the world about what is happening in a particular place and maybe even why it is happening.

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Deidre Kellogg Ketroser
A Compelling Read
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2019
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A compelling, edge of your seat story that will bring you into the action and leave you with a sense of awe and admiration for the fearless commitment on the part of Paul Conroy and Marie Colvin to telling the truth about life in war zones. It will also leave you saddened at the loss of a great journalist and wonderful human being, Ms.Colvin, in a senseless and outrageous war. This book is well written, personal, and truly gives one a sense of the dangers, and rewards, of being a war correspondent.

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Mary
Wow!
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2020
Verified Purchase
This was a book that was hard to put down. Marie Colvin was a phenomenon all on her own. Her quest for truth and for informing the western world of that truth in war zones was truly inspirational. She did not “spin” anything as all politicians do. What she did was for all mankind and I hope her work is being carried on. Paul Conroy gave us a great gift by telling his and Marie’s story.

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Top reviews from other countries

Giorgio Dalla Rosa
Gripping and emotional
Reviewed in Italy on November 7, 2014
Verified Purchase
The description of the events and the feelings of the author are expressed in a superb way. It is so intense that sometimes you must force yourself to realize that it was reality and not fiction.The best book I've ever read from a reporter.

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Alejandro
Incredible truth
Reviewed in Spain on May 19, 2014
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An incredible true story that gives us a good idea of how difficult and riski is to tell the story from the war zone.

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mags gainsborough
An incredible book. gripping, tragic, laced with dark humour, an unbelievable true story, an absolute must read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 10, 2013
Verified Purchase
this copy was bought as a gift,( I have a treasured signed copy!) I actually read it in one sitting, slowing down to wipe my tears, or suddenly snort with laughter.
Paul shows us, the real Marie Colvin - a brave feisty compassionate war journalist of the highest calibre,
his own incredible resilience and bravery and that of the others who were with him,
especially Edith Bouvier and the Syrians who risked their own lives to help them. The #Assad regime is an evil regime who obviously targeted the media centre which killed Marie and Remi.
An important book!

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cossonod
Gritty and Moving
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 27, 2021
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Hard facts written in a very readable way. Paul the author shares his experience and those of Marie Colvin in hell on earth. Many, many others who helped them endlessly but have not been fully acknowledged, have my full admiration and respect. Well worth the read.

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Amazon Customer
An Excellent and Moving Account ....
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 13, 2017
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An informative and rivetting account of War reporting at its best, told with humour, compassion in a moving and fast paced narrative, free from the prima donna and self congratulatory behaviour commonly associated with the mainstream media. If you ever truly wanted to know what Reporting from the "sharp-end" is like, then this is undoubtedly it !!
Drew

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