The Kindness of Strangers: The Autobiography

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2260380.html

This is a gratifyingly entertaining book, starting with a chapter on student visits to Germany and Sweden in the late 1960s, and then going through Adie's career as a BBC journalist who ended up specialising in conflict zones. The chapters on 1970s Northern Ireland and wartime Bosnia rang very true to me; the chapter on Libya was horrifying, especially given what has happened since; the chapter on Tian-an-Men Square moved me to tears. Adie has an eye for the telling detail in he writing as well as in her broadcast reportage.

I did wonder a bit about the ideology of reporting. Adie claims firmly to aspire to be partly a conduit conveying what is happening on the ground to the viewer, and also a show more first emotional responder as it were, giving the viewers her own reaction. Yet that's a little to modest; her emotional response inevitably shapes the viewer's response, it's not that they have a range of different options to choose from; and the stories that she finds, or is allowed to find, shape the popular narrative for the events that she is describing. I would have liked a little reflection on the role of the journalist as creator rather than mere reporter.

But basically the sheer thrill and horror of experiencing these events, be it desperate attempts to find anything reportable in the Durham countryside or flight through the back streets of Beijing under live fire, makes for a very readable book. show less

Having lived through the time when it seemed Kate Adie was always at the scene of the latest war or disaster I really enjoyed reading this book from her viewpoint.

It read as if she was having a converstion with you alone and helped me understand what it was like for reporters in difficult places. Also the change in reporting methods as technology changed was quite an insight.

Would have been good to learn more about her personally but didn't detract from the book.

You complete this book certain that has much has been withheld as has been vouchsafed. But Kate Adie is one of the last broadcasters regularly to be heard on the BBC who still upholds the "mission to explain". Of course, there's no room for her on the telly any more, but it's still good to hear her on FOOC. A very enjoyable read from a journalist with a good mind.

An interesting series of anecdotes about Kate Adie's career as a BBC journalist.

A fascinating insight into the world of one of the BBC's best known female TV reporters.

Kate Adie has a talent for writing. I really enjoyed this book. Well worth the time spent.

she Is the presenter of BBC's from our own correspondent.
a little disorganized but I'm sure her life was. she was at every troubled place.