On the Ground: My Life as a Foreign Correspondent by Brian Stewart

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Instant Bestseller A powerful memoir revealing the pressures, joys, and traumas of witnessing history up close and personal, from one of Canada's most prominent and decorated foreign correspondents. Brian Stewart is a trusted voice who brought stories of the world home to Canadians for decades on CBC's The National. He saw it all firsthand--triumph and ecstasy; carnage and unspeakable suffering--and bore the responsibility of shining a light on the most exciting and most horrifying moments show more of the late 20th century, including the Gulf War and the Ethiopian famine, reporting from sandstorms and shootouts, palaces and embassies. He spoke with the likes of Margaret Thatcher, Pope John Paul II, and Nelson Mandela; with armed militants, activists, aid workers, and more. Now, for the first time, he is sharing his experience of the cost, both personal and professional, of bringing truth home from around the world. Reading like a whirlwind trip through the highs and lows of modern history from one of its most passionate students, On the Ground brings politics, war, and social change to vivid life. An arresting tale of courage, curiosity, and empathy from a time when the news media held the public's trust, Stewart's honest and balanced storytelling is not only the fascinating tale of where one man's quest to witness history took him but also a sobering reminder of the staggering value of wise, responsible, and honorable journalism. show less

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MaggieFlo 458 reviews

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This is a memoir by Brian Stewart a Canadian journalist and foreign correspondent.
He starts the story with his coverage of the famine in Ethiopia in 1984 where he and his team were the first correspondents to notify the world of the humanitarian crisis that was unfolding because of a prolonged drought. Some of the reporting convinced the world that something needed to be done which inspired the Bob Geldoff and live aid concerts
From an early age Stewart was interested in history and decided that he wanted to be a foreigner correspondent. His dreams came true and he worked at various capacities in Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa. Eventually the CBC TV became his home. He covered many events from the FLQ crisis in Quebec, the fall of show more the Berlin Wall, the war in Sudan, the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the Afghan war. He had several near death experiences and suffered from a form PSTD because of his exposure to death and war.
Very interesting, well written and a very good exposure to the often unglamorous life of life covering the news. Stewart comes across as a humble, kind and happy man who has been blessed with the life he dreamed of in his role as a journalist. show less

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