Hello, everyone! Fictional war
correspondent Ruth Brown here. Today I'm interviewing Martha
Gellhorn-novelist, travel writer and war correspondent. Born in St.
Louis, Missouri, Martha is a real globe trotter. I'd like to
introduce you to her.
Ruth:
Thanks for joining me, Martha. You are one busy lady. How did you get
your start in journalism?
Martha: After
my high school graduation from John Burroughs School, I enrolled in
Bryn Mawr College. I always wanted to be a writer, and decided to
leave college before graduating to pursue a career as a journalist. I
was able to get some of my articles published in The
New Republic
which gave me some great visibility. That led to other assignments.
Ruth:
You make it sound easy!
Martha:
I
think I was in the right place at the right time. After a couple of
years, I decided I wanted to be a foreign correspondent. It took me a
while, but I was able to get on board with United Press in Paris.
Ruth:
How exciting! You wrote a couple of books, too. Tell me about them.
Martha:
The first one was published in 1934 and is called What
Made Pursuit.
It's about the time I was involved in the pacifist movement in
Europe. In 1940 I published A
Stricken Field
about Hitler's rise to power and my time in Czechoslovakia. But war
reporting is my first love.
Ruth:
You've seen a lot of action, and not always with permission.
Martha:
(laughing)
Yes, ma'am. As a woman war correspondent, it's tough to get to where
the real war is happening. Sometimes I have to take things into my
own hands. I tried to get press credentials for the Normandy
landings, but no one would give them to me, so I hid in a hospital
ship bathroom and then when we landed I pretended to be a stretcher
bearer. I had to get there. It was terrible time, but I knew I had to
experience it myself and report on it.
Ruth:
You're very brave. Thanks for taking time to meet with me. Good luck,
and stay out of trouble!
Martha:
Not likely to happen, but thanks for the sentiment!
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