Going with the Boys

On the front lines of the Second World War, a remarkable group of female journalists waged their own battle in the war zone. In Going with the Boys by Judith Mackrell, we follow the extraordinary stories of six pioneering women who defied societal norms and bureaucratic restrictions to bring the realities of war to the world. These women—Martha Gellhorn, Lee Miller, Sigrid Schultz, Virginia Cowles, Clare Hollingworth, and Helen Kirkpatrick—fought for the right to work on equal terms with their male counterparts, often risking their lives to report from the front lines.

Martha Gellhorn, one of the most famous war correspondents, out-scooped her husband Ernest Hemingway on D-Day by stowing away on a hospital ship to reach Normandy. Lee Miller transformed from a Vogue cover model to the magazine's official war correspondent, bringing a unique perspective to her photojournalism. Sigrid Schultz bravely reported on the Nazi regime while concealing her Jewish identity, putting her life on the line for the truth. Virginia Cowles transitioned from a 'society girl columnist' to a respected combat reporter, while Clare Hollingworth became the first journalist to report the outbreak of the war. Helen Kirkpatrick broke new ground as the first woman to report from an Allied war zone with equal privileges to men.

Judith Mackrell's intricately layered account captures both the adversity and the vibrancy of these women's lives. The narrative delves into their tireless pursuit of sources, their narrow escapes from gunfire, and their interactions with renowned personalities such as Picasso, Cocteau, and Churchill. These journalists not only chronicled the war but also experienced their own tumultuous love affairs amidst the chaos.

In her gripping, intimate, and nuanced portrait, Mackrell celebrates these courageous reporters who risked everything for their stories and ultimately changed the landscape of war reporting forever. Going with the Boys is a homage to their bravery and a captivating exploration of their contributions to journalism and history.

"They were not just reporters; they were also pioneers, and Judith Mackrell has done them proud." – Spectator

"This is a book that manages to be thoughtful and edge-of-your-seat thrilling." – Mail on Sunday

"Like the copy filed by her subjects, it is an essential read." – BBC History Magazine