Reid S. Lyndsey Addario Book Report

    Throughout the Lynsey Addario Book, ITS WHAT I DO, I was put through an emotional rollercoaster, a countless number of graphic murders and bombings scenes, and more imagery in her awkward situations than are present in an Andrzej Sapkowski novel. This book was packed to the brim with travel, from “Operation Rock Avalanche” within the Korengal Battle Company in Eastern Afghanistan (Pg. 172) and getting pinned down in place as mortars and bullets scream past their faces, to soaking in the sun while drinking wine with her Lovers in places such as Mexico City (Pg. 77). Within the book are a lot of great moments, but the one that I would say was the most enjoyable and stood out to me when I think back, was the portion that she spent in Stockholm and Paris. I physically shot up and out of my seat laughing when I read “My name is Carl. I think that you are the only other person here with a job. (Pg. 160)” I really enjoyed this section, how Addario emphasizes her thoughts and most importantly, her insecurities. It lets the reader peer into her mind and shows us that while she's brave for her career by having no problem walking up to Taliban members in the middle of a warzone, but still lacks confidence when it comes to high class situations. This scene emphasizes the parallel worlds that she has to live through and how it may affect her mentally. 

    Present in this same scene at the fancy restaurant in Paris, for Paul’s best friend’s 30th Birthday party was where I first could see Lynsey’s real sense of duty and purpose to her work. As she was surrounded by nearly forty people she didn’t know in this fancy party and all of them were superiorly dressed than her. Yet she couldn’t wait to go to another war scene the next morning after the party, all the way in a Darfur refugee camp and to quote the book, “Where I felt completely comfortable.” She shows the reader that not only is her life crazy, but when she tries to incorporate things such as a scheduled dinner or having her future fiancé Paul meeting her family, it always somehow is followed by anxiety or overthinking. Like how on Page 158 of the book, we see her contemplating, “What would I tell Nina…? Would Paul Frown upon my middle-class family? Did he wear a kilt?” 

Things such as these overthinking questions are actually part of the reason why I really enjoyed this book. It is so present throughout the text that Addario’s main ambition is to share the truth in these insane situations through her photography. I probably wouldn’t care for any of the stories that she recounts if she didn’t write this book and each section in such a great way, and give such articulate detail even if the instance was from years prior. With each car bombing and beautiful imagery of the desert landscape, I would and already have recommended this book to others because of the descript adventures that she writes about.

 

This Picture was found on the LynseyAddario.com website under the category of “Unrest in Libya” 

This is my favorite in her series because I really enjoy the contrast of the red and orange that are inside the tent but with the vast and beautiful blue sky as the sun is about to set. I also really like how in the photo, as it trails off into the middle of the frame, but you can't tell the difference between the shrubbery and the trash that is scattered around the picture.