Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Fierce Ambition:
Journalists being hostile with each other? You don’t say.
Quick synopsis:
A biography of war correspondent Maggie Higgins.
Fact for Non-History People:
In the 1940s, American women did 80% of the nation’s buying.
Fact for History Nerds:
There were 325 accredited American war correspondents in World War II. 38 were female.
My Take on Fierce Ambition:
Get ready to feel conflicted! Jennet Conant’s Fierce Ambition is a well-written and clear-eyed biography of controversial war correspondent Maggie Higgins. In fact, “controversial” may not be a strong enough word to describe the wide spectrum of feelings about Maggie during her life. She is a classic case of love her or hate her but there is no in between.
Higgins got her start during World War II and got her big break when she reported on the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp. She was a lot of things but what is most interesting is that there is one thing I am positive she was not: a feminist. Sure, she absolutely hated being told she couldn’t do something because she was a woman and violently fought against it. However, Higgins would just as easily cut the legs out from a fellow woman on her way to the top. Conant is definitely writing a positive biography, but she leaves breadcrumbs of how someone could write Higgins as a villain if they chose to. She was complicated and that makes for a compelling narrative.
Whatever lens you choose to view Higgins’ life, this is a very readable book. Conant’s tone is perfect throughout and you truly feel like you are getting a fair account of an amazing life. The pages fly by and there was no slow down for me in any chapter.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and W.W. Norton & Company.)
Verdict:
A well balanced and interesting biography. Buy it here!
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