WINNEROFTHE2022GOLDSMITHBOOKPRIZEWINNEROFTHE2022SPERBERPRIZEThelongburiedstoryofthreeextraordinaryfemalejournalistswhopermanentlyshatteredtheofficialandculturalbarrierstowomencoveringwar.KateWebb,anAustralianiconoclast,CatherineLeroy,aFrenchdaredevilphotographer,andFrancesFitzGerald,ablue-bloodAmericanintellectual,arrivedinVietnamwithstarklydifferentlifeexperiencesbutonesharedpurpose:toreportonthemostconsequentialstoryofthedecade.Atatimewhenwomenwereconsideredunfittobeforeignreporters,Frankie,CatherineandKatepaidtheirownwaytowar,arrivedwithoutjobs,challengedtherulesimposedonthembythemilitary,ignoredthebelittlementandresentmentoftheirmalepeersandfoundnewwaystoexplainthewarthroughthepeoplewholivedthroughit.InYouDon’tBelongHere,ElizabethBeckerusesthesewomen’sworkandlivestoilluminatetheVietnamWarfromthe1965Americanbuildup,throughtheTetOffensive,theexpansionintoCambodia,theAmericandefeatanditsaftermath.Arrivingherselfinthelastyearsofthewar,Elizabethwritesasanhistorianandawitnesstowhatthesewomenaccomplished.Whatemergesisanunforgettablestoryofthreejournalistsforgingtheirplaceinalandofmen,oftenatgreatpersonalsacrifice,andforeveralteringthecraftofwarreportageforgenerations.Deeplyreportedandfilledwithpersonalletters,interviews,andprofoundinsight,YouDon’tBelongHerefillsavoidinthehistoryofwomenandofwar.
