Book Review of "It's What I Do" by Lynsey Addario

Lynsey Addario’s book, It’s What I Do, recounts her life as a photojournalist. Although the book explores well into her childhood, it begins with her career in full swing. Addario is in Libya with some fellow journalists. They are in the middle of a war and doing their best to document everything they can. While driving along outside a town, however, Addario and her companions are kidnapped. There is tension and uncertainty to the situation, but the tale is suddenly ended. This leaves the reader on a cliffhanger, wondering what would happen to these characters. To find out what happens, they’ll have to follow Addario through her life and the realization of her career. Once they finally get back to the events in Libya, the reader will have new insights about the situation and the character, as well as a refined appreciation for the work Addario is there to do.

The kidnapping plotline might be what pulls the reader into the story, as it was for me, but the adventure and intrigue in Addario’s life is not limited to that event alone. Throughout the book, she finds herself in terrifying situations which she often survives just by the skin of her teeth. The work of a war photographer is dangerous, and Addario pursues her career with passion, even if it leads her to some of the most dangerous places on earth.

Of course, not all of Lynsey Addario’s adventures involve mortal danger and life-threatening excursions. She faces the challenge of balancing her career and personal life. Throughout her journeys, Addario struggles with staying in one place, as well as in one relationship. As she herself writes, “... in this profession relationships ended in either infidelity or estrangement.” In-between the battles and disasters that Addario visits, she tries her best to live a normal life with positive relationships. This ends again and again in disaster, as the two lives she lives often prove incompatible. That is until someone enters her life who just might be understanding and faithful enough to make things work, but I’ll leave what happens next for you to find out yourself.

This book has created in me a strong respect for photojournalists, especially those who operate in war zones. They sacrifice so much of their personal lives, and they put themselves in danger at every turn. Lynsey Addario is driven by her desire to document these horrific events and share them with the world in hopes that raising awareness will help such things be avoided in the future. It’s a job that I would certainly not take, nor would I wish any of my loved ones to do so. War photojournalists could be kidnapped, killed in the crossfire, or even just die of meager afflictions due to the low availability of hospitals in many third-world countries. That aside, I’m glad that there are people like Addario who are willing to take those risks and share with the world the truth about what is happening in these areas.

Despite my apprehension to take on a career similar to hers, there are still aspects of Addario’s work that I have been able to incorporate into my own endeavors, specifically for the photojournalism class I am taking in college. Lynsey Addario tries to become familiar with her subjects, and to help her subjects become familiar with her. The goal of a photojournalist isn’t just to sneak up, snap a photo, and run away. If you are willing to engage with the situation, you will likely find yourself with a plethora of new photo opportunities, and the quality and meaning of your work will be increased dramatically.

Her tendency to place herself right into the situations she photographs leads not only to excellent photographs, but also fascinating stories to accompany them. It’s these photos that are my personal favorites, as you can read about the events which led to the photo being taken, which adds a whole new level to the implications of the picture. My personal favorite of these is her image of Gul Agha which she took after gaining access to his mansion. I highly recommend reading about how she was able to accomplish this and what all transpired inside. Both the story and picture appear in Chapter 4.

The picture of Gul Agha is not the only one of Lynsey Addario’s photos that appear in It’s What I Do. In fact, one of the main features of the book are the many pieces of Addario’s work that can be found in each chapter. Many of these photos tie directly into the story, and you can read about the circumstances surrounding the image. Unlike the columns and captions you might find in a finished article, however, the stories take the unique perspective of the journalist. For example, chapter 9 tells of the time Addario traveled with U.S. troops in the East. They grew to know each other, and many friendships were formed. Unfortunately, the troop was ambushed and soldiers were wounded or killed. Pictures in this chapter show the people you have just read about offering and receiving first aid, as well as carrying a lost comrade. Unlike a typical story, these aren’t just characters invented for a book. They are real people, with whom Addario legitimately spoke and interacted. The deaths that are seen affected real people.

Photo by Lynsey Addario | LynseyAddario.com

In conclusion, It’s What I Do by Lynsey Addario contains all of the action, complexity, and intrigue of a fictitious novel. Unlike such a novel, however, the events in this story are real. It’s What I Do gives an incredible insight into the work of a war photojournalist. It also tells the story of the life of Lynsey Addario herself, and the adventures she has experienced throughout her career. I won’t be spoiling the ending, but I will say that the conclusion of this story is both satisfying and rewarding. If you are fascinated by the topic of photojournalism, or simply want to hear a tale of adventure, loss, and love, I highly recommend this book.