Selected Letters of Martha Gellhorn

"A literary landmark" that spans the author's complex life and career—"Gellhorn's prose . . . is at its finest in the letter form" (Francine du Plessix Gray, The New York Times Book Review).

Martha Gellhorn's reporting brought her to the front lines of virtually every significant conflict from the Spanish Civil War to the end of the cold war. While Gellhorn's wartime dispatches rank among the best of the twentieth century, her personal letters are their equal: as vivid and fascinating as her reporting was trenchant.


Gellhorn's correspondence introduces us to the woman behind the often-inscrutable journalist, chronicling her friendships with world-famous luminaries as well as her tempestuous marriage to Ernest Hemingway.


Caroline Moorehead, Gellhorn's critically acclaimed biographer, was granted exclusive access to the letters. This expertly edited volume contextualizes Gellhorn's correspondence within the arc of her entire life; the result is an intimate portrait of one of the most accomplished women of modern times.

A Washington Post Best Nonfiction Book of 2006
A Slate Best Book of 2006
A Kansas City Star Noteworthy Book of 2006