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A review by cbendixe
Slightly out of Focus by Robert Capa
4.0
This is an up-close look at World War II in Europe and North Africa from the perspective of the man who practically invented war photojournalism, Robert Capa. I first learned of his work because of my slight obsession with the Spanish Civil War, and became fascinated by his raw, upfront look at war by seeing the soldiers, civilians, and general mayhem. This memoir is in a conversational tone, but there is some poignant language from Capa here about the fear of battle, the tragedy of love in wartime, and his constant need to go through the cycle of war, r&r, war, r&r, etc.
He also tells in a surprisingly easy tone about his status as an "enemy alien" during the war. I knew that he was originally Hungarian, but I hadn't realized that by the time the war came around he hadn't become a citizen, and that status could be a real problem when he was trying to take photos of Allied forces on the front. Of course, there are also a lot of excellent photos. Worth a read for those interested in first-hand historical accounts, photojournalism, and European history.
He also tells in a surprisingly easy tone about his status as an "enemy alien" during the war. I knew that he was originally Hungarian, but I hadn't realized that by the time the war came around he hadn't become a citizen, and that status could be a real problem when he was trying to take photos of Allied forces on the front. Of course, there are also a lot of excellent photos. Worth a read for those interested in first-hand historical accounts, photojournalism, and European history.