New to the catalogue

Front Line Bloggers and the Helmand Blog (now combined as UK Forces Afghanistan) were set up by the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) to allow British armed forces personnel to tell the public back home what they were doing there, in their own words.

Personnel of all ranks from all three services, representing a wide variety of trades – infantry, signals, logistics, aviation, medical – as well as civilians, contributed their thoughts and experiences on everything from what it’s like to take on the Taliban in a firefight to the challenges of trying to cook a meal at a patrol base.

Taking the six-month deployment of Operation Herrick 11, the codename for the British campaign, as illustrative of British involvement in Helmand, these personal accounts give a picture of the conflict at ground level, the details of daily life that do not usually make the news, as well as individuals’ perspectives on major events.

The book, Blogging from the battlefield, was born out of the social media experiment that Major Paul Smyth, a Territorial Army soldier and career public relations professional, developed while ‘called up’ on operations.

What started as a one-month mobilisation to Kosovo ended up at just less than three years of service.

During that time he fought to bring the UK military’s communications into the twenty-first century, introducing the work of the services in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan to audiences all over the world via media channels that have never been used by the military on operations before, and embracing the world of social media.

Blogging from the Battlefield is a result of that approach to harness technology and engage with audiences everywhere. The book mirrors the content of the most successful new media project ever deployed on operations by the British military.

With over 90,000 hits per month the blog has had a huge effect on the way the British military communicates. In an age where events can be broadcast within seconds, the information highway is becoming a new front line.

This fascinating book is a snapshot of life during a busy six-month tour of duty for 11 Light Brigade in Afghanistan and tells the real story of what it’s like for those men and women serving their country in a far-away land.

Further details of Blogging from the battlefield can be found on our catalogue.

Thames and Hudson has published this survey of Eve Arnold’s photography. Known for her sensitive eye for her subject as well as their surroundings Eve’s work is mesmerizing. Her photographs range from movie stars to women in Afghanistan. Each photo seems to capture the soul of the subject.

Arnold has been a Magnum photographer since 1951.  She captured such important subjects as American migrant workers, Malcolm X as well as the people of Cuba.  Her photographs of Marilyn Monroe are some of the most famous of the actress. This book also features texts by Angelica Huston and Isabella Rossellini. Both actresses have been photographed by Arnold and give a unique insight into how she works.

Further details of Eve Arnold’s People can be found on our catalogue.

Megan Stack gives a first hand account of the war- ridden countries she has reported from since the fateful day of September 11^th. Stack captures the chaos of the combat zones she has survived in Afghanistan.

Her account of warlords and civilians who are in the midst of the violence are engrossing. The reader cannot help but be drawn into her journey to such countries as Israel, Egypt, Lebanon and Yemen.

Stack starts her journey with excitement which slowly boils down under the heat of violence. The cost of war shown by the deaths of those she interviews as well as the strangers she passes in the street. Truly a riveting piece of work!

You can find details of  Every man in this village is a liar on our catalogue.