Bulletproof: A Journalist’s Notebook on Reporting Conflict

by Teresa Rehman

A first-of-its-kind account, Bulletproof is the story of a female combat journalist and her encounters with insurgency from north-east India. Going beyond mere statistics, of deaths and arms recovered, and other documentary evidence, it shows us how conflict impacts women, children, health, environment, sanitation, wildlife and society. This book is a collection of rare human stories from one of the most under-reported regions in the world.

Genres: Nonfiction

144 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 14, 2019

Reviews

[Sankarshan · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://medium.com/@sankarshan/report...

[Tanvi Hussain · Rating 5 out of 5]

How difficult it is to tell the truth? Actually, it is like How difficult it is to report the truth as it is, without any twist, salt or pepper. Indeed it is difficult but it's not impossible and it has been done. Done by brave, undaunted, truth seeking journalists from time to time and I'm proud one such journalist, writer belong to my region, Northeast India (Assam). The stories in the book are not just tales of how difficult it was to interview top militant leaders or report the conflicts, the stories herein are stories of people who have chosen a different path being tricked by situations. The stories are also story of a working woman, a mother who at different phases of her life has finely sync her work life and served people the truth they need to know and delivered dedication to the nation which now-a-days has become some sort of myth or rarity in media and journalism.

[Khyati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprising of 9 chapters, it is a passionate and purposeful account of author’s encounters with insurgency from North-East states of India. Each chapter entails a theme, sub plot, challenge/s, hardships and expectations of various tribal/non tribal groups living “at margins” and how the conflict affects this section of society while touching upon other vital themes such as environment, conservation, wildlife and development.

This book for me, stands ahead from most of the books written on the same subject because of two reasons; one is the undetermined role of women who are part of the group and second is the prerequisites required for a female journalist while reporting from the “field”.

She is quite forthright in distinguishing the accumulated mental trauma and its ramifications on physical and psychological well being of a female journalist especially reporting from such areas. Though the condition has improved (atleast in Assam) from the time this book was written; it still is an engaging and unique read to include in overflowing TBRs.

[Gaurav Sindhwani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Generally people living in North India doesn't get idea what is happening in North East India. News channels in North India rarely shows news, reporting from North East India. This novel gives glimpse of reporting done in a conflicted regions where journalists don't want to go.