[Mary Roberts] Rinehart is just one of the nearly three dozen female war correspondents whose personalities and accomplishments Chris Dubbs brings vividly to life in An Unladylike Profession. This slice of World War I history offers insights into American journalism as well as into the terrible conflict itself ... He writes with a sure hand, drawing from published articles, memoirs, diaries and letters. He skillfully presents each woman’s story in a linked series of riveting—sometimes heart-breaking—narratives ... One of the pleasures of An Unladylike Profession is sampling the journalistic prose of more than a century ago ... Mr. Dubbs remarks on the reporter’s duty to report the truth no matter how uncomfortable it might be. The journalists profiled in this absorbing book lived up to that responsibility.
Photographs of the journalists are a compelling addition ... Passages about the women’s individual tours of duty fit together like jigsaw pieces ... a fascinating history about the gutsy women reporters of World War I.
Dubbs...delivers a rousing narrative of adventurous women, passionate about their careers, who broke free from oppressive gender norms to accomplish their goals. Hand this book to World War I aficionados and casual history buffs.
... impressive ... In addition to the rich anecdotes and samplings of their reporting provided by Dubbs, period photographs enhance the engaging portrayal of wartime drama. Another strength of the book is the author's decision to focus not just on Western European countries, but also on the battlegrounds of Turkey, Armenia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Russia ... A welcome history suitable for World War I aficionados and budding journalists.
