Big Take Weekend Listen: Lynsey Addario Keeps Going Back to Photograph War
Dec 21, 2025
In a gripping discussion, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario shares her extraordinary journey of documenting wars across the globe. Known for her bravery, she recounts harrowing stories of abduction and survival in conflict zones like Iraq and Libya. Addario reflects on the emotional toll of photographing tragedy while balancing motherhood in her everyday life. She emphasizes her mission to bear witness, the importance of storytelling in war, and the unique challenges facing journalists today. Her insights into the human stories behind conflicts are both enlightening and deeply moving.
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Love Exists Amid War
- Lynsey Addario sees love and generosity alongside brutality in war, which binds people in horrific moments.
- She frames her job as bearing witness to both extreme suffering and everyday human resilience.
Near-Death In Northern Iraq
- In northern Iraq Lynsey survived a near-miss when an incoming round lifted their car and a journalist nearby was killed.
- She sobbed and considered leaving the work before learning to manage fear and stay to cover the story.
Claiming A Colleague To De-Escalate
- Near Fallujah Lynsey offered to claim a colleague as her husband to reduce risk, and both were held for a day with guns to their heads.
- That improvised solidarity helped defuse the situation and they were released.