Though he died a quarter of a century ago, the life and career of the Australian-born reporter Wilfred Burchett (1911–83) continue to attract significant critical attention. On the heels of Tom Heenan’s political biography, From Traveller to Traitor: The Life of Wilfred Burchett (2006), and Burchett’s re-released autobiography, also edited by Burchett’s son George and Nick Shimmin (2007), comes this collection of Burchett’s writings, spanning much of his long, eventful career.

That Burchett remains a controversial figure is testament to the power of the passions ignited by some of the great conflicts of the twentieth century. A maverick with an unerring scent for the vital stories of his time, Burchett possessed the courage, determination and savvy to get behind the lines of world-changing events.