My Friend Ruth Gruber, Pioneering Photojournalist
Since 1997, when I began working with my remarkable author Ruth Gruber, I’ve had the privilege of bringing out six of her books in hardcover and trade paperback. Over the past year, it’s been really exciting to see four of those books–Ahead of Time: My Early as a Foreign Correspondent; Haven: The Dramatic Story of 1,000 WWII Refugees and How They Came to America; Inside of Time: My Journey from Alaska to Israel; Raquela: A Woman of Israel–be published as ebook editions by Open Road Integrated Media. Now, in honor of Women’s History Month Open Road is making it very easy for new readers to discover Ruth’s work by placing excerpts from each of those books on its blog.
In addition, to observe Ruth’s 100th birthday last October Open Road posted a brief video of her reflecting on her life and career (her portion begins about a minute in). That video is pasted in above this blog post. I urge you to watch and listen to Ruth, read the free excerpts, and go on and buy her books. I’d suggest you begin with Ahead of Time, which is also the title of a fine documentary film about Ruth. In addition to the recognition that film has brought her, the International Center of Photography mounted an exhibit of Ruth’s photographs last summer, as the ICP gave her the Cornell Capa Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions as a photojournalist.
I am really excited to spread the joy I’ve taken over the years in working with Ruth and share it with you.
Update: On April 15, 2012 I added another blog essay to my recollections of Ruth Gruber, Virginia Woolf and Ruth Gruber, Driven to Create as Women.
The video buffered and buffered but did not finish and so would not play. Perhaps my computer is the culprit, so this head’s-up just in case the problem is more general.
Hi Bob,
Hmm, thanks for looking at the post and letting me know. It might be at your end, though why don’t you try this link too, straight from the Open Road site. http://www.openroadmedia.com/authors/ruth-gruber.aspx
I read Haven and absolutely loved the way Ruth Gruber told the story. Last summer I was fortunate to be near Oswego, NY and visited the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum. She is truly a hero!
Thanks for visiting my blog. I’m glad you had a chance to see the museum in Oswego. Best, Philip Turner