If I lose, then I have to accept that my way of writing books is not the way society says it's okay to write. Asne Seierstad More Quotes by Asne Seierstad More Quotes From Asne Seierstad We don't grow up in vacuums. We grow up in societies. Asne Seierstad vacuums growing-up grows I was thinking, there are 5 million people, and I am just one of those 5 million. In the build-up to the war you see children playing in the street, and you think, ah, I'm going to be okay. Asne Seierstad war children thinking We have believing in this innocent feeling of nothing will ever happen to us, because all catastrophes always broad and happening to anyone else. Asne Seierstad innocent feelings believe If I leave, reality will devour me. Then they will all really be dead. Asne Seierstad ifs reality I believe the consequences of a war are so harsh that it should be always the last resort. Asne Seierstad lasts war believe I always try to describe the situation just as it is. I try to find sentences that I believe tell the story best. Even my articles are more literary than ordinary news stories. Asne Seierstad news-stories trying believe Being a war correspondent, and having covered four wars, I know that wars very seldom solve things. Asne Seierstad solve four war As a war correspondent, you have to weigh the risk you run against the story you can get. Asne Seierstad risk running war I think when you start to get afraid, it's time to leave. Asne Seierstad time-to-leave thinking As a woman, you accept the situation, adapt to it, and do your best, whereas men would choose violence. Asne Seierstad accepting violence men If you've lived in a dictatorship for thirty years, you're used to people lying to you. Asne Seierstad lying people years There are personal reasons, psychological reasons, but there could also be political reasons for becoming a terrorist. Asne Seierstad becoming psychological political I'm trying to see my own country with fresh eyes. Asne Seierstad eye trying country It was very difficult to write about my own country, because I have always been the outsider looking in. Asne Seierstad outsiders writing country If my name had not been cleared, it would have been difficult, perhaps impossible, to continue as a journalist. Asne Seierstad difficult names impossible I would like my book to give people insight to the war before and after, but I don't think anyone could read my book and suddenly make up her mind about the war. I want to write for everybody. Asne Seierstad writing war book There is no journalist without opinions, and there's no real objectivity, but we can strive toward it. Asne Seierstad objectivity opinion real When I decided to stay in Iraq, I decided to take the fear out of my body and put it into a freezer. Asne Seierstad freezer iraq body Even in a war, someone has to take care of daily life. Someone has to feed and clothe the children. Asne Seierstad care war children As the only woman, I was able to sit with the officers in front, with a glass of vodka in one hand and a cucumber in the other. That's how I went to my first war. Asne Seierstad glasses war hands