In Northern Ireland in the 1980s and ’90s, war was a secret, and young Jane Ferguson wanted to know the truth. For her, war was called the Troubles, bomb threats and military checkpoints on the way to school were commonplace, and an uncle’s gunshot wound in IRA crossfire was disguised as a cow kick. An opportunity to study Arabic in Yemen after college came as a great relief, a ticket to a different, adventurous life—and to the very center of the story. Ferguson has since reported from nearly every war front around the globe, but her rise to the highest ranks of journalism has been anything but ordinary. Still, her ambition to build a life in journalism on her own terms thrust her into harm’s way time and again. In the face of grave violence and suffering, giving voice to civilian lives seemed a small act of justice, no matter the risks.