LOOKING FOR TROUBLE: Life and Times of a Foreign Correspondent

This is an account of Richard Beeston's life as a foreign correspondent through 35 years covering many of the world's most dramatic events during the days of the Cold War. It recounts a period starting in the 1950s, before the era of instant communication and mass TV coverage, and provides a first-hand account of history unfurling in the Middle East, Africa, Vietnam, Moscow and Washington. The book describes what the restless, nomadic life of a correspondent is like - to be living abroad with a growing family and responding to every twist of international affairs or the whims of a foreign editor. The author began his career abroad with an MI6-controlled Arab radio station. He joined the "News Chronicle" as their Middle East correspondent, and then worked for the "Daily Telegraph" in Beirut and Nairobi, and was their bureau chief in Moscow and Washington. The book contains descriptions and anecdotes of life in the offices and pubs of Fleet Street before the exodus, and recounts what it feels like to receive a phone call, when covering the crisis in the Congo, to be told that your paper has just folded. The time he worked for an Arab radio station provides insights into the workings of the British Secret Intelligence Service in the Middle East. The author describes his acquaintance with Kim Philby, the KGB agent, when they were both newspaper correspondents in Beirut, and his subsequent meeting with Philby at the Bolshoi in Moscow. Richard Beeston's son, Richard, has followed in his father's footsteps, and is currently "The Times" Bureau Chief in Moscow.

" He was the kind of journalist of whom his sub-editing colleagues back in Fleet Street would say enviously, 'He writes like an angel.' Richard did indeed: you can see it in this delightful book." --John Simpson
" The best journalistic autobiography since James Cameron' s "Point of Departure" 30 years ago... he provides one of the best concise accounts of Watergate, as well as writing about Vietnam with a rare understanding and sympathy." --Anthony Howard, "The Sunday Times"
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" Sometimes this book makes one' s heart ache for a vanished world, other times one' s sides almost split with mirth." --Stephen Glover, "The Spectator"
""
" Marvellous reminiscences of the scrapes, farces and dangers of 40 years filing from the world' s danger spots." --Michael Binyon, "The Times"
""
" Richard Beeston was the last of a breed, a foreign correspondent at a time when abroad was as important as home. His gentle memoir combines "Scoop"-like anecdotes with the authentic feeling of being there." --Robert Chesshyre, "New Statesman"
" In my opinion the reporter heads the pack in any newspaper office; and the foreign correspondent, so often called upon suddenly to cover the impossible story, comes just ahead of him. Dick Beeston belongs to that distinguished genre." --Lord Deedes, "The Daily Telegraph"
0;He was the kind of journalist of whom his sub-editing colleagues back in Fleet Street would say enviously, 'He writes like an angel.' Richard did indeed: you can see it in this delightful book.1;--John Simpson
0;The best journalistic autobiography since James Cameron7;s "Point of Departure" 30 years ago0; he provides one of the best concise accounts of Watergate, as well as writing about Vietnam with a rare understanding and sympathy.1;--Anthony Howard, "The Sunday Times"
""
0;Sometimes this book makes one7;s heart ache for a vanished world, other times one7;s sides almost split with mirth.1;--Stephen Glover, "The Spectator"
""
0;Marvellous reminiscences of the scrapes, farces and dangers of 40 years filing from the world7;s danger spots.1;--Michael Binyon, "The Times"
""
0;Richard Beeston was the last of a breed, a foreign correspondent at a time when abroad was as important as home. His gentle memoir combines "Scoop"-like anecdotes with the authentic feeling of being there.1;--Robert Chesshyre, "New Statesman"
0;In my opinion the reporter heads the pack in any newspaper office; and the foreign correspondent, so often called upon suddenly to cover the impossible story, comes just ahead of him. Dick Beeston belongs to that distinguished genre.1;--Lord Deedes, "The Daily Telegraph"
"He was the kind of journalist of whom his sub-editing colleagues back in Fleet Street would say enviously, 'He writes like an angel.' Richard did indeed: you can see it in this delightful book."--John Simpson
"The best journalistic autobiography since James Cameron's "Point of Departure" 30 years ago he provides one of the best concise accounts of Watergate, as well as writing about Vietnam with a rare understanding and sympathy."--Anthony Howard, "The Sunday Times"
""
"Sometimes this book makes one's heart ache for a vanished world, other times one's sides almost split with mirth."--Stephen Glover, "The Spectator"
""
"Marvellous reminiscences of the scrapes, farces and dangers of 40 years filing from the world's danger spots."--Michael Binyon, "The Times"
""
"Richard Beeston was the last of a breed, a foreign correspondent at a time when abroad was as important as home. His gentle memoir combines "Scoop"-like anecdotes with the authentic feeling of being there."--Robert Chesshyre, "New Statesman"
"In my opinion the reporter heads the pack in any newspaper office; and the foreign correspondent, so often called upon suddenly to cover the impossible story, comes just ahead of him. Dick Beeston belongs to that distinguished genre."--Lord Deedes, "The Daily Telegraph"
"

He was the kind of journalist of whom his sub-editing colleagues back in Fleet Street would say enviously, 'He writes like an angel.' Richard did indeed: you can see it in this delightful book. --John Simpson
The best journalistic autobiography since James Cameron's "Point of Departure" 30 years ago he provides one of the best concise accounts of Watergate, as well as writing about Vietnam with a rare understanding and sympathy. --Anthony Howard, "The Sunday Times"
""
Sometimes this book makes one's heart ache for a vanished world, other times one's sides almost split with mirth. --Stephen Glover, "The Spectator"
""
Marvellous reminiscences of the scrapes, farces and dangers of 40 years filing from the world's danger spots. --Michael Binyon, "The Times"
""
Richard Beeston was the last of a breed, a foreign correspondent at a time when abroad was as important as home. His gentle memoir combines "Scoop"-like anecdotes with the authentic feeling of being there. --Robert Chesshyre, "New Statesman"
In my opinion the reporter heads the pack in any newspaper office; and the foreign correspondent, so often called upon suddenly to cover the impossible story, comes just ahead of him. Dick Beeston belongs to that distinguished genre. --Lord Deedes, "The Daily Telegraph"
"

He was the kind of journalist of whom his sub-editing colleagues back in Fleet Street would say enviously, 'He writes like an angel.' Richard did indeed: you can see it in this delightful book. --John Simpson

The best journalistic autobiography since James Cameron's Point of Departure 30 years ago he provides one of the best concise accounts of Watergate, as well as writing about Vietnam with a rare understanding and sympathy. --Anthony Howard, The Sunday Times

Sometimes this book makes one's heart ache for a vanished world, other times one's sides almost split with mirth. --Stephen Glover, The Spectator

Marvellous reminiscences of the scrapes, farces and dangers of 40 years filing from the world's danger spots. --Michael Binyon, The Times

Richard Beeston was the last of a breed, a foreign correspondent at a time when abroad was as important as home. His gentle memoir combines Scoop-like anecdotes with the authentic feeling of being there. --Robert Chesshyre, New Statesman
In my opinion the reporter heads the pack in any newspaper office; and the foreign correspondent, so often called upon suddenly to cover the impossible story, comes just ahead of him. Dick Beeston belongs to that distinguished genre. --Lord Deedes, The Daily Telegraph
"

"He was the kind of journalist of whom his sub-editing colleagues back in Fleet Street would say enviously, 'He writes like an angel.' Richard did indeed: you can see it in this delightful book."--John Simpson

"The best journalistic autobiography since James Cameron's Point of Departure 30 years ago... he provides one of the best concise accounts of Watergate, as well as writing about Vietnam with a rare understanding and sympathy."--Anthony Howard, The Sunday Times

"Sometimes this book makes one's heart ache for a vanished world, other times one's sides almost split with mirth."--Stephen Glover, The Spectator

"Marvellous reminiscences of the scrapes, farces and dangers of 40 years filing from the world's danger spots."--Michael Binyon, The Times

"Richard Beeston was the last of a breed, a foreign correspondent at a time when abroad was as important as home. His gentle memoir combines Scoop-like anecdotes with the authentic feeling of being there."--Robert Chesshyre, New Statesman

"In my opinion the reporter heads the pack in any newspaper office; and the foreign correspondent, so often called upon suddenly to cover the impossible story, comes just ahead of him. Dick Beeston belongs to that distinguished genre."--Lord Deedes, The Daily Telegraph