Lessons from the Front: A Rookie War Correspondent in Ukraine and Israel

by Robert Sherman

Overview

25 years old and struggling to find his way in his journalism career, the young reporter who had been covering local political stories found himself smack in the middle of the world's biggest geopolitical crisis - fleeing air raids and being questioned by militants along the way.

One year later when Hamas carried out its October 7th attack, Sherman flew right back into thick of it - running from rockets and diving into Hamas tunnels in Gaza. While shrouded in the proverbial “Fog of War,” it became clear to Sherman that the world isn't as simple as he thought it was.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798881807153
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	12/11/2025
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.25(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Robert Sherman is a correspondent for NewsNation who leads the network's coverage on foreign affairs. His reporting has taken him across the globe including to Ukraine, Poland, Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, the coast of Yemen and Mexico. As a result, Sherman has been on the forefront of some of the world's biggest stories. In the US, Robert has focused much of his attention on politics as the network's lead Trump campaign correspondent during the 2024 Presidential Election. He grew up in Cleveland, Ohio.

Table of Contents

Preface
Part I: Ukraine
Chapter 1 - Go East, Young Man
Chapter 2 - No Turning Back Now
Chapter 3 - Crossing Into Conflict
Chapter 4 - Good Morning, Ukraine
Chapter 5 - Not Exactly the Blue Angels
Chapter 6 – The People
Chapter 7 - Glory to Ukraine, Glory to Heroes
Chapter 8 - To Catch a Spy
Chapter 9 - From Lviv with Love
Chapter 10 - The Most Innocent of All
Chapter 11 - Poland on the Brink
Chapter 12 - Home at Last
Part II: The Middle East
Chapter 13 - Into the Fire
Chapter 14 - Tel Aviv Trembled
Chapter 15 - Clausewitz Couldn't Imagine
Chapter 16 - Seconds Count
Chapter 17 - When the Fog Clears
Chapter 18 - Heroes Shiver Too
Chapter 19 - Theseus in the Labyrinth
Chapter 20 - Imagine a World
Chapter 21 - The Ground You Stand On
Chapter 22 - Here Come the Houthis
Chapter 23 - Where Does The Truth Lie?
Chapter 24 - Cleveland Will Never Be The Same
Acknowledgements

Editorial Reviews

The state of American journalism is shaky at this point in history but brave guys like Robert Sherman just might save the industry. On the ground in Ukraine and the Middle East, the 25-year-old war correspondent literally risks his life to tell important stories. Lessons from the Front puts the reader right there. A fascinating book.” —Bill O'Reilly, Journalist, Author

“One day he's covering small-town stories - next he's staring down a soldier's rifle in Ukraine. Robert Sherman's first hand chronicle of two wars is a heart pounding plunge into danger, resilience and the moments that change everything.” —Martin Savidge, Anchor/correspondent CNN, NBC, PBS

“Robert Sherman has written a riveting first-hand account of what it's like to be a war correspondent for a major news network. Unlike most reporters who wait to write a memoir until they are old and cynical, Sherman, in his 20s, writes a book that is fresh and raw. At the same time, he reveals the tremendous difficulties of covering Ukraine, Israel, and Gaza, and getting it right.” —Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, contributor, CNBC

“The author achieves remarkable feat of both perspective and first person testimony. The writing is gripping and immediately immersive, and yet there is the humility and curiosity that captures his spirits and humanity as he witnesses two of the most brutal conflicts of our time.. Sherman is a vivid and engaging and insightful author who brings the journalists inquiry and analysis to the reader with his unique compassion and concern. His memoir is an important addition to contemporary history and geopolitics and a vital testimony to all of us who are fighting extremism.” —Qanta Ahmed, Senior Fellow for International Women's Forum

“Robert Sherman's insights from the Ukrainian and Israeli front lines are stunning – as a war reporter he is the best there is! His gripping ability to tell a story in the most consequential and challenging of circumstances comes to life in these pages, creating a book that readers won't be able to put down while chronicling world-changing history that will stand the test of time!” —John “Dragon” Teichert, USAF Brigadier General (ret)

“Lessons from the Front is as gripping as it is raw - the unvarnished story of a former fraternity president turned rookie journalist thrown into the chaos of Ukraine and Israel's front lines. Robert Sherman captures the humanity of war in a way even seasoned correspondents sometimes miss, mixing the humor of youthful naivety with the weight of witnessing history's darkest moments. This isn't just storytelling that informs - it drops you into the scene, makes you feel the fear, hear the sirens, and carry the stories with you long after you've stopped reading.” —Jason Rantz, podcaster

From the Publisher