As I mentioned in my review of the film, Lee, I was gobsmacked to learn the story of Lee Miller, specifically her work as a war correspondent during World War II. How had I never heard of her? As I came out of the screening I put The Lives of Lee Miller on hold at my local library.

Written by her son, Anthony Penrose, the story of Lee Miller’s life is captivatingly told and documents the extraordinary events of an amazing woman. Lee started out as a captivating model before her love of photography got her behind the camera shooting for Vogue, and from there she became a war correspondent during World War II, being the first cameraperson to document the horrific events at Dachau.

She became a mother, and a cook, travelled in circles that included Picasso, photographed famous actors and models, and I had never heard of her.

Penrose compiles an incredibly readable book filled with personal letters and journal entries to tell the story of his mother, and it is supplemented with a massive collection of photographs, most of which were shot by Lee herself.

I loved reading the story of her life, her successes, failures, triumphs and flaws, but as you read her tale, you also realize it really was a different time in regard to travel, people, art, and progress.

Penrose masterfully tells an objective story, only adding his own personal feelings in the book’s postscript. He lets us into all the corners of Lee’s life that he discovered, and which makes her a well-rounded if troubled person. Lee sounded like a passionate and loyal person, but if her interest in something should wane, nothing you would say could convince her to change her mind on it.

Reading the anecdotes and incidents that helped form the tapestry of her life gives us not only a peek into who she was but the time she lived in, from the turbulent 40s to the rejuvenating 50s, the 60s, and the 70s. It’s almost as if she changed with the turning of the decades discovering new loves and interests.

She sounded like a very forward-thinking woman and had no time for sexism, or bias. She was there to do a job, and she was a professional about it. And to think of the places she travelled during the war armed only with her camera. Stunning.

The film, Lee, predominantly covers her time as a war correspondent, which only composes a couple of chapters of her life and the book, there are so many other adventures and things Lee did that filled out her existence. She must have been someone really special to know.

Check out The Lives of Lee Miller, and make sure you check out the movie Lee!