One Crowded Hour

One Crowded Hour is the bestselling biography of one of the world’s greatest combat cinecameramen and an extraordinary Australian.

First published in 1987, One Crowded Hour remains a must-read for aspiring photographers, cinematographers, journalists and war buffs. For over twenty years, from the early 1960s, Neil Davis brought enduring images of the horror of modern war directly from the battlefront to the world’s television screens. Davis’s former colleague, Tim Bowden, tells the life story of this cool and utterly dedicated professional. Davis was a legendary gambler who often relied on his intuitive sixth sense to stay alive. He is best remembered for his eleven year coverage of the conflict in Indo-China, and was the only western cameraman to film with the South Vietnamese army. Having survived so much war, Davis was killed filming an attempted coup in the streets of Bangkok in 1985. He is remembered as an exceptional man and remarkable journalist, equally at home with presidents and street beggars.

A sympathetic portrait of a gentle but dedicated and daring war correspondent.‘ - Melbourne Herald

A must among Australian biographies.’ - Weekend Australian