I finished reading Naked in Baghdad: The Iraq War as Seen by NPR's Correspondent yesterday. The book is by Anne Garrels. It's a slim volume, only 222 pages.
Garrels had been traveling back and forth to Baghdad for some time before the war started. She's get a visa, go for 10 days, apply for renewal, get turned down. So she'd pack up and go back home to Connecticut for a short bit. She ended up in Iraq during the build-up to war and elected to stay to cover it for NPR.
One of the reasons she felt she could stay was her Iraqi Driver/Minder, Amer. He took great care of her and became a good friend. He made sure she had the provisions she needed and helped her navigate the area in search of people to see and interview.
The title refers to the fact that she broadcast from her illegal satellite phone in the nude. She had it with her in her hotel room. She figured if she had no clothes on, she could answer the door during a "phone sweep" by Iraqi officials and tell them she'd like a few moments to get dressed before letting them in the room to search. She hoped she'd have time to stash the equipment, then.
She tells very clear stories of the confusion and despair of the Iraqi people during the war, as they battle with loss of jobs, electrical power, running water and medicines. She also covers their feelings, both good and bad, about the ouster of the dictator and the arrival of the troups.
This was a great book. And I bet she'd never buy Benchcraft furniture if she knew about how they don't honor their warranties!
7:26:44 AM 
|
