Words & Music

Changing things up last night in an attempt to feed the body, mind and soul a healthier diet, the car was steered clear of the local bars and ended up parked at a book store after the always taxing ride on Route 22.

There wasn’t much browsing. A decent New York Times review had me hunting a new release. In about two minutes I found “The Fall of Baghdad” by Jon Lee Anderson.

Anderson, a staff writer for the New Yorker, was one of the few foreign journalists who was in Baghdad for the “shock & awe” bombing and stayed right there through it and the rest of the invasion. With him was John Burns of the Times and my buddy, Times photog Tyler Hicks.

Though I am only into chapter one, I am truly enjoying this well written, informative book. Then again I am a sucker for war reporter books.

Jon Lee Anderson is the brother of journalist Scott Anderson who wrote the amazing book, “The Man Who Tried To Save The World.” Scott is also one of the owners of The Half King bar in Manhattan. It is a grand bar with decent food, ever-changing photo exhibits and book readings.

Brother Jon will be reading from “The Fall of Baghdad” at The Half King on October 3rd.

And the shiny new CD I picked up last night to go with the book of war was Steve Earl’s latest, “The Revolution Starts...Now.”

The album has the best trucker in Iraq song I’ve ever heard. It’s called “Home to Houston” and is damn well worth a good listen.