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Naked in Baghdad
- The Iraq War as Seen by National Public Radio's Correspondent
- Narrated by: Anne Garrels
- Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins
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Publisher's summary
The result is enthralling, deeply personal, utterly authentic: an on-the-ground picture of the war in Iraq that no one else could have written. As Chicago Sun-Times critic Lloyd Sachs wrote about Garrels's work in Baghdad, "A few choice words, honestly delivered, are worth more than a thousand pictures...In your mind's eye, they carry lasting truth."
Critic reviews
- 2004 Audie Award Winner, Narration by Author or Authors
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What listeners say about Naked in Baghdad
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Kimberlee Joos
- 02-08-04
Best non-fiction book I've read this year
What a pleasant surprise! I expected a left-leaning, "war-is-evil" perspective and instead found an unbiased, multi-faceted description of life in Baghdad by one of only a handful of American journalists to remain in the city before and during the kickoff of Iraqi Freedom. As a member of the US Air Force who spent the same time frame watching the war play out from Saudi Arabia, I found Ms Garrels' observations are one of the few US media reports that confirm what I knew to be true at the time: Coalition airpower was as precise as current technology allowed and as humane as possible while still achieving the dramatic effect of regime change in less than three weeks.
The biggest surprise of the book was the human face that she put on life in Baghdad, as well as the insight into a relationship of incredible depth between her and her husband, Vint.
Outstanding!!! A must-listen!!!
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2 people found this helpful
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- noir20754
- 10-20-19
Second purchase
I first purchased this book on cassette tapes. Later donating the tapes to our local library. This is my second purchase. Well worth it.
The vivid descriptions of life as a reporter in a war zone helped me appreciate the difficulties of the job.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
- Mark
- 04-01-04
Excellent Non-Fiction That Reads Like Novel
This is the best audio book I have listened to this year. It reads well, is captivating, and at the same time is very informative. There were several times during the book that tears were brought to my eyes. I was rooting for Annie all the way. Most highly recommended!
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Overall
- M. Sweeney
- 05-11-04
Dated but still useful and interesting
This story while some call "dated" since it covers the first Gulf war is still a very interesting read(listen). You get to really know Anne and what drives her to do something as hard and dangerous as being a wartime reporter. It's also interesting to contrast what the folks who work for NPR have to do relative to the more pampered folks in the commercial world. Anne showed guts and imagination and really does not coat her version of the truth of both Iraq and her own perspectives and how they evolve over time.
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- Laura J.
- 08-31-23
Outstanding first hand documentary
This account of the weeks before and during Bush’s 2003 invasion of Iraq alternates between Anne’s on-the-ground recording of events and her husband’s account from home. Part war story, part love story, a beautifully rendered effort to get at the truth of Iraqi life in the face of American aggression.
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Overall
- Tom
- 11-16-03
An Incredible Woman
Anne lends phenomenal insight into how a journalist "gets it done" under very difficult circumstances. Anne is very listenable -- I think listening to her tell the story beats reading it. A great listen from many angles.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Neil
- 01-20-04
well done
This was the first audiobook I had an urge to listen to outside the commute. I took the player for walks through the local cemetary to finish it. She has a "great voice for radio", and you can't beat a first-person account, even though much of the action involves haggling over visas and organizing bribe money.
Though the war itself ended practically before it began, it didn't matter for this book since it is not about the military aspect of the war. Instead she focused on conveying an empathy with the common Iraqis, something missing from much media coverage, and providing a sharp-eyed view of the (fortunately) limited action that did take place in the city.
I found the "Brenda Bulletins" written and read by her husband rather saccharine, and could have done without them. She speaks for herself well enough. And they could have come up with a better title.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Lisa
- 03-13-06
The life of a
Not too heavy on the political analysis, Anne Garrels' book is simply a fascinating, sometimes gripping account of the life, the business, and the busy-ness, of being a war correspondent in the 00's. Beautifully read by Anne and her husband Vint Lawrence. While other reviewers have complained about Vint's "Brenda bulletins" their very mundaneness completes the picture: a journalist has a life beyond her/his work, and Vint's emails are a reminder of what Garrels leaves behind in her wanderings abroad. A terrific listen.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Debora
- 07-13-04
Interesting read
I though this book was extremely interesting. I am not a world traveler and pretty much stay to "my own backyard" and to hear about life during conflict in Baghdad was captivating to me. I learned a lot from this book about the difficulty of life for the people of Baghdad and the surrounding areas. The narrator/author kept me interested in the story of her day to day tasks of seeking out news worthy stories. I didn't want to stop listening. I found myself praying for her safety at times. A truly enjoyable read. The author does a wonderful job of reading this book.
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Overall
- John Travers
- 10-09-04
At last, a human perspective!
A wonderful story that turns the Iraqis (and quite a few Americans) into humans. I have read everything I can about the Iraq war, and this is the first story that comes close to telling how the war was perceived by Iraqis - a complex mixture of fear of the old regime and fear of Americal and fear of their capacity to govern themselves. Another example of the additional richness and flavour that comes from audio.
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