Dispatch from Amtrak Train 146
Separated from his Iraqi minder for a moment, Washington Post reporter Rajiv Chandrasekaran came upon a book merchant dealing in classics in a bazaar in Bagdad. Seeing his chance, the bookseller pulled out a copy of Julius Caesar, flipped it open to a page and pointed to this passage:I was born free as Caesar and so were you
Having relayed his message, the bookseller closed the book. Chandrasekaran, not wanting to call attention to the man, turned and walked away. But he had glimpsed the mood of the Iraqi people before the fall of Saddam Hussein. Later, after Saddam's statue fell in Bagdad, there was a golden age for reporters, where they were free to go anywhere in the country. But after the Coalition Provisional Authority took over, the US gov't began to keep journalists at arm's length and it was, as Chandrasekaran said, "an awful lot like the bad old days."
Chandrasekaran, the author of the acclaimed book, Imperial Life in the Emerald City, shared this insight at a morning session this morning at the National Writers Workshop in Hartford. The conference is being held at the Hilton Hotel in Hartford. I rode the train down from Springfield. Along with Chandrasekaran, I saw David Baldacci, author of Absolute Power and other mystery/thriller novels, Poynter journalism coach Chip Scanlon, freelance writer Steve Friedman and NYT columnist Dan Barry.
Now, I'm on the Amtrak train, riding back to Springfield. It's the last train North. I hung out for the cocktail reception and was luckily invited along to the free dinner for speakers and Courant staffers catered by the hotel. And then my friend T. and I went for a pint at Vaughan's pub on Pratt street, before he drove me to the train station.
(Note: entry loaded 4/16 and backdated.)
Having relayed his message, the bookseller closed the book. Chandrasekaran, not wanting to call attention to the man, turned and walked away. But he had glimpsed the mood of the Iraqi people before the fall of Saddam Hussein. Later, after Saddam's statue fell in Bagdad, there was a golden age for reporters, where they were free to go anywhere in the country. But after the Coalition Provisional Authority took over, the US gov't began to keep journalists at arm's length and it was, as Chandrasekaran said, "an awful lot like the bad old days."
Chandrasekaran, the author of the acclaimed book, Imperial Life in the Emerald City, shared this insight at a morning session this morning at the National Writers Workshop in Hartford. The conference is being held at the Hilton Hotel in Hartford. I rode the train down from Springfield. Along with Chandrasekaran, I saw David Baldacci, author of Absolute Power and other mystery/thriller novels, Poynter journalism coach Chip Scanlon, freelance writer Steve Friedman and NYT columnist Dan Barry.
Now, I'm on the Amtrak train, riding back to Springfield. It's the last train North. I hung out for the cocktail reception and was luckily invited along to the free dinner for speakers and Courant staffers catered by the hotel. And then my friend T. and I went for a pint at Vaughan's pub on Pratt street, before he drove me to the train station.
(Note: entry loaded 4/16 and backdated.)