Baghdad without a Map and Other Misadventures in Arabia by Tony Horwitz

And all at once, as one, every woman on the plane starts to drape herself in her burkha. The pilot announces that they will soon begin the descent to Tehran. Everyone gets on the plane, everyone is “Western”. Like he describes being on a flight to Iran from London or something.

Some of the observations he makes in Baghdad without a map seem so spot ON – but he never sacrifices the humor. But he’s one of those people – like Dave Barry, or David Sedaris – whose antennae are always tuned in towards “the funny”. He doesn’t have the same access she does – she talks to Prime Ministers – he talks to car salesmen. So Baghdad without a map is the story of him basically tagging along through the Middle East and Africa behind his hot-shot wife – and the adventures and “misadventures” he has. He doesn’t publish ENOUGH as far as I’m concerned. Like: “look at what a goofball I am.” If you haven’t read his stuff, I highly highly recommend him.

His books are laugh out loud funny, even if he’s writing about a serious topic – and, like Dave Barry does, he often makes himself the unwitting star of his own books. He’s married to Geraldine Brooks, serious foreign correspondent – and for some reason I just love the thought of them together. Tony Horwitz is kind of the Dave Barry of “travelogues”. Next book on this shelf is called Baghdad without a Map and Other Misadventures in Arabia by Tony Horwitz.