Anderson Cooper

His handsome face and sparkling blue eyes grace the cover of this month's Vanity Fair. I've never really watched Anderson Cooper on CNN. I gave up on CNN long ago, but the article inside was written by him in the aftermath of Katrina in New Orleans and I was interested in reading about that. He also interspersed personal stories in the article.

Let me say this. This guy can write.

Years ago I read the autobiography of Gloria Vanderbilt. A fascinating look into the lives of the privileged. I was riveted by the part where she described her son's suicide in front of her. He came home from college and seemed disoriented and was napping all day. He came into her room confused and then ran up the stairs. She followed him out to a balcony where he climbed up on the stone wall. She pleaded with him, but he simply said "Will I ever feel again?" and dropped over, holding on with his fingers for a moment and she screamed and then he dropped 14 stories down.

Horrifying. I have never forgotten it.

I had no idea that Anderson Cooper was also Vanderbuilt's son and that that was his older brother. They had lost their father when they were 10 and 12. It was devastating to them both. Of his brother he writes:

"I thought we had a silent agreement, that we would both just get though our childhood loss and meet up as adults on the other side. I imagined one day we would be friends, allies, brothers laughing about our long-ago fights. I'm not sure why he didn't keep his end of the bargain. Maybe he never knew about our silent pact. Maybe it was all in my head."

Now that is some beautiful writing.

When I was young I fought and fought with one of my older brothers. There were days I hated him. When I became a Christian at 14 hate was no longer an option. We became close friends and have remained so to this day. I can't imagine never having had that chance.

Cooper does just as beautiful a job of describing things in New Orleans. He does what every good writer does. He paints a picture and puts the reader in the painting. I kept waiting for the subtle barb, the political bashing cloaked in journalism that always comes from these pieces. It never came. He wrote a wonderful piece with no political bias right or left. It was refreshing. It was actual, honest to God, journalism.

I haven't watched CNN for a long time, but I think I may start with Anderson Cooper.