No hateration or holleration here. According to the new book The Prisoner in His Palace: Saddam Hussein, His American Guards, and What History Leaves Unsaid — written by former Army infantry officer Will Bardenwerper, who interviewed numerous members of the squad tasked with guarding and protecting Hussein — one of Hussein’s greatest pleasures in the weeks leading up his execution was listening to the catchy, soulful tunes of R&B goddess Mary J. Blige. “He’d always stop tuning if he stumbled across a Mary J. Blige song†on the radio, the book claims, and he also loved to frequently ride an exercise bike that he coined “Pony.†Additionally, Hussein’s fondness for treats was well-documented among the guards. “He supposed it made Saddam less intimidating,†Bardenwerper wrote, “that he could yield to the siren call of a sugary muffin the way anyone else might.â€