My Roman history

This captivating memoir from a passionate scholar of medieval Rome is creatively framed by the author's love for the ancient city: a lifelong obsession first sparked by studying Dante's Inferno with a gifted high-school teacher. Holstein shares her story with a deep dive into Roman history, bringing it to life by weaving in memorable personal experiences that will speak to readers' senses, such as her first bite of a tartufo cioccolato, the intimidating process of being admitted to the Vatican Library as a student researcher, struggling to master Latin, building physical and mental strength in the camaraderie of a Roman rock-climbing club, contending with misogynistic professors, and considering the wildly impractical purchase of an ancient brick tower as a home. Along the way, like Dante in the Inferno, she weathers her own dark times as her years-long preparations for an academic career come up against insurmountable challenges. Holstein is a natural teacher, with an enlightening storia that holds particular appeal for readers fascinated by Rome, history, and travel.

Historian Holstein elegantly interweaves academic inquiry and autobiography in this lush debut memoir about her love affair with Italy. Inspired to pursue a PhD on 14th-century Italian history by a high school teacher who introduced her to Dante, Holstein studs her recollections of trips to Rome--for research and pleasure--with stimulating tidbits on medieval literature, 14th-century religious squabbles, and Dante's life and work. There are also episodes highlighting her occasional cluelessness as a tourist and underscoring her passion for the city's aesthetic beauty. After completing her PhD and teaching for a few years, Holstein got married, had children, and founded a baby supply company in Rhode Island, which pulled her away from her academic pursuits. While casual readers may find the scholarly references tough sledding, serious Italophiles are a shoo-in for Holstein's lovingly rendered tribute to one of the world's greatest cities. This sings. Agent: Bill Clegg, Clegg Agency. (June)

For a scholar of Roman history, the struggle to understand Rome's inhabitants and cultural norms "expanded [her] as a scholar and as a person." In 2005, Holstein, an independent editor, earned a doctorate in medieval history from Cornell. Although she sketches out a timeline of Rome from the first Republic through Empire to modern times, the author is particularly interested in the 14th century, a "rather gloomy period of Roman history" when the papal retinue under Clement V left the city for a 70-year residence in Avignon. Holstein's thesis centers on the question of how medieval Romans understood their city's storied past and how a "mythologized memory of a 'golden age' of the past was used in the struggle for political and social power." The author describes her lifelong education in Italian language and culture, as well as her struggles with paleography, the study and deciphering of historical manuscripts. The book's title signals that the narrative will be a personal reflection on what Rome has meant to her and how her life and learning led her to its centuries-long story. Consequently, along with the history, Holstein offers reflections on apartment hunting, rock-climbing clubs, and learning Latin. We follow along as the author jumps through the many hoops necessary to gain access to the treasures of the Vatican Library, and we get a good sense of what living in Rome was like for her during her many research trips. More heartfelt memoir than dry history lesson, the product of Holstein's lifelong fascination with Rome answers her primary questions: "What can an American tell anyone about Roman history? What could she say that an Italian had not already said? How could I know anything about Rome that an actual living, breathing Roman did not?" She turns up plenty. An intriguing history of Rome as reflected in a scholar's life. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.