'My Roman History' weaves together history, academics and personal fulfillment

Author Alizah Holstein seemed destined to be a scholar of medieval Roman History. As a teen, she fell in love with Dante Alighieri’s "Divine Comedy," a tale written in the 1300s about traveling through the afterlife. Eventually, Holstein traveled to Rome, but to many people’s surprise, she didn’t become the scholar she thought she would.

She tells the tale — weaving the past and present — in her new memoir “My Roman History.” It’s a tale of history, psychology, gender bias in academia, passion for a city, and ultimately, how Holstein found her bliss. Here & Now host Robin Young talks to Holstein about the new memoir.

By Alizah Holstein