The University of Wisconsin Press

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Travel / Middle East / Memoir / Gay Interest

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Cleopatra's Wedding Present Travels through Syria Robert Tewdwr Moss New introduction by Lucretia Stewart Living Out: Gay and Lesbian Autobiographies Joan Larkin and David Bergman, Series Editors "[This] intense, evocative account . . . has acquired its near-mythical status by stealth and word of mouth." —Lucretia Stewart, from the introduction Cleopatra's Wedding Present is the rare book that captivates its reader from the first page. Like the best travel books, Robert Tewdwr Moss's memoir of his travels through Syria resonates on many levels: as a profoundly telling vivisection of Middle Eastern society, a chilling history of ethnic crimes, a picaresque adventure story, a purely entertaining travelogue, and a poignant romance. Tewdwr Moss, a brilliant young writer who was murdered in London the day after he finished this book, left this lyrical gem as his legacy. He adeptly captures an essence of the Middle East that is foreign to most of us, but which becomes real with his astute observations of the region's culture and explosive politics. He conveys what so many westerners find both fascinating and frightening in the Middle East, making no attempt to mask circumstances that are appalling and dangerous while also exotic, beautiful, and sometimes very funny. Mesopotamia, now present-day Syria, was part of Mark Anthony's love gift to Cleopatra. Then and now, it is a land of mystery and love. Robert Tewdwr Moss (1961–1996) was a journalist of astonishing versatility. He first made his mark as Diary Editor of the books section of the London Sunday Times. He also contributed to magazines as varied as Tatler, Women's Journal, Harper's, Queen, and Africa Events. There is a press kit for this title. Media & bookseller inquiries regarding review copies, events, and interviews can be directed to the publicity department at publicity@uwpress.wisc.edu or (608) 263-0734. (If you want to examine a book for possible course use, please see our Course Books page. If you want to examine a book for possible rights licensing, please see Rights & Permissions.)

September 2003 LC: 2003050103 DS 252 pp. 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 Cloth $24.95 t ISBN 978-0-299-19290-7 ADD TO CART "This is not a dutiful . . . examination of a country, but it is a well-informed guide to a larger interior landscape." —James Owen, Literary Review 2001, Duckworth Press

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