“She Seduced Me”
Author Smitten by Relationships, Events, Culture, and History
California writer and teacher, Mark Tedesco, weaves his personal stories and interviews into his longing for Roman travel.
Mark Tedesco’s Love Affair with Rome began when he was nineteen. He was on his first soul-searching trip and soon discovered, once Rome becomes a part of you, there’s no turning back.
In fact, he used the word, “Magical” to describe the city of miraculous stories, monuments, and energy.
“As I stood in the piazza in front of Santa Maria in Trastevere, the book came to me like a lightning flash. Of course! What makes Rome unique are its stories! Every person, street corner, statue, and brick has its story. In this book, I wanted to tell some of these stories that make Rome…magical.”
Mark Tedesco, She Seduced Me (Interview with Joan Mead-Matsui)
You will also be enchanted as Mark projects his striking descriptions of the native Romans and tourists onto his readers in this glorious non-fiction collection of personal stories and interviews. “She Seduced Me” serves as both an essential travel guide and a personalized tour of Rome.
Join Mark as he takes you through the streets of Rome to the coveted historical sites, piazzas, and restaurants he discovered during his frequent trips. You’ll meander past all that makes Rome a cultural hub for the native Italians, Americans, and other foreigners who collectively, make this European city a treasure. Mark reveals the best places to eat, drink, and observe the culture at its finest.
His attention to detail and sense of curiosity have led him to uncover and define Rome not only from a tourist’s viewpoint but from a much deeper perspective. He said,
“Letting my feet guide me, rather than a book or a plan, through the streets of Rome has been one of the most rewarding experiences. Rome is full of surprises; from the street musician hidden in a small piazza, to a restaurant known only by locals, to a forgotten church filled with Renaissance art, to a broken column dating from the Roman Empire, all of these surprises await those who step out of their plans into the unexpected.”
Mark Tedesco
In Chapter 5, “Americans,” Mark comments on a question many tourists have pondered. Why are Americans so easily recognized in Italy?
“I speak Italian; some would even say I am fluent. Why is it that every time I address a shopkeeper or resident in Rome in Italian, they always respond in English? Other times, even before I open my mouth, they assume that I am American. What gives me away?”
His answers and observations in each chapter, from “Stories, Saints, and Weirdos” to “Nocturnal Vatican,” will surprise you and yes, they will make you laugh. You can buy a copy of She Seduced Me: A Love Affair with Rome (published by dixi books) and prepare for your Italian adventure.
BIO
Mark Tedesco is a history teacher and a published author living in Los Angeles. He shares his love for mankind, history, and culture through his teaching and books.
She Seduced Me: A Love Affair with Rome, is Mark’s most recent book; it is a travel guide of the best places to visit in Rome. Mark takes this book far beyond the typical travel guide with expat interviews and stories that will delight you.
His first book “That Undeniable Longing – My Road to and from the Priesthood” is a memoir of his sojourn in Rome in a Vatican seminary leading to ordination. Readers have been taken aback by his honesty and integrity in recounting his journey. See the CNN program on Mark’s story.
“I am John, I am Paul: A Story of Two Soldiers in Ancient Rome” is Mark’s second book; it is an historical novel, exploring the lives of two 4th century Roman soldiers.
“The Dog on the Acropolis” is another historical novel that Mark wrote, which brings the reader back to the era when the Acropolis in Athens was being built.
Learn more about Mark.
Read my “50 Places to Fly Fish Before You Die review here.
Looking for additional travel stories?
Don’t miss 50 Places to Fly Fish Before You Die.
