The best travel writers are cool-headed, reliable reporters who offer us
rare glimpses into foreign lands. Through such stories, we experience
the writer's transformation from outsider to insider, and witness a
blossoming love affair with the people, the land, the history. Weiss
invites us into Moldova, the poorest country in Europe ... and teaches
us the importance of immersing oneself in another culture, reminding us
that sometimes to find ourselves, we must risk getting lost. Angela
Morales, author of 'The Girls In My Town' Like many Peace Corps
volunteers, A. A. Weiss was sent to serve in a country that did not
exist when he was born. Moldova? Part of the magic of the volunteer
experience is a place you've never thought about becomes your entire
world for two long years. Weiss writes beautifully, and brings the
post-Soviet society to life, with humor, keen observation, and
compassion. Peter Hessler, author of 'River Town' and 'Oracle Bones'