Alexandria:  City of Memory by Michael Haag Yale University Press. 367 pages, $35. IT IS with considerable authority that Michael Haag offers his latest book, Alexandria: City of…More

FOR THE ONLY TIME in history the known world was ruled by one man: Alexander the Great. Considered one of the greatest military generals ever, he conquered the world by leading his vast army through 22,000 miles of battles—on foot, no less. But, hey, you can learn that from any history book.

What you won’t learn (and probably won’t see in Oliver Stone’s movie) is that Alexander was a man-loving, cross-dressing drama queen who frequently burst into hydrogen-powered catfights.