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From Publishers Weekly
Berendt reads his own nonfiction exploration of the seamy side of Venice with an insider's hushed tones, chronicling the life and times of the city's movers and shakers like a naughty child sharing an overheard secret. Following up his similar study of Savannah in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Berendt has cobbled together a series of entertaining tales of the legendary canal city, ranging from the squabbles of Venetian fund-raisers to the fire in the Venice Opera House. Like a cocktail-party raconteur with a particularly juicy story to tell, Berendt twists his listeners' ears with his book's seamless stringof Venice-themed misbehavior and decadence. Only occasionally overemoting, Berendt mostly maintains the proper tone of high-society gossip delivered succinctly. Berendt's intimate voice helps to tie together the disparate strands of his sometimes-sprawling book.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
The author's phenomenally best-selling Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1994), which, for a record-breaking four years, remained on the New York Times best-seller list, drew tourists in droves to the lovely city of Savannah, Georgia. Will his thoroughly engaging new book do the same for the tourist trade to Venice, Italy? In 1996, Berendt planned an extended, off-season stay in Venice. Just three days prior to his arrival, Venice's world-famous opera house burned to the ground. He uses the official investigation into the disaster and the construction of a new opera house as a paradigm of civic and social life in this enigmatic city whose importance to the world -(other than as a tourist destination) has long vanished, and he uses the personal stories of the wide variety of individuals with whom he became acquainted during the course of his stay not only to enrich but also to personalize his account. This is journalism at its most accomplished; it is creative nonfiction as enveloping and heart embracing as good fiction. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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First Sentence
THE AIR STILL SMELLED OF CHARCOAL when I arrived in Venice three days after the fire. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
THE AIR STILL SMELLED OF CHARCOAL when I arrived in Venice three days after the fire. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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2.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing,
By
This review is from: The City of Falling Angels (Paperback)
On January 29 1996, a sensational fire destroys the historic Fenice Opera House. A catastrophe for Venetians, made worse by the revelation that arson may be the cause. Berendt visits Venice shortly after the fire and intrigued by the ongoing investigation decides to write about it. The author encounters a rich cast of characters and takes the readers on an unusual voyage into the heart of Venice, adding elements of chaos, corruption and crime as the story unfolds.I expected this book to be as good as "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" capturing the essence of the city and its inhabitants what I got was a disappointing and frankly boring narrative. The book started well, introducing the readers to a strange and amusing cast of characters but as the story progresses things crumble as each chapter stands alone and you are faced with a lack of a cohesive plot. I felt more than once like abandoning it but I was determined to finish.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Loving Reading with Decent Italian Pronunciations,
By Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 112,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER) (#1 HALL OF FAME)
This review is from: The City of Falling Angels (Audio CD)
"Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live?" -- Deuteronomy 4:33 (NKJV)If you have ever been to Venice, surely you've wondered what it's like to live in one of those palazzos and to be there when the city is under water in the winter. The native's Venice and the day tripper's Venice couldn't be further apart in perception and vantage point. John Berendt managed to meet a lot of real Venetians and to spend extended time there. Gradually, some of the doors to what the tourists never see were gradually opened to him. Surprises waited inside. His time there overlapped with the burning down of the Fenice Opera House and its difficult reconstruction. That's the main focus of the book, but there are rewarding side canal visits to subjects such as the Save Venice organization, maintaining the heritage of Ezra Pound, and playing a role in Venetian culture and society. While that combination may sound a little out of focus, realize that there's a mystery in the middle of riddle here. Who did what to whom in Venice? Who will take the blame? Who will steal the credit? The three main stories are examples of a bigger theme, residents trading on interest in the glorious past of Venice to gain unearned benefits in the present. Normally, that would be unattractive, but Mr. Berendt manages to capture the "glamour" that the outsider sees that makes the fight over the remnants of Venice more interesting than the typical selfish squabble. I recommend listening to Holter Graham's unabridged (no pun intended) reading as a way to capture the reverence for things Venetian that makes the events more interesting. Awe and caring are in his voice in a way that your own "mental" voice won't be. As a result, the story becomes more dramatic, grander, and decadent . . . at the same time. Although the base story isn't as interesting as in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, there's plenty to attract here. Some people may tell you that this book will add a lot to your enjoyment of going to Venice. I doubt that. In fact, it may reduce it. The topic is really human character, seen through the mirror of Venice from the native's point of view.
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's a hit!,
By Barry Zee (c) - See all my reviews
This review is from: City Of Falling Angels (Hardcover)
Just like his "Midnight in the Garden," Berndt's CITY is another great book, with the same great writing and plot that you'll find in MIDNIGHT, only with an entirely different setting. So often an author's second book just doesn't come close to the first, but in my opion, CITY is even better. For some other captivating reads, I recommend Jackson McCrae's KATZENJAMMER and the highly entertaining ABOUT A BOY. All are great, but buy and read CITY first.
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