Venice on a High Note
 

An artilce of interest in the December 11th Washinton Post Travel Section. "Read Berendt's Best-Seller, Then See the New Opera House". He wrote novel on Charleston and his latest is on Venice called "The City of Falling Angels". Plan to read it soon.

There was a recent thread here about the book. DH and I both read it recently and it is great. Very interesting insight into the lives of Venetians.

Unfortunately, we didn't get it until right AFTER we returned from Venice. I would love to have read it beforehand, or even during the trip. :)

We are in the same boat! Visited in October but will read it and return sometime to this wonderful city. I had recently posted another novel I read that took place in Venice called "Alibi".

We were there in October, too...the last week.

I will have to get a copy of "Alibi."

Have you read any of Donna Leon's novels? Her Commisario Brunetti series takes place in Venice and it's great to follow him along on your map while you read. We have now read all but five of them and I'm hoping the last ones arrive before Christmas. :)

Have read them also but you will find "Alibi" (in my opinion) a better read.

I didn't care for the latest Berendt book, as much as I love Venice, and I even had my map out to trace some of the routes mentioned, I found the book dull.

Thanks for your imput. I found the same about the Leon novels. Kind of slow. However, "Alibi" moves a lot faster and you can still follow on your map as you read!

Shallot: at last someone else who didn't like City of Falling Angels. I didn't even finish it. Too much society gossip, one-upmanship, cliquishness. This is a side of Venetian life that only the Inner Circle experience. We all know that sort of thing happens everywhere, gets tedious when told in such detail. I'm glad not to be part of it. I'll stay on the tourist trail.

Jan Morris, whose book "Venice" (first published in 1960 when she was still James Morris) is the most evocative book about Venice that I know, did not much like "City of Falling Angels" either.

Here is a link to her review in The Guardian (UK):

http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/...576883,00.html

Berendt's other book was about Savannah, not Charleston.

Yes Eloise. I thought Jan Morris' review was very good. Possibly because she wrote everything I thought!

Jan Morris' review was very interesting; I think I'll pass on the book; Alibi sounds good, though. And I did enjoy all the Donna Leon books.

I like the Donna Leon books too, but as I mentioned on the thread about "Alibi," I think that Joseph Kanon's books are on an altogether higher level, both in depth and in style.

I also like the Jan Morris book on Venice, not as good, but shorter, is McCarthy's
Venice Observed. Gary Wills had one out a couple of years ago, Venice The Lion City, which was good at reminding me about Venice's glorious history (500 years ago), but it was a bit of a slog to finish.

I have both the McCarthy and the Wills. The McCarthy, which I read years and years ago, I found a bit lightweight. But the detail about Venetian iconography in Wills' book absolutely floored me; I found it fascinating.

Thank you everyone. I've read all the others but must get hold of Gary Wills.
On my Christmas list as from now.

Gertie: I loved the Wills (see above) but one small word of warning: The illustrations have been criticized, and perhaps rightly so. Although everything or almost everything he mentions is illustrated, most of them are quite small black-and-white illustrations. There are about 30 color plates as well. And it's been out in paper for a while now.