It was seven years ago that Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil achieved a record-breaking four-year run on the New York Times bestseller list. John Berendt's inimitable brand of nonfiction brought the dark mystique of Savannah so startlingly to life for millions of people that tourism to Savannah increased by 46%. It is Berendt and only Berendt who can capture Venice--a city of masks, a city of riddles, where the narrow, meandering passageways form a giant maze, confounding all who have not grown up wandering into its ...
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It was seven years ago that Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil achieved a record-breaking four-year run on the New York Times bestseller list. John Berendt's inimitable brand of nonfiction brought the dark mystique of Savannah so startlingly to life for millions of people that tourism to Savannah increased by 46%. It is Berendt and only Berendt who can capture Venice--a city of masks, a city of riddles, where the narrow, meandering passageways form a giant maze, confounding all who have not grown up wandering into its depths. Venice, a city steeped in a thousand years of history, art and architecture, teeters in precarious balance between endurance and decay. Its architectural treasures crumble--foundations shift, marble ornaments fall--even as efforts to preserve them are underway. THE CITY OF FALLING ANGELS opens on the evening of January 29, 1996, when a dramatic fire destroys the historic Fenice opera house. The loss of the Fenice, where five of Verdi's operas premiered, is a catastrophe for Venetians. Arriving in Venice three days after the fire, Berendt becomes a kind of detective--inquiring into the nature of life in this remarkable museum-city-- while gradually revealing the truth about the fire. In the course of his investigations, Berendt introduces us to a rich cast of characters: a prominent Venetian poet whose shocking 'suicide' prompts his skeptical friends to pursue a murder suspect on their own; the First Family of American expatriates who lose possession of the family palace after four generations of ownership; an organization of high-society, party-going Americans who raise money to preserve the art and architecture of Venice, while quarreling in public among themselves, questioning each other's motives and drawing startled Venetians into the fray; a contemporary Venetian surrealist painter and outrageous provocateur; the master glassblower of Venice; and numerous others--stool-pigeons, scapegoats, hustlers, sleepwalkers, believers in Martians, the Plant Man, the Rat Man, and Henry James. Berendt tells a tale full of atmosphere and surprise as the stories build, one after the other, ultimately coming together to reveal a world as finely drawn as a still-life painting. The fire and its aftermath serve as a leitmotif that runs throughout, adding to the elements of chaos, corruption and crime, and contributing to the ever-mounting suspense of this brilliant audiobook. Bonus feature includes an exclusive interview with the author!
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Seller's Description:
Good. 5 Reliable AUDIO CDS in the original printed box, polished for your satisfaction for a worthwhile set. Some shelf wear and fold mark to the box. The audio cds are in individual envelopes, protected and clear sounding for a worthwhile set. Enjoy this AUDIO CD performance!
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Seller's Description:
Good. Audio Book 5 AUDIO CDs in the original printed box. Some shelf wear to the case. Some foldmark to the box. Each CD is individually polished for quality of sound to provide a worthwhile listening experience. Enjoy this Audio CD performance.
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Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very Good. HAS SLIPASE A FEW SCUFFS ON DISCS PLAYS FINE MOTHERMACS CAN SHIP TO US, EUROPE VIA AIR MAIL OR EXPEDITED MAIL. WE SHIP FROM TORONTO, ONTARIO MOTHERMACS BRINGS OVER TEN YEARS OF QUALITY, VALUE AND PROMPT SERVICE TO THE INTERNET NAVIRES Mothermacs de Toronto, Ontario et apporte plus de DIX ANS DE SERVICE DE QUALIT? , VALEUR ET RAPIDE? INTERNET MOTHERMACS los buques a EE. UU., Europa v? a correo a? reo. ENVIAMOS DE TORONTO, ONTARIO MOTHERMACS lleva m? s de diez a? os de servicio CALIDAD, VALOR Y PRONTA A INTERNE.
My only complaint about John Berendt is that he is not writing books fast enough. This is a wonderful book that takes you on a grand adventure in the city of the Grand Canal. Living in Venice, John gains access to the citizens of Venice, their stories and their palaces. While there, he tries to solve the mystery of who would deliberately set the famed Opera House on fire, destroying its multi-million dollar restoration progress. His sleuthing does not always seem to go anywhere but the journey is marvelous. This is the book to read when you come home from Venice and wish you were still there. Berendt makes you feel like you are in Venice again in the most wonderful way--as a insider and not a tourist.
deederbrennan
Apr 26, 2007
He Does it Again
John Berendt has done for Venice what he did for Savannah - brought it life. The places, the people, the happenings weave an intriguing story.
