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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Add this copy of The City of Falling Angels to cart. $2.99, good condition, Sold by Books From California rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Simi Valley, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by Random House Audio.
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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!
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Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used textbooks may not include companion materials such as access codes, etc. May have some wear or writing/highlighting. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
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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!
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Good. 11 Worthwhile AUDIO CDs withdrawn from the library collection. Some library marking to the box and the CDs. We will individually polish each Audio CD. Enjoy this reliable Audio CD performance.
Add this copy of The City of Falling Angels to cart. $9.93, good condition, Sold by The Yard Sale Store rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Narrowsburg, NY, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by Random House Audio.
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Good. 11 AUDIO CDs in the original printed box. Some shelf wear to the box. We will polish each CD for a smooth listening experience. Enjoy this Audio CD performance!
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Good. 11 AUDIO CD PERFORMANCE withdrawn from the library collection. WE WILL POLISH the Audio CDs for a smooth listening experience. You will receive a RELIABLE set. Enjoy this presentable Audio CD edition for your home and library.
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.
