This is the first book I've read by this famous travel writer. One thing about Morris, is that she is very thorough. Of course, it's readily apparent that she lived in Venice for an extended time, as opposed to visiting for a couple of weeks, so she had time to explore it and experience it thoroughly. The next thing that is apparent is that Morris is opinionated. It's obvious that she loves Venice, but she knows it well enough to pick out the flaws of the city and it's people. I don't always agree with her opinions - she can be a little harsh - but I cannot say that her opinions are baseless. The structure of the book is similar to the Silent Traveler. There is not much of a narrative, but compartmentalized chapters on a certain aspect, which act as launching boards for a reverie, or a memory, or a history lesson. If there is one thing I can say about this book it is that I'm dying to go to Venice all the more now that I've read it. ( )