James H. S. McGregor

McGregor starts off by saying Rome is an agglomeration of historical cities. That statement alone fires the imagination and makes one want to read on. Rome was not a planned city. It has gone through multiple redesigns. Each city section had its own purpose, much like New York City has it's myriad of regions within the five boroughs. Yes, McGregor will walk you through every section of Rome and describe everything along with way with meticulous care. He encourages readers to take Rome from the Ground Up as a guide book to the city. He does not include restaurants or the best places to stay, as those will change over time.
Here are some of the things I gleaned from reading Rome from the Ground Up: the Mouth of Truth may have been an ancient manhole and sewer cover. There were two palaces of power, the Vatican and the Quirinal. Julius Caesar was assassinated and his body burnt on a pyre in the Forum. Later, a temple was built on the spot and dedicated to him. Laurel trees were sacred to Apollo. Read Rome from the Ground Up if you are into minute details descriptions of architecture, including details on the art within every museum, church, or chapel.… (more)

Gifted from S
ebook
nonfic> Hist> Italy> Venice

Opening:
In the sixth century, waves of barbarians devastated
Italy and eventually gained control of the Western
Roman Empire. Just beyond their grasp on the edge of
the habitable world—some would say beyond the
edge—Venice came to life in the shelter of its Lagoon.
Divided from the sea and its Byzantine masters by a long barrier island, and
separated from the mainland of Italy by a tract of shallow water, Venice
found security in its tidal estuary. Safely out of reach of potential overlords
on both sides, the Venetians crafted a way of life perfectly suited to their
strange environment. Fishers, salt gatherers, and traders, they lived in widely
dispersed communities throughout the Lagoon.

Utilitarian and akin to the spiel of a weary tour guide. Not every historian doth a writer make.

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