Venice

Venice is a city I have not yet visited, but I am thinking about a trip soon, perhaps next year. It is a city that has often been visited in literature, however - inevitably, really, since it is so special and evocative.

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke is an entertaining book for children set in a wintry Venice. For an overview of the city's rich history you can hardly better A History of Venice by John Julius Norwich.

I have not yet read John Berendt's City of Falling Angels, nor a classic such as Death in Venice, nor even In the Company of the Courtesan, but I expect they might be quite the thing to set a mood.

In my library I also have the as-yet-unread Scherzo by Jim Williams, which I have great expectations for.

Any other suggestions - or comments about the mentioned books that I have not read yet?

Scherzo is kind of blah. City of Falling Angels annoyed me. I like gossip as well as the next person, but Berendt seemed to be using his book as part of a personal vendetta, and to suck up to the rich, famous and social.

I would recommend Donna Leon's Comissario Brunetti mysteries. And, of course, John Ruskin and Henry James. I second your views of Norwich's history. It's sheer size might scare some off, but I found it to be eminently readable.

Definitely Norwich!

One of Simon Raven's Alms for Oblivion novels - I think it's The Survivors, but I always get the titles mixed up - is set in Venice. Typically over-the-top Raven plot, not for the delicate, but fun if you like that sort of thing. Anthony Powell had one part of his Dance set in Venice as well.

An oddity I quite enjoyed was The Venice Adriana by Ethan Mordden - a slightly silly story about Maria Callas and bootleg opera recordings, but nice, atmospheric Venetian settings.

Two more books from a tagmash I did are:

The passion by Jeanette Winterson is about a Romance between Napoleon's cook and a gondolier's daughter in Venice. I've only recently read encountered Winterson (Weight), but the reviews look positive and has mythic qualities.

Invisible cities by Italo Calvino: I did read this many years ago, but apparently don't own it. It's an imaginary Marco Polo type journey to fabulous cities and I would recommend it, but I don't think it's a travel guide to Venice.

Across The River And Into The Trees by Ernest Hemingway is set in Venice. As for nonfiction, I think John Julius Norwich's The History Of Venice is one of the better overall histories extant. An excellent literary travel book is The World Of Venice by Jan Morris. Finally William Dean Howells wrote a wonderful book of his time in Venice: Venetian Life.

I still haven't been to Venice yet but I seem to have collected a few books so here are a few suggestions:

1 I suppose the most obvious one for everybody has to be Daphne Du Maurier's Don't Look Now -especially is you really want the place to freak you out forever. I know so many people who have been there after reading the book/story and they all said they had the creeps (in a semi-good way) the whole time they were there.

2 Miss Garnet's Angel by Salley Vickers is a lovely little gem of a feelgood book set in Venice.

3 The Haunted Hotel by Wilkie Collins, though one of his lesser known books, is a real treat.

4 And, another obvious one, I suppose, is Death in Venice by Thomas Mann

The Thief Lord, a young adult book by Cornelia Funke, was most enjoyable. I'm reminded of it because she is going to be in town next month to discuss it, following a showing of the film.

Dead Lagoon by Michael Dibdin features his detective, Aurelio Zen, returning to his hometown of Venice - very good for atmosphere.

I'm off to Venice as well!

To get me in the mood I am currently reading Death at La Fenice, by Donna Leon, the first of the Comissario Brunetti mysteries... unfortunatley I'm finding it really boring in terms of a mystery and if it wasn't for the setting I would probably toss it.
It seems Venetians take lots of sugar in their coffee?

I also have
Death in Venice,
Across the River and into the Trees,
and An Equal Music to be read.

You could go on a Guido Brunetti tour!

I have an unusual one: I was looking through the recipe book Feast, by Nigella Lawson for a chilli recipe, and discovered that in it she has a chapter for a Venitian (sp?) feast !

From memory this includes Bellinis, squid in ink, anchovy pasta, zabaglioni (sp?) and some little biscotti-type polenta biscuits :D

The Vulgar Streak by Wyndham Lewis

I have just read Cynthia Zarin's book, Two Cities, those cities being Rome and Venice. I had visited both just a year ago, and it made me a bit sad, as, under present circumstances, I have no idea when I'll be able to go back. The "Venice" section made me even sadder, as she says she is writing in the garden of the Pensione Accademia, which is the hotel I like to stay at when I am there. I pictured the times I have sat in those gardens, enjoying a spritz aperol and the Venetian sun.

~sigh~

I am inspired to resume this thread by today's NYT "What You Get" column, featuring $800,000 homes in Venice (dream on, woman!): https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/19/realestate/800000-homes-in-venice.html

Since I last posted in the midst of the pandemic, wondering when I'd go back, I have been back, in the fall of 2022, and am planning to return this coming October. I acquired three more books when I was there, at one of my favorite bookshops, Damocle Edizione: https://www.librarything.com/venue/108817/Damocle-Edizioni They are: The New Venice Haggadah, In Search of Aldus Pius Manutius, and Poems for Sarra ("Sarra" being Sarra Copia Sulam).

Looking back, I'm surprised no one has mentioned The Aspern Papers, by Henry James!

I plan to visit this spring. Any other suggestions for antiquarian bookstores or ones that might have something interesting in English? I’m just now trying to learn Italian.

>15 varielle:

Libreria Marco Polo in Campo Santa Margarita has a lot of books in English: https://www.librarything.com/venue/118837/Libreria-Marco-Polo as does Libreria Toletta: https://www.librarything.com/venue/48249/Libreria-Toletta

And, as I mentioned in >14 lilithcat:, I like Damocle Edizione, which publishes and sells bi- and multi-lingual books, and artists' books. It's a tiny shop, very nice people.

Libreria Acqua Alta is always fun: https://www.librarything.com/venue/56345/Libreria-Acqua-Alta

Have a fabulous time in one of my absolutely favorite cities!

Okay I'm just going to keep adding in the Akashic Noir series of books for all the cities I've collected :)

Venice Noir has a series of very good short noir stories set in Venice.

I've also devoured a few histories of Venice and Venice by Jan Morris is a lovely blend of History and Travelogue - although it's been many years since I read it.

A History of Venice by John Julius Norwich is a very good read

>16 lilithcat: Thank you! I will drag best beloved with me to see them. He’s not a book person.

I am adding Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino- this is a book about descriptions- not a guide to the city.

Lucia, A Life in the Age of Napoleon by Andrea Di Robilant. True story and they are in Venice.
Venice is beautiful and so full of history. An ancestor in my family tree, Tiitan Vecellio a Renaissance artist, is buried in a church there.

I'm reading Death at the Fenice by Donna Leon.
I really like how the city and its traditions are the backdrop of this cozy mystery. Leon is American but she lived in Venice for 30 years and writes like a local: it's more than famous spots but also the side streets and small shops.

>21 Cecilturtle:

Did you know she doesn't allow her books to be translated into Italian, in order to maintain her privacy. I think she lives in Switzerland now.

Several years ago, when I was in Venice, a friend of hers was giving Guido Brunetti tours! I enjoyed that a lot.

>22 lilithcat: Wow! I had no idea! How very grand :D