The Politics of Washing: Real Life in Venice
by Polly Coles
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Description
The beautiful city of Venice has been a fantasy land for people from around the globe for centuries, but what is it like to live there? To move house by boat, to get a child with a broken leg to a hospital, or to set off for school one morning, only to find that the streets have become rivers and the playground is a lake full of sewage? When Polly Coles and her family left England for Venice, they discovered a city caught between modern and ancient life-- where the locals still go on an show more annual pilgrimage to give thanks for the end of the Black Death, where schools are housed in Renaissance palaces, and your new washing machine can only be delivered on foot. This is a city perilously under siege from tourism, but its people refuse to give it up-- indeed they love it with a passion. This book is a fascinating window into the world of ordinary Venetians and the strange and unique place they call home. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
This author's elegant and descriptive writing style captured subtleties and nuance in Venetian living. I really enjoyed the care she took in crafting the stories of this book. She is in Venice with her family, but this book is not about them. She delves into her inner life as well as her interactions with the environment around her. She also delves into politics as well and I appreciated her speaking the truth about totalitarian states and that millions of people have been murdered as a result of communism.
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Spirit of Place
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Common Knowledge
- Important places
- Venice, Veneto, Italy
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- 46
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- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.17)
- Languages
- English
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- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 3
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