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Loading... The City of Falling Angels (original 2005; edition 2006)by John Berendt (Author)
Work InformationThe City of Falling Angels by John Berendt (2005)
   No current Talk conversations about this book. I did not enjoy the author's writing style. What was the point of the entire plot? (  ) Huba.Library | Jul 9, 2022 |  The beauty of a well-written history book: it can be a page-turner. Berendt has an excellent book, all factual, and exciting. (  ) DeaconBernie | Jul 28, 2021 | Not really cohesive enough. (  ) AldusManutius | Jul 5, 2020 | Falls way short of Midnight in the Garden... Berendt comes across as a journalist sniffing out stories and gossiping rather than a part of the action. He never quite manages to do for Venice what he did for Savannah. It isn't entirely his fault, while the burning of the Fenice Opera House might have felt like a murder to Venetians, it does not have the same impact as a real murder to the reader. There are some interesting characters, but a little too much high society. Although he intended to write about the people of Venice, somehow it is the city itself that manages to be the most compelling. ( ) Seafox | Jul 24, 2019 | When one thinks of Venice, the imagery of gondolas and waterways and brightly colored carnival masks usually come to mind. Venice itself is a complicated city and lends itself to an air of old world intrigue. John Berendt fell in love with the city the first time he visited. Upon a subsequent visit, Berendt arrived three days after a devastating fire has ravaged the grand a historic La Fenice Opera House. Rumors of arson swirl among the community prompting Berendt to put on his investigative persona and dig in the ashes of history. Eventually, through meeting a cast of colorful characters, he uncovers the truths and fictions surrounding La Fenice Opera House and Venice. Special note: if you want to read City of Falling Angels, do yourself a favor and listen to it on CD and make sure to get the version with Berendt's interview at the end. His explanation for the title of the book is eyeopening. (  ) SeriousGrace | Feb 21, 2018 | no reviews | add a review
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. This book opens in 1996, when a dramatic fire destroys the historic Fenice opera house, a catastrophe for Venetians. Arriving 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. He introduces us to a rich cast of characters, Venetian and expatriate, in a tale full of atmosphere and surprise which reveals a world as finely drawn as a still-life painting. The fire and its aftermath serve as a leitmotif, adding elements of chaos, corruption, and crime and contributing to the ever-mounting suspense.--From publisher description. No library descriptions found. |
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 Google Books — Loading...GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)945.31 — History and Geography Europe Italy and region VenetiaLC ClassificationRatingAverage: (3.55)
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