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The Silent Gondoliers (1983)

by William Goldman

Other authors: See the other authors section.

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
5301346,247 (3.89)24
The return of a beloved classic, from the bestselling author of The Princess Bride! "This inventive, offbeat fable has a touch of magic about it."--Los Angeles Times Once upon a time, the gondoliers of Venice possessed the finest voices in all the world. But, alas, few remember those days--and fewer still were ever blessed to hear such glorious singing. No one since has discovered the secret behind the sudden silence of the golden-voiced gondoliers. No one, it seems, but S. Morgenstern. Now Morgenstern recounts the sad and noble story of the ambitions, frustrations, and eventual triumph of Luigi, the gondolier with the gooney smile. Here, in this brilliantly illustrated exposition of the surprising facts behind this all-but-forgotten mystery, S. Morgenstern reveals the fascinating truths about John the Bastard, Laura Lorenzini, the centenarian Cristaldi the Pickle, Enrico Caruso, Porky XII, the Great Sorrento, the Queen of Corsica--and, of course, the one and only Luigi. His tale will captivate you as much as his song! "Where The Princess Bride was lightheartedly brutal, this story is gently whimsical, well-complemented by Paul Giovanopoulos's zany drawings."--San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle… (more)
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» See also 24 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 13 (next | show all)
This was sweet, and dreamlike in its simplicity. Goldman has written a lovely fable about dreams, and loyalty, and perseverance, and community. ( )
  wisemetis | Dec 26, 2022 |
Absolutely delightful. Not substantial enough for five stars, but definitely recommended for fans of [b:The Princess Bride|21787|The Princess Bride |William Goldman|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327903636s/21787.jpg|992628], and vice-versa. My edition had surreal complex line drawings by Paul Giovanopoulos - I hope your edition does, too. I've registered this secondhand but still tight slim pb at bookcrossing and am offering it as a RABCK to US members of BC. ( )
  Cheryl_in_CC_NV | Jun 6, 2016 |
A charming little fable which explains why the gondoliers in Venice do not sing. This volume is not even long enough to be called a novella, as the delightful line drawing illustrations take up at least half the pages. Luigi, a tone-deaf gondolier, saves the gondoliers’ church in the middle of the legendary Christmas day storm, and all the Venetian gondoliers quit singing in solidarity. ( )
  memccauley6 | May 3, 2016 |
This gonzo tall tale is the only other book Goldman has written in the style of "The Princess Bride." And it's a thing to behold: the way he takes a seemingly scatter-shot mode of storytelling and funnels everything into a hair-raising and absolutely satisfying climax. A book best read in one delirious sitting (or, as I did, read aloud in a day to a bookish and giddy 6th grader). -Adam
  stephencrowe | Nov 11, 2015 |
A short story sold as a novel. The sense of humor is good sometimes. Overall, it's pretty pointless. ( )
  comfypants | Sep 17, 2015 |
Showing 1-5 of 13 (next | show all)
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Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
William Goldmanprimary authorall editionscalculated
Giovanopoulos, PaulIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Everyone knows that the gondoliers of Venice are the greatest——correction, sorry——everyone used to know that the gondoliers of Venice are the greatest singers in the world.
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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The return of a beloved classic, from the bestselling author of The Princess Bride! "This inventive, offbeat fable has a touch of magic about it."--Los Angeles Times Once upon a time, the gondoliers of Venice possessed the finest voices in all the world. But, alas, few remember those days--and fewer still were ever blessed to hear such glorious singing. No one since has discovered the secret behind the sudden silence of the golden-voiced gondoliers. No one, it seems, but S. Morgenstern. Now Morgenstern recounts the sad and noble story of the ambitions, frustrations, and eventual triumph of Luigi, the gondolier with the gooney smile. Here, in this brilliantly illustrated exposition of the surprising facts behind this all-but-forgotten mystery, S. Morgenstern reveals the fascinating truths about John the Bastard, Laura Lorenzini, the centenarian Cristaldi the Pickle, Enrico Caruso, Porky XII, the Great Sorrento, the Queen of Corsica--and, of course, the one and only Luigi. His tale will captivate you as much as his song! "Where The Princess Bride was lightheartedly brutal, this story is gently whimsical, well-complemented by Paul Giovanopoulos's zany drawings."--San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle

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