The City of Falling Angels
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Review
'Berendt's descriptions of people and places are well-honed and he has an ear for a good yarn as well as an obvious knack for getting people to talk revealingly'
(Laurence Phelan, Independent on Sunday )'Fascinating, fantastic. . . Intrigue, too, stems from the burning of the Fenice opera house in 1996 and here Berendt's enthusiasm for juicy recriminations become almost palpable.'
(Stephanie Cross, Observer )It's a fascinating read'
(Jonathan Gibbs, Telegraph )'Glittering, entertaining and anecdote-filled.'
(Sunday Times )'The inhabitants of Venice are the real stars of the story'
(Sunday Telegraph ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.Review
Praise for MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL: 'A leisurely and luxuriant wallow in the weirdness of Southern life in Savannah, Georgia, with a twist of murder mystery - one of the biggest phenomena in American publishing history.' - Daily Telegraph
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First Sentence
THE AIR STILL SMELLED OF CHARCOAL when I arrived in Venice three days after the fire. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
THE AIR STILL SMELLED OF CHARCOAL when I arrived in Venice three days after the fire. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A book written possibly from an American point of view emphasising the various and ongoing fascination and connections that Americans continue to have with La Serinissima. Nevertheless John Berendt gets under the skin of Venice and its people to such a degree that you feel that if you passed them in the Calle you would immediately recognise them from Archimede Seguso to the man of a hundred identities and uniforms to match.
Whilst your typical Venetian gets quite emotional quite easily on subjects ranging from pigeons in the city to the increasing maritime traffic through the Lagoon, the author does not let it cloud his view of the situation.For example he provides an insight into the fire at la Fenice from a very different slant, including a view from a near neighbours window of the ongoing tragedy, but one I think that captures the effect of this catastrophe on the city and its inhabitants with a closeness that I have not seen in other accounts of the fire.
If you are travelling to Venice do read this book as it will, I believe, make you appreciate the city and its inhabitants with a different view, but one which I believe will get you much closer to what living in Venice is all about. A very good read, however you get the feeling that Mr. Berendt hasn't finished yet with Venice despite everything still captured by the magic of this city?
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" was such a worthy contribution to the non-fiction genre presided over by Capote's "In Cold Blood" that I cannot now explain why I was so luke-warm about the news of Berendt's latest work.
I think I was put off because I thought "The City of Falling Angels" would be something of an art history of Venice. I was also wary about the fact it had been ten years' in production. The same is true of "Something Happened", Joseph Heller's second novel. And, in Heller's case, the fact that the book had been assembled so painstakingly letter-by-letter over such a long period really showed to the detriment of the prose.
I accept that, with such a low level of expectation, I was hardly likely to be disappointed, but I quickly realised that the book was just brilliant, evoking not only memories of "Midnight" but, more interestingly, the realisation that the Berendt style is unique amongst the many hundreds of different books read in the ten years between the two, being part travelogue, part social history, part biography and part non-fiction crime.
Berendt is capable of unearthing the scent of intrigue from the most innocuous of encounters. His unique talent thereafter is to follow that scent to a conclusion whether that be by way of his personal charm (very few seem to decline his requests for interview) or his considerable forensic powers of analysis. And, thanks to his narrative gifts, he is able to generate real suspense in the leads he has running.
In whatever context he meets the various characters of Venice he avoids any commentary letting the words (quoted faithfully) and actions of each speak for themselves and yet by his presentation of the evidence of such encounters he is able get his point across with subtlety.
And he meets famous characters from the past too: Ezra Pound spent a great deal of his own life in Venice. Berendt explores his connections with the city and comments on his literary legacy. He unearths a letter from Pound to his (then-teenage) daughter, Mary de Rachewiltz and, as it contains his advice on creative writing, sets it out in full (p196). Of course, Brendt's own prose measures up and it serves as yet another proof that the reader is in the hands of a real professional.
I accept there is some art history of Venice in there, but it is well-presented and I have to accept that it even enhanced his tales.
I think I was put off because I thought "The City of Falling Angels" would be something of an art history of Venice. I was also wary about the fact it had been ten years' in production. The same is true of "Something Happened", Joseph Heller's second novel. And, in Heller's case, the fact that the book had been assembled so painstakingly letter-by-letter over such a long period really showed to the detriment of the prose.
I accept that, with such a low level of expectation, I was hardly likely to be disappointed, but I quickly realised that the book was just brilliant, evoking not only memories of "Midnight" but, more interestingly, the realisation that the Berendt style is unique amongst the many hundreds of different books read in the ten years between the two, being part travelogue, part social history, part biography and part non-fiction crime.
Berendt is capable of unearthing the scent of intrigue from the most innocuous of encounters. His unique talent thereafter is to follow that scent to a conclusion whether that be by way of his personal charm (very few seem to decline his requests for interview) or his considerable forensic powers of analysis. And, thanks to his narrative gifts, he is able to generate real suspense in the leads he has running.
In whatever context he meets the various characters of Venice he avoids any commentary letting the words (quoted faithfully) and actions of each speak for themselves and yet by his presentation of the evidence of such encounters he is able get his point across with subtlety.
And he meets famous characters from the past too: Ezra Pound spent a great deal of his own life in Venice. Berendt explores his connections with the city and comments on his literary legacy. He unearths a letter from Pound to his (then-teenage) daughter, Mary de Rachewiltz and, as it contains his advice on creative writing, sets it out in full (p196). Of course, Brendt's own prose measures up and it serves as yet another proof that the reader is in the hands of a real professional.
I accept there is some art history of Venice in there, but it is well-presented and I have to accept that it even enhanced his tales.
18 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Amazing - this book is not at all what one may think one's getting! Maybe one expects a gentle wander through Venice, with the odd anecdote, and of course plenty of historical knowledge served up in an oh so casual manner. In short, like a little book of journalistic appreciation of a beautiful place. One or two readers may even expect it to be an insider's guide to Venice- to which they can then point and say "Oh really, he doesn't understand Venice at all". But read the book, and you'll be flabbergasted! Much like the town he is writing about, Berendt confuses you, sets wrong trails, surprises you and eventually makes you realize you've gone in a huge circle to where you've started out from, only with so much more knowledge and experience. His account of the fate of the Ezra Pound papers for example, is one of the most astounding "real crime" accounts I've read - and of course Berendt manages to spin a web which craftily links it up to Henry James' "Aspern Papers". This is a simply amazing book which leave one gasping at his cunning and elegant way of exploring the dark side of the mysterious town called Venice.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Ideal for anyone who wants to discover the 'real' Venice!
Have been meaning to read this book for ages and then happened upon a bargain copy by chance (hardcover in the 99p store lol!! Read more
Published 16 months ago by LondonBookWorm
Wonderfully evocative!
I enjoyed Midnight . . . his first book, but found this book to be exceptional. For anyone who has visited Venice more than once, the use of the language; record of conversations... Read more
Published 16 months ago by LibraryLady
A Loving Reading with Decent Italian Pronunciations
"Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live? Read more
Published 19 months ago by Donald Mitchell
Hard work
Being an opera singer myself the La Fenice fire was a topic that was compelling for me. I had also recently visited Venice and the newly restored La Fenice so it was high on my... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Scott F. Hannigan
Not really Venetians
John Berendt's book is a fascinating read for anyone who wants to read about the odd characters from outside the city who have populated it over the last decades. Read more
Published 22 months ago by A. Cowan
A non story
After enjoying his debut book Midnight in the garden of good and evil I found The city of falling angels to be a major disappointment mainly due to the absence of a substantial... Read more
Published on 22 Mar 2009 by H. Rogers
travelogue-style visit to Venice
As a fan of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" I probably am in the same class as most readers of both books in being disappointed by this second one. Read more
Published on 11 Dec 2008 by gilly8
too many outsiders not enough venetians
I had wanted to read this book for a long time as I enjoy anything relating to Venice and its history however I was a little disappointed. Read more
Published on 12 Oct 2008 by Mrs Pisaroni
Great Expectations Not Fulfilled
I know what I expected from a new book by Berendt. I expected something better than the last. I realize now that it was a lot to expect. Read more
Published on 23 Sep 2008 by Ford Ka
Limited sympathy for small-town gossip
I found this on a second-hand stall one Saturday morning a few weeks ago. The unique qualities of Venice have fascinated millions of people for hundreds of years, and though we... Read more
Published on 24 July 2007 by Jeremy Walton
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