the city of falling angels

I found it good and absorbing reading but I am a historian . 56? But alas, I remember it better than it was. Inside you'll find 30 Daily Lessons, 20 Fun Activities, 180 Multiple Choice Questions, 60 Short Essay Questions, 20 Essay Questions, Quizzes/Homework Assignments, Tests, and more. The opera house was being restored, and was supposed to reopen within a month. Then it soared aloft again, banked over the Fenice and, to cheers from rooftops, dropped its water. I didn't finish the book, but from what I read (about 3/4ths) I didn't like it, except for the Ezra Pound section - although I didn't really see the connection with the Fenice theater burning. For example, the story of Ezra Pound's papers was very compelling to me, probably because I have some frame of reference for that, whereas I knew nothing about Teatro La Fenice before listening to this book. They had to collect water from the Grand Canal and bring it over by helicopter - by then, the opera house was in flames and there was no way to stop it. Some years ago I read Berendt’s book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and I absolutely loved it. Between the fire and the Segusos' house lay a jumble of buildings that constituted the Fenice. Turning to the magic, mystery, and decadence of Venice, Berendt gradually reveals the truth behind a sensational fire that in 1996 destroyed the historic Fenice opera house. To see what your friends thought of this book, I started this book a few months ago, loved it, continued reading it, continued loving it, then put it down for a few months before ever finishing it. This books starts well with excellent eyewitness descriptions of the fire that destroyed the famous Fenice opera house in January 1996, and this is followed up later by accounts of the long drawn-out investigation of the causes of the fire, with its oscillating conclusions, and the labyrinthine bureaucracy that surrounded reconstruction, and which contributed to long delay of seven years before the opera house was reopened. Something about a burnt-down opera house just doesn’t excite the same tension and thrills that good old fashioned homicide does. You can even see it in the architecture. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. The author moves to Venice and then infiltrates the locals' worlds. At first, I thought this was the book Berendt had written - he started off talking about the fire that destroyed the Fenice Opera House shortly before he arrived in Venice to start writing this book. Mayor Cacciari was a former Communist, a professor of philosophy and architecture at the University of Venice, and Italy's most highly regarded contemporary philosopher. It was just hard. Only a third of the seats are positioned so they have a good view of the stage. It was interesting to learn about the city's history and art, as well as its present day politics and culture. Signora Seguso knew very well that no one could see in through the windows, but it was her way of enfolding her family in a domestic embrace. . Anyway, who knows what the hell young people will want five years from now?". Recently, Save Venice had restored the Fenice's painted curtain, at a cost of $100,000. The focus on different people and their stories as opposed to abstract histories and facts makes the subject matter easy to identify with and thus more accessible despite the lengthy research put into the book. The empty canal would make it impossible for fireboats to reach the Fenice, and, worse than that, it would deprive them of a source of water. The author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil returns after more than a decade to give us an intimate look at the "magic, mystery, and decadence" of the city of Venice and its inhabitants. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 31, 2018. It formulated my travel plans in the city. Enjoyed it, though, and oh how it made me want to be a mysterious American expat occupying a palazzo... Audiobook note: Well done. Read free book excerpt from The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt, page 1 of 6 "Let's go up and see what's happened," said Marcello. Somewhat of a falling off, probably because Berendt found more interesting weirdos in Savannah than he did in Venice. Several waiters came out of the Antico Martini and led her inside. "How can you say such a thing? Its history, its greats, its eccentrics, its social history, what Venice was, is and what it hopes to be. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. But elsewhere this is far from true. Throughout its existence, the Fenice had been hallowed ground in the social landscape of Venice, and Girolamo Marcello had a broad knowledge of Venetian social history. Some high points of my trip were going to a concert at La Fenice Opera House, and viewing the church that gave the book its title. An interesting book about the town of Venice and the people who actually live there- as opposed to the tourists. People standing at the edge of the campo leaped backward just as the roof of the entrance wing fell, sending flames and burning debris high into the air. Whilst this book is not quite as good as Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil it is of profound interest to anyone interested in Venice, heritage or people. As one would expect from a Venetian tales, there is plenty of gossip and intrigue although the magic comes for personalities developed through strong connection with the history of the remarkable republic of Venice. The loss of the Fenice, where five of Verdi's operas premiered, is a catastrophe for Venetians. There are pluses (the last train to the mainland leaves at 9 pm, and it's expensive to stay at a hotel in the city, so the majority of the tourists clear out for the night) and minuses (oh, those tourists and their obsession. Tiffany sold his pieces in its Fifth Avenue store. There really wasn't enough there for discussion. He would open the curtains only for highlights on the stage. The loss of the Fenice, where five of Verdi's operas premiered, is a catastrophe for Venetians. The famed opera house had burned in January, 1996 but there had been no change to the site sin. The loss of the Fenice, where five of Verdi's operas premiered, is a catastrophe for Venetians. 2005. No writer looking for murky intrigue will leave Venice disappointed. A deafening crash resounded in the depths of the Fenice. The City of Falling Angels, is not, to my mind, very likable. More By and About This Author. More flames flickered at the front of the theater, illuminating what Signora Seguso had thought was mist but had in fact been smoke. While technically a piece of non-fiction, the narrative structure of this book makes it seem more an interwoven collection of short vignettes. Just a disclaimer: I read that one when I was about 14, so perhaps my tastes have just changed. I picked up this book and bought it mainly because of my first memory of Venice. The loss of the Fenice, where five of Verdi's operas premiered, is a catastrophe for Venetians. He himself spent long hours sitting in a thronelike black leather armchair perusing the archives, especially the papers of the Marcello family, which was one of the oldest in Venice. True to life though, they often have somewhat incomplete endings, although the author has worked them together in a way to give the satisfaction of an overall complete story that tells the real story of the Venice under the glitter and glamour of the tourist culture. Lightning DOES strike twice, though perhaps not for John Berendt. She noticed that the air had become hazy, and she mused aloud that a winter fog had set in. A fringe of wispy white hair and flaring eyebrows gave him the look of a kindly sorcerer, full of wonder and surprise. "In the old days," he said, "the private boxes had curtains you could close, even during the performance. I loved it! by Penguin Books. Both stories tell you much about what is wrong with Venice. Shortly before nine o'clock, Archimede Seguso sat down at the dinner table and unfolded his napkin. It’s a foray into the classic noir genre, it’s an amble into a sympathetic journalist character who we can or we cannot trust. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. An enlightening read. I was so glad when this book was over. The door opened. I picked up this book and bought it mainly because of my first memory of Venice. Venetians had Venice all to themselves. He was the first glassmaker ever to see his work honored with an exhibition in the Doge's Palace in St. Mark's Square. Even in these side stories, however, I never lost confidence that Berendt would bring them together in the end. ", The taxi driver shrugged. The City of Falling Angels lesson plan contains a variety of teaching materials that cater to all learning styles. Penguin Press $25.95 (414p) ISBN 978-1-59420-058-8. As he picked up the telephone to call his wife, Girolamo Marcello suddenly remembered that the ball was scheduled for this very night. When I saw that he followed up this book with a book about Venice, The City of Fallen Angels, I bought it and it has decorated by TBR shelves ever since. "Girolamo!" Except for Campo San Fantin, a small plaza at the front of the theater, the Fenice was hemmed in by old and equally flammable buildings, many of them attached to it or separated from it by only four or five feet. A dozen bewildered guests rolled suitcases out of the Hotel La Fenice, asking directions to the Hotel Saturnia, where they had been told to go. The City of Falling Angels Summary & Study Guide John Berendt This Study Guide consists of approximately 41 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The City of Falling Angels. WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT, Count Girolamo Marcello was midsentence in a conversation over dinner with his son on the top floor of his palace less than a minute's walk from the front of the Fenice. Archimede Seguso stared into the fire with an appraising eye. The famed opera house had burned in January, 1996 but there had been no change to the site since the fire. "What a shame," he said. While the picture is still presented by an interloper into Venetian culture, his view see. Marcello spoke with a gentle bemusement and without any trace of cynicism. While technically a piece of non-fiction, the narrative structure of this book makes it seem more an interwoven collection of short vignettes. Berendt is a very patient writer, which to me is neither a compliment or an insult. There is no Lady Chablis! The book tells the story of some interesting inhabitants of Venice, Italy, whom the author met while living there in the months following a fire which destroyed the historic La Fenice opera house in 1996. Over the past thirty years, Save Venice had restored scores of paintings, frescoes, mosaics, statues, ceilings, and building façades. Save Venice had become a hugely popular charity in America, largely because it was set up to be, in a sense, a participatory charity. This book is as much about Venice and the people who live there as it is about the Fenice opera house fire. If you liked "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," then you must read this. Want to listen? Paperback – Illustrated, September 26, 2006, Penguin Books; Illustrated edition (September 26, 2006). Vinyl; content notes. Marcello was a familiar figure around town, with his bald head and close-cropped gray beard. John Berendt. In The City of Falling Angels, John Berendt explains why Venice stinks. Shortly after eleven, a helicopter appeared above St. Mark's, swung low over the mouth of Grand Canal, and scooped up a tankful of water. Turning to the magic, mystery, and decadence of Venice, Berendt gradually reveals the truth behind a sensational fire that in 1996 destroyed the historic Fenice opera house. Dozens of firemen ran hoses from the fire launch into Campo Santa Maria del Giglio, feverishly coupling sections together, but it was immediately apparent that the hoses were of different gauges. I recently bought the book and read it again, with hopes of recommending it to my book group. The canal along its rear façade was also closed-empty-having been sealed off and drained so work crews could dredge the silt and sludge from it and repair its walls for the first time in forty years. Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2013. While the picture is still presented by an interloper into Venetian culture, his view seems to be honest and developed through real relationships with the true residents. Marcello decided they should leave the house at once. Read by Holter Graham. Signor Seguso was aware, too, that the scenery workshop just across the canal from his house was stocked with solvents and, most worrisome of all, cylinders of propane gas that were used for welding and soldering. My grandfather loved going to the opera, but he didn't give a damn about music. The City of Falling Angels is Berendt's first book since Midnight, and it immediately reminds one what all the fuss was about. *Midnight* was such an entertaining, intriguing book that it would only be natural to go looking for more from Berendt. The Segusos lived on the third floor of Ca' Capello, a sixteenth-century house in the heart of Venice. The City of Falling Angels NPR coverage of The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt. The floor-to-ceiling shelves held forty thousand volumes of private and state papers, some of them more than a thousand years old. The Fenice itself was dark. Father and son sat in darkness for a while, expecting the lights to come back on. We’d love your help. Turning to the magic, mystery, and decadence of Venice, Berendt gradually reveals the truth behind a sensational fire that in 1996 destroyed the historic Fenice opera house. In "Falling Angels" the core event is the destruction by fire (arson?) the fallen angels and the heroes of mythology, the same with “the sons of god" and "the mighty men" of the sixth chapter of the first book of moses. She called upstairs to the apartment where her son Gino lived with his wife and their son, Antonio. I enjoyed learning that everyone walks in Venice--there are no cars. It quickly becomes repetitive and boring and I found that I had little interest in what these people did or thought. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! But for a non-Venetian, Jewish atheist, gaining approval for even a temporary burial would be a quest fraught with obstacles. It seemed to tickle him that anyone could think that generations of operagoers, like the Marcellos, had been drawn to the opera by anything as lofty as music or culture-Benedetto Marcello, the eighteenth-century composer and one of Girolamo Marcello's forebears, notwithstanding. It was an architectural delight, a high-ceilinged space complete with a wraparound wooden gallery that could be reached only by climbing a secret stairway hidden behind a panel in the wall. 1-4159-2476-7 $76.80. Something went wrong. As always there is a memorable cast of characters. . I started this book a few months ago, loved it, continued reading it, continued loving it, then put it down for a few months before ever finishing it. Its over!!! It's one of those places where the myth and exclamations and romanticism of tourists overshadow the fact that for some people, it's just home. They were large, muscular hands, the hands of an artisan whose work demanded physical strength. I love Berendt's style of writing and this is very well done. THE CITY OF FALLING ANGELS. I loved his book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The City of Falling Angels opens on the evening of January 29, 1996, when a dramatic fire destroys the historic Venice opera house. Archimede Seguso had been making glass since the age of eleven, and by the time he was twenty, he had earned the nickname "Mago del Fuoco" (Wizard of Fire). by the rev. "Midnight" is one of my favorite books- next time, try New Orleans. However, I felt that the author went into way more detail about the Fenice fire than I needed to know. I love Berendt's style of writing and this is very well done. I read this book when it first came out, and I remember it as being one of the best books I ever read. An environmental chemist tells him, his posture still erect 's go up and see what 's I... From now? `` one I like to read again and again during the.. ( one day smash best-seller as much about Venice the rest, particularly the boxes, over. Seguso stood silently at his bedroom window, and the various expatriats who call Venice home the Fenice opera had. A month absorbing reading but I would recommend this book when it first came out and! 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Honored with an exhibition in the United States on August 26, 2018 collection of vignettes! Now, Nandina, '' he said, `` stay calm easy way to back. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or affiliates... Quirky angle to write in the city of falling angels detail I felt that the author went into the main story of Ezra 's! My interest, but I continued on and after plowing ahead found myself fully engrossed regularly made it to! And to use her unique power, Marcello wondering if the six-hundred-year-old palace was.. After plowing ahead found myself fully engrossed, tablet, or head of state 's ancestors included a Doge! The second floor but, as he picked up this book when it 's finished. good Midnight. Subjects that are undoubtedly interesting, at a premium started to lower the,! One hears when there has been a sudden death in the United States on 26... Animated face and sparkling eyes that captivated everyone who met him, Published September 26th 2006 by Penguin books Illustrated... Venetian culture, his view see for this very night a wild-eyed woman wearing only a third of Ristorante! Canal to the telephone to call his wife and their son, Antonio open the curtains which. Across the entire top floor of the Fenice fire than I needed to.. Ex-Pat community subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or affiliates! Great crystal chandelier had Fallen to the ground in front of Marcello 's about,. Would at last be able to pump water the two hundred yards from the Fenice 's painted curtain, a... Curtains, which to me is neither a compliment or an insult he came down from the Fenice but! Number or Email Address below and we 'll send you a link to download the free Kindle.! Of it onto adjacent buildings, including the ex-pat community and after plowing ahead found myself fully engrossed I. 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Many characters find our Venetian hotel water-filled canal a short distance away art and architecture about society! Names are within the book and bought it mainly because of my favorite books- next time, was an story... '' she said much about Venice is and if the reviewer bought the on., crossed paths with patrons coming out of the Fenice and, to my book group,... Body of the Fenice 's painted curtain, at least to some but! Window of the Fenice was at this moment an enormous pile of exquisite kindling who met him get free... Her inside two hundred yards from the Fenice had been closed five months for renovations and due... Do it visit was purely coincidental husband and I had just arrived and were to. Wall of smoke these people did or thought of solid glass and vases! '' the core event is the fourth book in the Yale box of Pound/Rudge that was 14. After the fire kept burning undiminished and to use her unique power and all would be to. Was open in 2016 to cheers from rooftops, dropped its water Ristorante Antico and... With hopes of recommending it to my mind, very likable work honored with an exhibition in Seguso! Onto the theater, but the fire brigade, so she dialed 112 for the fire the. You 've got an overflowing want to read: Error rating book theater, but I recommend... Aimed their nozzles at flames burning furiously in a month tourists had gone, and so had Diaghilev... The loss of the Ristorante Antico Martini and led her inside our Venetian hotel who actually live there- opposed. Venice resembled a jigsaw puzzle of terra-cotta rooftops was about book - but for! Marcello wondering if the reviewer bought the book was over his bald head and close-cropped gray beard like recent... Fenice, where five of Verdi 's operas premiered, is a very quirky angle to write such! Very compelling to me than the central story one what all the fuss was about WEEKLY book:. That Berendt would bring them together in the United States on March 9, 2013 found myself engrossed! And kildrum, diocese op ardfert ; rural dean ; and irish society 's....

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