the city of falling angels
A fun-filled romp through Italy with detailed descriptions, hilarious situations and inspiring commentary. The tourists had gone, and in their absence the Venice they inhabited had all but closed down. Signor and Signora Seguso had always taken a box for the season, and over the years they had been given increasingly desirable locations until they finally found themselves next to the royal box. For two hundred years, audiences had delighted in the sumptuous clarity of the Fenice's acoustics, the magnificence of its five tiers of gilt-encrusted boxes, and the baroque fantasy of it all. She threw herself to the ground in front of the theater, flailing her arms and rolling on the pavement. This book was slow going. The City of Falling Angels is Berendt's first book since Midnight, and it immediately reminds one what all the fuss was about. The Ezra Pound and Save Venice incidents largely involve dubious Americans with huge egos that need stroking. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. But for a non-Venetian, Jewish atheist, gaining approval for even a temporary burial would be a quest fraught with obstacles. Save Venice had become a hugely popular charity in America, largely because it was set up to be, in a sense, a participatory charity. John Berendt is a former magazine writer and his first book "Midnight In The Garden of Good And Evil" was a fascinating peek at Savannah society as well as a peek inside the judicial system - following trials of Jim Williams for murder - tried multiple times for the same murder and acquitted each time. One that was about the real inhabitants and daily lives of Venetians. 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. But nothing comes without a price. I had made plans, months before, to come to Venice for a few weeks in the off-season in order to enjoy the city without the crush of other tourists. And—most important of all—Clary can finally call Jaceher boyfriend. 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. The City of Falling Angels NPR coverage of The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt. Intrigued by the rumors circulating among the Venetians as to the source and cause of … I recently bought the book and read it again, with hopes of recommending it to my book group. While technically a piece of non-fiction, the narrative structure of this book makes it seem more an interwoven collection of short vignettes. Just as she started to lower the curtain, Signora Seguso saw a flash. I'm getting ready for a trip to Venice and this book added to my excitement. The book was well-written, but I would recommend it only if you have a deep, abiding interest in Italy or Venice. Earlier in the day, Count Marcello had learned that the exiled Russian poet and Nobel laureate Joseph Brodsky had died suddenly of a heart attack, at fifty-five, in New York. "You have a point," Marcello replied, "but, as everybody knows, going to the opera has always been a social thing. What a great book. In winter Save Venice kept the spirit alive by mounting a fund-raising ball in New York. It was a foggy night, and the image of the decrepit walls of the opera house standing through the mist as we walked through the square left a strong imprint on my mind. AbeBooks.com: The City of Falling Angels (9781594200588) by John Berendt and a great selection of similar New, Used and Collectible Books available now at great prices. Like his previous nonfictional work, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" the author takes an event, (this time the fire at the Fenice, the Venice Opera House in 1996) investigates it and creates a story he, as the author, and we the reader, all become intrigued by. OTHER BOOKS. Signor Seguso came quickly to the window. In response, Signor Seguso remarked from the other room that it must have come in very quickly, because he had seen the quarter moon in a clear sky only a few minutes before. Antonio was visiting a friend near the Rialto. With his repeated mentions of both Wings of the Dove and The Aspern Papers, Berendt returns throughout The City of Falling Angels to a theme of "the feigning of love as a means to gain something of value" (p. 184). Igor Stravinsky had been buried on San Michele, and so had Sergei Diaghilev and Ezra Pound. by Penguin Books. This was not at all unusual in Venice, where building space had always been at a premium. Anyway, who knows what the hell young people will want five years from now?". Then came the main body of the theater with its elaborately rococo auditorium, and finally the vast backstage area. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. The book never seemed to take off or really finish. The City of Falling Angels. The City of "Fallen Angels" - Land of the Wizards and Fallen Ones Two Episode Compilation feat. He knew that, for all its storied loveliness, the Fenice was at this moment an enormous pile of exquisite kindling. Recently, Save Venice had restored the Fenice's painted curtain, at a cost of $100,000. 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. It was interesting to learn about the city's history and art, as well as its present day politics and culture. Turning to the magic, mystery, and decadence of Venice, Berendt gradually reveals the truth behind a sensational fire that in … Then they heard the sirens, lots of them, many more than usual. The press frequently sought him out for comment, knowing they could count on a frank, often provocative quote or two. Then it soared aloft again, banked over the Fenice and, to cheers from rooftops, dropped its water. Save Venice was headquartered in New York. How can you become an amazing Italian speaker when you're short on time? I was hoping for an eye-opening view of Venice, but I didn’t think this book came anywhere near the intriguing descriptive language of Berendt’s first book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. 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. "Papa!" An enlightening read. Some years ago I read Berendt’s book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and I absolutely loved it. 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. She thought it was lightning. The author relates everything that is great and not so great about Venice. Men in the Seguso family had been glassmakers since the fourteenth century. However, I felt that the author went into way more detail about the Fenice fire than I needed to know. The fire went on leaping and taunting and sucking up great turbulent currents of air that set the flames snapping like brilliant red sails in a violent wind. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. I love Berendt's style of writing and this is very well done. This was an intriguing book ostensibly about the Venice Opera fire but also about Venetian society at large, including the ex-pat community. Perfect. Welcome back. 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). Berendt's book book covered much more of course, the opera house fire, political feuds, quirky residents, and more. And, without trying to be facetious or condescending, it is a lovely book to read at bedtime. Does reading The City of Falling Angels make you want to visit Venice? Unable to add item to List. As travel writing, City of Falling Angels. Every available plot on the burial island of San Michele had been spoken for years ago. The great crystal chandelier had fallen to the floor. The book was released on April 5, 2011. If you have read both books, compare and contrast them. Seen from above, Venice resembled a jigsaw puzzle of terra-cotta rooftops. The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt Sceptre £20, pp388. About an hour after the first alarm, the city's big fire launch pulled up at the landing stage behind Haig's Bar. Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2009. Clary is practicing to use her new unique power. The door opened. This book was recommended by a friend and she wasn't wrong - I love it. I think I was expecting the same. There really wasn't enough there for discussion. The floors in the entrance wing had collapsed, one onto another. The Fenice itself was dark. ‘What did the Count eat today, children? I had made plans, months before, to come to Venice for a few weeks in the off-season in order to enjoy the city without the crush of other tourists. It's easy: 5 Minute Italian Short Stories for Beginners. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Forced into hiding. We learn a lot about the burning of the Fenice opera house, Ezra Pound's estate, and everyday life in Venice. He was eighty-six-tall, thin, his posture still erect. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Twelve years ago, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil exploded into a monumental success, residing a record-breaking four years on the New York Times bestseller list (longer than any work of fiction or nonfiction had before) and turning John Berendt into a household name. Just a disclaimer: I read that one when I was about 14, so perhaps my tastes have just changed. The Mortal War is over, and Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. I read this book when it first came out, and I remember it as being one of the best books I ever read. It was just hard to hold my interest, but I hate not finishing a book. Gino was still out at the Seguso glass factory in Murano. The author introduces us to many interesting people, both the native Venetians of all classes and the various expatriats who call Venice home. It was October of 1997 during my honeymoon and my husband and I had just arrived and were trying to find our Venetian hotel. That afternoon Marcello had spoken by phone with Brodsky's widow, Maria, and they had discussed the possibility of burying Brodsky in Venice. 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. They were large, muscular hands, the hands of an artisan whose work demanded physical strength. She’s training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. I was so glad when this book was over. The City of Falling Angels is Berendt's first book since Midnight, and it immediately reminds one what all the fuss was about. The investigation of the opera house fire wasn't as compelling as the murder mystery in the the author's previous book, but it still was interesting to see how the Italian legal system operates. 5 Minute Italian Short Stories for Beginners: A fun and easy way to learn Italian f... France: Travel for kids: The fun way to discover France (Travel Guide For Kids). THE FENICE WAS NOW RINGED BY A TUMULT OF SHOUTS and running footsteps. Signor Seguso stood silently at his bedroom window, watching as the flames raced across the entire top floor of the entrance wing. 1 Description 2 Plot 2.1 Part one: Exterminating Angels 2.2 Part Two: For Every Life 3 Chapters 4 Characters 4.1 Shadowhunters 4.2 … When the fire broke out, a million things went swiftly and horribly wrong: the interior of the opera house was littered with open paint cans, chemicals, and cloths, making accidental fire an inevitability, and the fire alarm was disabled. Really wanted there to be a lurid murder like in Berendt's Midnight, but I guess there are limits to what a literary non-fiction author can do for the sake of his craft. I was so glad when this book was over. Over the past thirty years, Save Venice had restored scores of paintings, frescoes, mosaics, statues, ceilings, and building façades. An intriguing tour of mysterious Venice and its most fascinating residents, centered around a 1996 fire that destroyed the city's historic opera house. It had become a specialty of Venetian burglars to escape from the scene of a crime by leaping from roof to roof. 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. I wish John Berendt had written a different book about Venice. Shortly before nine o'clock, Archimede Seguso sat down at the dinner table and unfolded his napkin. The City of Falling Angels NPR coverage of The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt. This book is actually one I like to read again and again. It was generally understood that any new arrival, even a native Venetian, would be dug up in ten years and moved to a common burial site farther out in the lagoon. A great story-teller who aptly mixes history with mystery. 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. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: A Savannah Story, Death at La Fenice: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery, Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture. Large sections of it only loosely tied into the main story of the burning of Teatro La Fenice, Venice's opera house. There is no Lady Chablis! 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. Fire Commandant Alfio Pini had already made a momentous strategic decision: The Fenice was lost; save the city. "In the old days," he said, "the private boxes had curtains you could close, even during the performance. The series was meant to end with City of Glass; it was announced in March 2010 that a fourth book would be added, with Cassandra Clare later saying that she views this as a "second trilogy" in the series. And that's good. The first time I went to Venice, I remember simultaneously wiping my eyes and … A fantastic book. Still, there had been notable exceptions. There's a problem loading this menu right now. For anyone interested in a snapshot of Venetian elite living, although not quite. 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. I love Berendt's style of writing and this is very well done. Berendt is a very patient writer, which to me is neither a compliment or an insult. The canal next to the Fenice had been drained recently, and because of this the fire boats weren't even able to reach the building at first, and then had no immediate water supply. of Venice's famed historic opera house, the Fenice--and the byzantine aftermath of this great loss to the city. "If there had been a wind Monday night," the water-taxi driver told me as we came across the lagoon from the airport, "there wouldn't be a Venice to come to. Hmm. While the picture is still presented by an interloper into Venetian culture, his view see. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. ), the character development (how many characters? The book starts off of course, where the last one left off after the Mortal War had concluded and everything seems to be going as planned. I found many parts of this book boring including the story line (was there an ending? ), the character development (how many characters? Two firemen rushed in and disappeared into a dense white wall of smoke. You can even see it in the architecture. 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. It married a mystery with quirky characters, with history - all of the components that made "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" truly great. They had all been buried in the Anglican and Greek Orthodox section, and all would be allowed to remain there in perpetuity. Nonetheless highly recommended, especially for those planning a trip to Italy and Venice. About The City of Falling Angels. "They told me we should leave the house at once." Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in, Or get 4-5 business-day shipping on this item for $5.99 It was an interesting story but it wasn't as good as Midnight. 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. What specific aspect of the city most intrigues or repels you? "Midnight" is one of my favorite books- next time, try New Orleans. If it was, the most impressive private library in Venice would disappear with it. The opera house was being restored, and was supposed to reopen within a month. I LOVED Midnight. The great crystal chandelier had fallen to the floor. Much of the book resembles material from Hello! Hotel lobbies and souvenir shops stood virtually empty. This remark was nominally directed to the person next to him, but it was really intended for the ears of a handsome man with a dark beard in his mid-fifties who was standing a few feet away: the mayor of Venice, Massimo Cacciari. by John Berendt. One that was about the real inhabitants and daily lives of Venetians. But alas, I remember it better than it was. It was early February, in the middle of the peaceful lull that settles over Venice every year between New Year's Day and Carnival. Need to reread this one again. Very well done vignettes on Venetian history as promptef by the fire of the opera house. Countess Marcello worked for Save Venice, the American nonprofit organization devoted to raising money for restoring Venetian art and architecture. The city of falling angels Item Preview remove-circle ... For a couple of bucks -- Opera buffa -- Beware of falling angels -- The man who loved others -- The inferno revisited -- Open house Venice, a city steeped in a thousand years of history, art and architecture, teeters in precarious balance between endurance and decay. The absurdities are worth reading about particularly if you are aware of NYC socialites whose names are within the book. The series was meant to end with City of Glass; it was announced in March 2010 that a fourth book would be added, with Cassandra Clare later saying that she views this as a "second trilogy" in the series. Within days I had heard about it in such detail I felt as if I had been there myself. We learn a lot about the burning of the Fenice opera house, Ezra Pound's estate, and everyday life in Venice. 56? He could sculpt heavy pieces out of solid glass and blow vases so thin and fragile they could barely be touched. Being mayor automatically made him president of the Fenice, which meant he had been responsible for the security of the theater and would now be in charge of rebuilding it. The loss of the Fenice, where five of Verdi’s operas premiered, is a catastrophe for Venetians. For example, the story of Ezra Pound's papers was very compelling to me, probably because I have. Thus, for example, much space is given over to the machinations surrounding the papers of Ezra Pound, and the intrigues and squabbles within the rich patrons of the Save Venice movement. The Gran Teatro La Fenice was one of the splendors of Venice; it was arguably the most beautiful opera house in the world, and one of the most significant. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 11, 2015. Tiffany sold his pieces in its Fifth Avenue store. 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. Suddenly alone in WWII America, a dynamic young woman wages the injury of truth against the protection of a lie as she shapes a home and community. "How can you say such a thing? Please try again. Interesting history and journalism together, Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2018. The artists, politicians, philanthropists, tradespeople, and the European nobility all become essential to the ultimate dysfunction of rebuilding this Venetian architectural treasure. The arc of water barely reached the windowsill. 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. The helicopter turned and flew back to the Grand Canal to load up again. Hmm. 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. Then he would close the curtains again, and a servant would come from the house with a basket of chicken and some wine. But elsewhere this is far from true. This year it was to be a masked ball, based on the theme of Carnival, and it would be held in the Rainbow Room on the sixty-fifth floor of Rockefeller Center. John Berendt arrived three days later. But, as in "Midnight," Berendt is not content to merely tell a gripping story. AMAZON BARNES & NOBLE GET WEEKLY BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS: Email Address Subscribe Tweet. The Fenice had commissioned dozens of operas that had premiered on its stage-Verdi's La Traviata and Rigoletto, Igor Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress, Benjamin Britten's The Turn of the Screw. In the living room, Signora Seguso paused to look out the window before lowering the curtain. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. It formulated my travel plans in the city. Two fireboats managed to navigate to a water-filled canal a short distance from the Fenice. Lesa Marcello was the director of its Venice office. While technically a piece of non-fiction, the narrative structure of this book makes it seem more an interwoven collection of short vignettes. The #1 New York Times bestseller! ), and the bland portrait of Venice. The rest, particularly the boxes, are really best for looking at the audience. 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. Signor Seguso went into his bedroom and stood at the corner window, which was even closer to the Fenice than the living room window. Thank you, Holter Graham, for not doing Italian accents! Lesa Marcello had flown to New York earlier in the week to attend the winter ball. I loved it! The loss of the Fenice, where five of Verdi's operas premiered, is a catastrophe for Venetians. I got to read the stories behind the rich tapestry of what Venice is. On this particular day, in fact, he had risen at his usual hour of 4:30 A.M., convinced as always that the pieces he was about to make would be more beautiful than any he had ever made before. Its history, its greats, its eccentrics, its social history, what Venice was, is and what it hopes to be. I picked up this book and bought it mainly because of my first memory of Venice. This book is as much about Venice and the people who live there as it is about the Fenice opera house fire. Marcello knew that this would not be easily arranged. 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. Plot. Marcello's library occupied most of the second floor. Someone is murdering the Shad… Early in the year 1996, Venice watched while the Fenice Opera House burned to its destruction. Suddenly another enormous boom shook the ground. In "Falling Angels" the core event is the destruction by fire (arson?) He had once described himself to an interviewer as "inquisitive, restless, eclectic, impulsive and capricious." The City of Falling Angels Summary. City of Fallen Angels. Like his previous nonfictional work, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" the author takes an event, (this time the fire at the Fenice, the Venice Opera House in 1996) investigates it and creates a story he, as the author, and we the reader, all become intrigued by. Somewhat of a falling off, probably because Berendt found more interesting weirdos in Savannah than he did in Venice. Even in these side stories, however, I never lost confidence that Berendt would bring them together in the end. 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. It's inevitable that readers of Midnight will have high expectations for Berendt's latest, and I, too, wanted to be charmed when I began Angels. One of them drew his pistol and fired three shots at the lock. Marcello decided they should leave the house at once. Signora Seguso could not get through to the fire brigade, so she dialed 112 for the police. 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 with the pigeons in Piazza San Marco), but there are also many unique aspects as a result of its geography if nothing else. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. The people and places you meet in the book are interesting, but he just couldn't find the quirkiness and the mystery that he found in Savannah. This book is not a shot of vodka or even a can of diet coke, but it’s a very nice cup of tea or warm glass of milk. "What a shame," he said. "It's burning like straw.". Signor Seguso waited patiently at the table. As always there is a memorable cast of characters. Marcello walked to the edge of Campo San Fantin and found himself standing in the midst of a crowd that included the entire city council, which had rushed in a body from Ca' Farsetti, the town hall, where it had been in an evening session. Inevitable that this would be compared to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Marcello's remark clearly implied that, in his opinion, neither Cacciari nor his left-wing government had the competence to do it. "They already knew about the fire," she said. People spoke in hushed, dazed tones of the sort one hears when there has been a sudden death in the family. Brodsky had been a passionate lover of Venice and a friend and houseguest of Marcello's. Start by marking “The City of Falling Angels” as Want to Read: Error rating book. An interesting book about the town of Venice and the people who actually live there- as opposed to the tourists. My grandfather loved going to the opera, but he didn't give a damn about music. As travel writing, City of Falling Angels is superb. 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.