The City of Falling Angels, by John Berendt
"Beware of falling angels" is the sign that
greeted visitors to Venice before restoration was completed
on the Church of Santa Maria della Salute, and it provides
the title for John Berendt's captivating exposé
of the social elite of this city of mazes and masquerades.
La Fenice, Venice's historic opera, destroyed by fire
three days prior to Berendt's arrival in January of
1996, becomes the focus of his investigation of the
enchanting, haunting, enigmatic city and its aristocracy.
Fire investigators uncover evidence of arson, but in
the course of talking to witnesses, restoration activists,
and city officials, Berendt discovers the elements of
a fascinating mystery which he retells in this audio
book.
What he finds beneath the surface of
the popular tourist destination is a city inhabited
by characters as diverse as the master glassblower,
Archimede, who witnessed the fire from his window and
used it as the inspiration for a dramatic series of
new pieces, Peggy Guggenheim, the eccentric American
art collector, performance artists, Italian politicians,
Ezra Pound's mistress, and wealthy Americans who support
restoration projects. As he's warned soon after his
arrival, "Venetians are only telling the truth
some of the time."
John Berendt is well-known as the author of Midnight
in the Garden of Good and Evil, and just as
we experienced Savannah through his eyes, it feels very
fitting to hear him narrate his interpretation of Venice's
magical allure. This abridgement is done very well and
leaves no noticeable gaps.
Venetians may never forgive John Berendt
for revealing inner secrets of the habitants of one
of the most popular tourist destinations in the world,
but the very portrayal that may anger Venetians is what
will mesmerize listeners. I would recommend this audio
book to anyone who has enjoyed or plans a trip to Venice
or who is interested in celebrity gossip, social politics,
or the restoration of historic sites. Of course, anyone
who qualifies on all counts will be delighted.
Ruth
Mormon
11/20/05