Garden of Venus [Paperback]

EVA STACHNIAK (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 455 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd (2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0002005786
• ISBN-13: 978-0002005784
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,051,762 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born in Wrocław, Poland.

I came to Canada in 1981 on an English scholarship to McGill University where I defended my doctoral thesis in 1988. In Poland I taught at the English Department of the University of Wrocław.

In 1984-86 I worked for Radio Canada International, the Polish Section, in Montreal, writing and producing radio programs about Canada. In 1988 I joined the faculty of Sheridan College where I taught English and humanities courses until 2007.

My first short story, "Marble Heroes," was published by the Antigonish Review in 1994, and my debut novel, Necessary Lies, won the Amazon.com/Books in CanadaFirst Novel Award in 2000.

I live in Toronto.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliantly written novel with exotic scenes & lots of history, December 3, 2006

By 

Jagoda Urban-Klaehn "PolishSite Host at: http... (Idaho Falls, ID USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Garden of Venus (Paperback)

I loved this book. The novel is set up in two slightly differing times and circumstances. It describes a life of Sophie Glavani-Potocka, a famous courtesan born in Greece in a poor family. Sophie later moved to Poland where she married the very important aristocrat. She was able to change her status thanks to her beauty, intelligence and shrewdness. The history of Poland, the history of Europe of that time (turn of 18th and 19th centuries) is intertwined in her life. The characters live and breathe and their world is filled with fascinating details.

I really recommend it to everybody. It is a very joyful and interesting book.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars suprisingly good, July 30, 2006

By 

clara f "clara f" (Sydney) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Garden of Venus (Paperback)

I actually picked this book up under it's alternative title "Dancing with Kings" as a light 'puff-piece' read between heavier historical biographies & am very glad I did. It is well written and especially interesting for those who like their European history. I was especially interested to discover that the heroine of the story was based on fact and that the more incredible 'plot turns' in Countess Sophie's life, were actually true. Am amazed we haven't heard more of her before. It's not a deep book nor is Sophie especially sympathetic as a heroine, however it's possibly the honesty of the story and the characters that made it a far more intelligent and entertaining read than I had expected.