Customer Reviews

Venice from the Ground Up

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you have been to Venice or are planning to go, "Venice from the Ground Up" is a great book and necessary for you to own.

Why would a city become established and then flourish in what would seem to be the unlikeliest place--in the middle of a lagoon? In answering this question this excellent book proves the basic concept of the other "From the Ground Up" book, ("Rome from the Ground Up"), that you can't understand a city without knowing how it developed-and understand the interplay of natural and historical forces, and cultural institutions.

Like the earlier book, this one visualizes a city at various moments in its lifespan. In Rome one grasps immediately that a modern city is overlying a classical one. Venice is different because after it consolidated from clusters of islands and channels became defined as canals, a city of waterways instead of streets emerged which presents a bewildering labyrinth to the visitor.

This book is ingeniously well organized to sort it all out. The text presents a development of Venetian architecture, history and society in stages coordinated to the series of clearly legible maps at the end, with the places discussed in the text located in numbered sequence on the map, so that the book can be also be used as a guide to this exploration of Venice in a slice in time, by foot and boat. (Practical information is included on catching the Venetian bus, the vaporetto, etc.)

I also own a thick comprehensive guidebook to the city organized in itineraries in various neighborhoods which I carried around with me in Venice--but "Venice from the Ground Up" is more valuable in understanding what you are seeing, which is more a matter of perspective and context than of minutiae.

This is still a very complete and scholarly book, elegantly designed, illustrated with wonderful historic prints and paintings and beautiful contemporary photographs which seem to keep you moving between the present and the past. The author is a sparklingly inventive writer, and his descriptions are as vivid as paintings. I had to read through just to find out how the story of Venice would arrive at our own day.

I love Canaletto's paintings, and this book has enlivened his paintings for me in new ways. If you love Venice, or are planning to go there, you need to have this book to enhance your understanding or renew your love of this amazing city.

This book is not a typical guide - where to eat and sleep - but rather a detailed architectural guide with enough history mixed in to put it all into context. Having explored most of the sites discussed, I found that the author gives excellent insight into the buildings, adds detail that enhances visits and turns the buildings that would otherwise blend into the city into treasures. A must for architecture fans and those who want to explore beyond the traditional half day in the St. Marks area.

After reading throughfully several books of Venice (both English and Spanish) this one provided insightful information, perfect tips, great history coverage. Highly recomended if you want to learn about Venice or planning a trip there.

Being an artist I was prompted by the cover for my library as well as the content. All exceed my expectations. Get this book. I've been to Venice twice! (a professional watercolourist)

Don't purchase the Kindle Edition of this book. It is an excellent book, but you won't have any of the illustrations or pictures that are a crucial part of the text.

This is a beautifully written and illustrated book for the Veneice lover. Nice mix of history and building descriptions.

This is an excellent book in hard copy. The kindle edition does not contain the illustrations or maps, telling you to view the hard copy to see them! The only way to know this before purchasing is to read buyer's comments. This is why the review is headed "A bit of a con". I wanted the text to take to Venice for our fourth trip, but didn't want the weight, so I have bought the Kindle edition, but I will need to copy some of the illustrations from the hard copy and take the copies as well. Why does Amazon do such silly things?

Having just returned from my first visit to Venice, I was, like the rest of the many tourists all over, completely taken with the beauty of Venice. It is a breath-taking, but very crowded place. I am still fascinated with how the city was actually, physically constructed. I was hoping to read a book about tradesmen, laying foundations, the hard work involved in physically building this spectacular city. I have gotten bogged down in the historial minutae of the book (not really all that interesting to me) and have not found any sections yet dealing with architecture, construction, building supplies. If I lived in Venice and wanted a new refrigerator, how would I get it? How would I get rid of my old one? It is a curious, unique microcosm-one that this book has not (yet, anyway) addressed.