Vidal in Venice [Hardcover]

Gore Vidal (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson; 1ST edition (October 24, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0297786881
• ISBN-13: 978-0297786887
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,941,427 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gore Vidal has received the National Book Award, written numerous novels, short stories, plays and essays. He has been a political activist and as Democratic candidate for Congress from upstate New York, he received the most votes of any Democrat in a half-century.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A loving Portrait of Venice, December 11, 2000

By 

W.Khan - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vidal in Venice (Hardcover)

Gore Vidal takes you across more than a thousand years of Venetian history ___from its improbable origins as a safe haven from the marauding hordes of Attila the Hun (5th century AD), through a thousand years of the great Venetian Republic ("The Serene Republic"!)____down to its present day status as a tourist Mecca . Vidal garnishes his observations of the city and its people with characteristic irreverant humor.The pace of the book is pretty informal with short chapters devoted to the origins of Venice, its geography , the great mercantile Venetian empire which lasted over a millenium ,the flowering of arts : Veronese , Tintoretto, Giorgione , Vivaldi & Palladio were all at some point or another associated with the city . Also interspersed are some observations about Venice which most foreigners may not be familiar with e.g: "There is no sight more beautiful than Venice under a snowfall .Venice is like a once-great beauty who deserves to be seen by candlelight , and the soft light of winter works like a photographer's air-brush on the city's many cracks and wrinkles .Venice is particularly beautiful in a winter mist " etc.Also included is a chapter on the high and mighty who chose to spend some time in Venice : Henry James, Byron, Richard Wagner not to mention that Stravinsky is buried there .This is a good light read and Vidal is an entertaining guide along the way.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Glorious to look at, fabulous to read, November 23, 2010

By 

P. Schumacher (atlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vidal in Venice (Hardcover)

Many coffee table books are pretty but have vapid text.

Not this one.

The pictures are splendid, and the text weaves them all together. Even the picture-captions (by Vidal) are witty and intriguing.

Vidal, with his wide historical knowledge, not only of Europe but of the U.S., is able to describe the development of Venice in a truly engaging way. The facts are there, presented as sweetly as the lovely pics.

5.0 out of 5 stars Venice, January 23, 2012

By 

nan - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vidal in Venice (Paperback)

very good pictures which reminded me of a recent trip to Venice. Good descriptions and history written by Vidal. Worth the price which was used book in excellent shape.