Nonfiction

The City of Falling Angels

The City of Falling Angels

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  • Create Date：2021-04-24 11:56:17
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：John Berendt
  • ISBN：0143036939
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Summary

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。

Venice， a city steeped in a thousand years of history， art and architecture， teeters in precarious balance between endurance and decay。 Its architectural treasures crumble—foundations shift， marble ornaments fall—even as efforts to preserve them are underway。 The City of Falling Angels opens on the evening of January 29， 1996， when a dramatic fire destroys the historic Fenice opera house。 The loss of the Fenice， where five of Verdi's operas premiered， is a catastrophe for Venetians。 Arriving in Venice three days after the fire， Berendt becomes a kind of detective—inquiring into the nature of life in this remarkable museum-city—while gradually revealing the truth about the fire。

In the course of his investigations， Berendt introduces us to a rich cast of characters: a prominent Venetian poet whose shocking "suicide" prompts his skeptical friends to pursue a murder suspect on their own; the first family of American expatriates that loses possession of the family palace after four generations of ownership; an organization of high-society， partygoing Americans who raise money to preserve the art and architecture of Venice， while quarreling in public among themselves， questioning one another's motives and drawing startled Venetians into the fray; a contemporary Venetian surrealist painter and outrageous provocateur; the master glassblower of Venice; and numerous others-stool pigeons， scapegoats， hustlers， sleepwalkers， believers in Martians， the Plant Man， the Rat Man， and Henry James。

Berendt tells a tale full of atmosphere and surprise as the stories build， one after the other， ultimately coming together to reveal a world as finely drawn as a still-life painting。 The fire and its aftermath serve as a leitmotif that runs throughout， adding the elements of chaos， corruption， and crime and contributing to the ever-mounting suspense of this brilliant book。

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Reviews

Sandra Frey ，

I wish Berendt had more of these portrait-of-a-city books out there。 I like his gentle， amiable style very much， and he clearly has a gift for coaxing eccentrics， loners， and elites to open up about sticky personal matters。 Anyway， I've only spent 24 hours in Venice， but I feel like I was there longer for having read this book。 Never thought I'd be so incensed about the ownership of Ezra Pound's literary legacy。 Good stuff。 I wish Berendt had more of these portrait-of-a-city books out there。 I like his gentle， amiable style very much， and he clearly has a gift for coaxing eccentrics， loners， and elites to open up about sticky personal matters。 Anyway， I've only spent 24 hours in Venice， but I feel like I was there longer for having read this book。 Never thought I'd be so incensed about the ownership of Ezra Pound's literary legacy。 Good stuff。 。。。more

Kathy ，

Another great book by Berendt， again makes me want to see Venice。

Dile_ ，

Più 3。5 che 4 stelle; la scrittura è piacevole e scorrevole， è il testo riesce a richiamare almeno in parte l’atmosfera veneziana。 Sono interessantissimi alcuni aneddoti e luoghi citati， come la storia di Palazzo Barbaro o la vicenda dell’Ezra Pound Foundation。 Ho visto con occhi nuovi alcuni posti della città più meravigliosa in cui io abbia vissuto e che amo。 A parer mio， il testo si dilunga un po’ troppo su dispute che ritengo marginali nell’ottica del libro （i dissing e i gossip della fondaz Più 3。5 che 4 stelle; la scrittura è piacevole e scorrevole， è il testo riesce a richiamare almeno in parte l’atmosfera veneziana。 Sono interessantissimi alcuni aneddoti e luoghi citati， come la storia di Palazzo Barbaro o la vicenda dell’Ezra Pound Foundation。 Ho visto con occhi nuovi alcuni posti della città più meravigliosa in cui io abbia vissuto e che amo。 A parer mio， il testo si dilunga un po’ troppo su dispute che ritengo marginali nell’ottica del libro （i dissing e i gossip della fondazione Save Venice di 25 anni fa non interessano a nessuno）。 Per quanto sia coerente con il fatto principale attorno a cui ruota il romanzo， ovvero l’incendio del Teatro La Fenice del 1996， la successiva vicenda legale che viene descritta nei minimi dettagli non fa altro che allungare il brodo。In fin dei conti una lettura piacevole， ma diversamente da alcuni libri che mi piace rileggere ogni tot， penso che questo verrà lasciato da parte per un bel po’ prima di essere riaperto。 。。。more

Elliot Jackson ，

Oh， man， I really needed this book right now。 I'm not sure whether my severely shortened attention span is due to creeping old age， the Internet， COVID fog， or some creamy and delicious blend of all of the above， but I just haven't had the patience or focus required to plow through long books lately。 Books that would have taken me hours to read， back in Tha Day， now take days， weeks， months。。。or end up unfinished， part of the slag heap at the foot of Mt。 To Be Read。 Particularly nonfiction books Oh， man， I really needed this book right now。 I'm not sure whether my severely shortened attention span is due to creeping old age， the Internet， COVID fog， or some creamy and delicious blend of all of the above， but I just haven't had the patience or focus required to plow through long books lately。 Books that would have taken me hours to read， back in Tha Day， now take days， weeks， months。。。or end up unfinished， part of the slag heap at the foot of Mt。 To Be Read。 Particularly nonfiction books。 So， thank God for "The City of Falling Angels"， part travelogue， part history， part mystery， part gossip column， and part love song of and to the city of Venice。 It was just factual enough that I felt like I was learning something， and just frothy enough to relax into like a warm bath。 Finally， I finished a book again in something like timely fashion！ Yay， John Berendt！ OK， it wasn't as gripping as "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil，" but hey。。。that would have been a TALL order， indeed。 。。。more

Jenna ，

Certainly not as cohesive or engrossing as Berendt’s earlier book （Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil）， but if you’re into Venice or hankering for some armchair travel， or if you get a kick out of profiles of rich eccentrics — my hand's raised on all counts — this is an enjoyable read。 I would have liked La Fenice itself to have played a greater role - its history， its presence in the city， people’s memories of it， reactions to its destruction。 Certainly not as cohesive or engrossing as Berendt’s earlier book （Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil）， but if you’re into Venice or hankering for some armchair travel， or if you get a kick out of profiles of rich eccentrics — my hand's raised on all counts — this is an enjoyable read。 I would have liked La Fenice itself to have played a greater role - its history， its presence in the city， people’s memories of it， reactions to its destruction。 。。。more

Mary Ann ，

This was an entertaining read but there was a bit too much name dropping for my liking。 It feels like the story of the fenice fire needed to be padded to make a full book。 The story of the fire is very interesting but there were a few too many detours to get to its conclusion。

Linda Brunner ，

I went to Savannah and loved it after reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil。 Now if I can just get myself to Venice。 An intimate telling， a journalistic microscope placed over that mysterious and seductive city that is slowly being claimed by water。 I hope I make it before the treasures there are claimed by the sea。

Em Cullen ，

I learned a lot of Venetian society from this book。 And interesting tale that's not just about a burned-down opera house。 I learned a lot of Venetian society from this book。 And interesting tale that's not just about a burned-down opera house。 。。。more

Anna Engel ，

Turns out I don't particularly care about Venice。 Turns out I don't particularly care about Venice。 。。。more

Alice Mulhearn ，

Unlike most books on Venice， City of Falling Angels puts aside the physical city， and tells the story of its inhabitants over the course of 10 years and with the backdrop of the fire and rebuilding of the Fenice opera house。 The investigation into the fire is fascinating， but not all the stories Berendt tells are as riveting， nor particularly relevant to Venice and its people。 I would recommend it to lovers of Venice， but expect that this would be unbearable for anybody with only a passing inter Unlike most books on Venice， City of Falling Angels puts aside the physical city， and tells the story of its inhabitants over the course of 10 years and with the backdrop of the fire and rebuilding of the Fenice opera house。 The investigation into the fire is fascinating， but not all the stories Berendt tells are as riveting， nor particularly relevant to Venice and its people。 I would recommend it to lovers of Venice， but expect that this would be unbearable for anybody with only a passing interest in the city。 。。。more

Paulette ，

This is a gossipy， wide-ranging nonfiction exploration of the history and preservation of Venice after a devastating fire at a major landmark。 Although it was a little heavy on the author’s hobnobbing with the wealthy， the aristocratic， and the powerful， I enjoyed reading about this lovely， mysterious， and contradictory city。

Judy Marshall ，

I waivered between 3 and 4 stars。 I like Berendt's style; he gives an in-depth history lesson woven like a fiction novel thus 4 stars。 Three stars because it wasn't a "I must keep reading" story - it lacks a bit of excitement。 I waivered between 3 and 4 stars。 I like Berendt's style; he gives an in-depth history lesson woven like a fiction novel thus 4 stars。 Three stars because it wasn't a "I must keep reading" story - it lacks a bit of excitement。 。。。more

Matthew MacDougall ，

3。5

Stacy Saxe ，

Fabulous work of nonfiction。 Loved Berendt's character descriptions and descriptions of Venice。 Loved Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and The City of Falling Angels is just as good！！ Fabulous work of nonfiction。 Loved Berendt's character descriptions and descriptions of Venice。 Loved Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and The City of Falling Angels is just as good！！ 。。。more

Andrew McClarnon ，

Fascinating portrait of Ventian goings on， high and low， particularly high。 The sort of book that has the internet creaking with all the 'look ups' that inevitably follow。 Fascinating portrait of Ventian goings on， high and low， particularly high。 The sort of book that has the internet creaking with all the 'look ups' that inevitably follow。 。。。more

Dorothy ，

I love Venice and was looking forward to reading the book but then barely finished。 It did not flow well。 There were so many characters without adding value， no connection。 I thought there would be more about the fire， but had to read about Ezra Pound。 There was no plot。

Rev。 M。 M。 Walters ，

The fire that destroyed the Venice opera house La Fenice in 1996 forms the basis for this book。 The events of the fire and its aftermath really bracket the story。 John Berendt tells a tale of Venice rather that restricting himself to the fire。 He spent considerable time in Venice and he introduces us to some of the history of the Serene Republic and some of the characters who inhabit it today: American expatriates; Venetians of ancient families; civic officials; and those charcacters whose idios The fire that destroyed the Venice opera house La Fenice in 1996 forms the basis for this book。 The events of the fire and its aftermath really bracket the story。 John Berendt tells a tale of Venice rather that restricting himself to the fire。 He spent considerable time in Venice and he introduces us to some of the history of the Serene Republic and some of the characters who inhabit it today: American expatriates; Venetians of ancient families; civic officials; and those charcacters whose idiosyncrazies would set them apart no matter where they lived。 In Berendt's prose， Venice comes alive; and while the book does not make me want to catch the next plane to Venice （as a reviewer from the Boston Globe put it）， my reluctance may have more to do with the Covid-19 pandemic and restricted travel than anything else。Much has changed in Venice since the book was written in 2005。 Berendt writes of the exodus of Venetians from the city and the rising levels of the Aqua Alta， the high water。 Both of these things have continued and gotten worse over time。 Venice has practically been abandoned to tourists these days and the summer floods put much of the city under water。 I remember seeing pictures on the news of St。 Mark's Basilica under three feet of water。 There are organisations which are trying to restore and preserve Venice but they can only do so much。 The real problem is the corruption that has siphoned off much of the money that was to be used to build flood gates in the Lagoon; the project has yet to be completed and those parts that have been built are not workable since they have corroded over time。 Berendt gives us a peek into the workings and the rivalries of some of the groups that are dedicated to preserving Venice。 Their internal struggles and conflicts prevent them from doing much of the good that they would like to do。The book ends with the grand reopening of La Fenice， not quite finished but usable。 We read of the conviction of two men for arson （the fire was deliberate not accidental） but there is a hint that there weere others behind the act The truth may never be fully known。 But isn't that the way in rfeal life？ A mystery novel can tie up all the loose ends， but reality is not so clear cut。 Even with that uncertainty， The City of the Falling Angels is a worthwhile read。 。。。more

Emily ，

Couldn’t finish it

Jane ，

This man gives a clinic in how to write creative non-fiction。

Dean Kephart ，

I loved this nonfiction account of the fire that destroyed Fenice （the grand opera house） and all the stories and scandals that took place as it was rebuilt， taking 8 years。 It gives such great insight into the people who live and celebrate life in Venice。。。 one of my favorite cities in the world。

Stuart ，

This was a terrible book without any purpose。 It discusses the fenice fire， and then goes into people's live that have nothing to do with the fire only explaining briefly their importance to Venice。 Then the author finally finishes in the last couple of chapters the summary of the court case regarding those accused of starting the fire。 Honestly this book didn't have a point， and was filled with useless filler stories。 This was a terrible book without any purpose。 It discusses the fenice fire， and then goes into people's live that have nothing to do with the fire only explaining briefly their importance to Venice。 Then the author finally finishes in the last couple of chapters the summary of the court case regarding those accused of starting the fire。 Honestly this book didn't have a point， and was filled with useless filler stories。 。。。more

melissa ，

Started out good but got continually duller until I just stopped reading it about halfway thru

Laurelle Tarleton ，

I couldn't get into this book。 All of the little stories about different people didn't seem to relate and I got bored with it to be honest。 I couldn't get into this book。 All of the little stories about different people didn't seem to relate and I got bored with it to be honest。 。。。more

Wayne Rurka ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil， is a far superior read。 Berndts' attempt at an overly convoluted story has included many intricacy's that have little to do with main topic。 More an attempt to blend a collection of story's that are a weakly connected。 Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil， is a far superior read。 Berndts' attempt at an overly convoluted story has included many intricacy's that have little to do with main topic。 More an attempt to blend a collection of story's that are a weakly connected。 。。。more

Mark Edlund ，

History non-fiction-a fascinating account about Venice， a city that I love。 It starts with the fire that destroyed the Fenici Opera House in the 1990's。 It moves into the moves and shakers and characters of the city and the government。 Peggy Guggenheim， Ezra Pound and his mistress are all part of the story。 I want to go visit Venice again。No Canadian references。Pharmacy references - a portable grocery store is selling to the local pharmacist。 History non-fiction-a fascinating account about Venice， a city that I love。 It starts with the fire that destroyed the Fenici Opera House in the 1990's。 It moves into the moves and shakers and characters of the city and the government。 Peggy Guggenheim， Ezra Pound and his mistress are all part of the story。 I want to go visit Venice again。No Canadian references。Pharmacy references - a portable grocery store is selling to the local pharmacist。 。。。more

David Smith ，

Very informative about the fire and about the people of Venice。

Tiffany Saddler ，

A little slower than Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil but still an overall enjoyable read。

Danielle ，

The central character of this book is Venice， and everything else flows from that - the events and the people and the stories are elements that serve Venice。 It’s not a tightly knit plot， but that fits - it’s a book that transports you to the author’s Venice， lets you live in the setting and experience it from the cafes and alleys that the author does。

Steve ，

Nonfiction story （or personal chronicle） of the Fenice Opera House fire in Venice。 Pretty in depth description of what happened and what followed。 A deep delve into the society of Venice and what sets Venice apart from other cities in Venice and the world。While completely outside my experience in terms of high society， it did paint a picture of Venetian society and the inner fights and intrigues。

Sue Rice ，

This was an intriguing book ostensibly about the Venice Opera fire but also about Venetian society at large， including the ex-pat community。 Written by the author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil （ which I have not read） the author describes his move to Venice right after the fire and details how the past history of Venice affects its current history。

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The City of Falling Angels

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The City of Falling Angels&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The City of Falling Angels&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0