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Taking the fire that destroyed the Fenice theatre in 1996 as his starting point, John Berendt creates a unique and unforgettable portrait of Venice and its extraordinary inhabitants. Beneath the exquisite facade of the world's most beautiful historic city, scandal, corruption and venality are rampant, and John Berendt is a master at seeking them out. Ezra Pound and his mistress, Olga; poet Mario Stefani; the Rat Man of Treviso; or Mario Moro - self-styled carabiniere, fireman, soldier or airman, depending on the day of the week.
With his background in journalism, Berendt is perfectly poised to gain access to private and unapproachable people, and persuade them to talk frankly to him. The result is mischievous, witty, compelling - and destined to be the non-fiction succes d'estime of the year.
About the author
John Berendt, geboren 1939 in New York als Sohn zweier Schriftsteller, ist einer der großen Autoren Amerikas. Er studierte Englisch an der Harvard Universität, wo er außerdem Redaktionsmitglied der Satirezeitschrift The Harvard Lampoon war. Berendt ist Autor des Bestsellers Mitternacht im Garten der Lüste und war unter anderem Herausgeber des New York Magazine und Mitherausgeber des Esquire. Er lebt in New York.
Report
An engaging journey in which the author navigates Venice's shadowy politics, its tangled bureaucracy and its elegant high-society nightlife with a discerning, sanguine touch. Berendt does great justice to an exalted city that has rightly fascinated the likes of Henry James, Robert Browning and many filmmakers throughout the world . . . In Berendt's capable hands, the city has never seemed more colorful, perplexing and alluring. Kirkus Reviews
