John Berendt
The author arived in February 1996 for a prolonged spell in the city that had captivated him on his first visit. His intention was simply to see it without the obscuring overlay of tourists, but he quickly realized that his arrival had coincided with an extraordinary moment.
Using the fire that destoyed the Fenice Theatre as his starting point, Berendt takes us on a unique tour of the city and its inhabitants. It is a tour that few are privileged to enjoy. For behind the exquisite facade of the world's most beautiful historic city, scandal, corruption and venality are rampant, and Berendt is a master at seeking them out.
Millionaire art collector Peggy Guggenheim, Ezra Pound's mistress Olga Rudge, Alistair and Romilly McAlpine, are some of the high profile residents (or former residents); but no less fascinating are lesser-known eccentric Venetians such as Plant Man Adriano Delon, Massimo Donadon the Rat Man of Treviso, or Mario Moro - self-styled carabiniere, fireman, soldier or airman, depending on the day of the week.
Perfectly poised to gain access to private and unapproachable people and persuade them to talk frankly, Berendt weaves an elegantly captivating narrative that is mischievous, witty and utterly compelling.
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