Venice

A work of synthesis and integration as Peter Ackroyd reads everything that has been written about Venice rather than uncovering new sources or conducting original research, but what he adds to the material is a poet's imagination in making metaphorical connections which colour his - and our - view of this version of Venice.This is often more like a collection of thematic essays rather than a linear 'biography' of the city: some of it is relatively well-known - the Venice of the nuns and courtesans, the masked balls, the slavery, banking and trade of nascent capitalism; but there are nice illuminating moments too.Some of the connections can feel a bit forced - Venice is both parsimonious and lavish, according to which idea Ackroyd needs in the moment; both conservative and radically innovative; both patriarchal and allowing women an unprecedented freedom. And my biggest criticism is that there is a defiance of a sense of historicism here as we whizz from the sixteenth- to the nineteenth century often in a single sentence: as if Venice is timeless, somehow outside of time, always the same despite the changes in the world outside.All the same, this is a gloriously pleasurable read: a book that has absorbed a lot of information and reconstituted it via Ackroyd's vision.

There have been many books written about Venice which have entranced readers who have wished to learn about this unique and entrancing city; its long glorious and majestic history as a vibrant city/state,its proud seafaring and mercantile tradition,its sheer dazzling position over the centuries in the arts world,especially during the renaissance,and above all - what makes the Venetians and Venice so different from the rest of Italy.Other writers such as Jan Morris who lived in Venice and JJ Norwich, have written sumptuously about Venice revealing all its crowded history and nuances enough to assuage the most avid reader, but now along comes a consummate writer, Peter Ackroyd to broaden the pallette further and explore hitherto unknown facets of the city. He brings the same fascinating and compelling perspective to Venice as he brought to his biography of London.The city is revealed layer upon layer from its origins to the present; along the way we are entertained by Ackroyds warm unpretentious style as he casts light into all areas and aspects of Venice in an interesting way; there is no room for boredom. I have visited Venice often and it is a city which captivates and compels the visitor to return time and again.If you want to understand Venice and form a deep lasting impression then this is the book for you.

I am a great admirer of the work of Peter Ackroyd. Ever since I read `Hawksmoor`I have sought out all I can of his writing whether it be fiction or non-fiction. I was therefore looking forward to his most recent publication `Venice`. Sadly I can only say I was disappointed. Perhaps Peter Ackroyd is best known for his numerous books about London. This would be understandable since each of them is outstanding in its own right, together they are a monument to one man`s love and appreciation of one of the greatest cities of the world. Unfortunately the samew cannot be said for `Venice`. Perhaps my expectations were set too high. I read the book looking for the spark to ignite the narrative-it did not happen. Throughout I could not help thinking the author`s heart was not in the writing nor, more surprisingly, the city. In fairness, the fault could be all mine because I had recently re-read Jan Morris`s book of the same name. Reading Morris`s book had been a pleasure from start to finish simply because the author made me feel the same way about the city. This never happened with Peter Ackroyd`s book. Too often I felt the latter book had been written to a formula. The layout of the chapters are similar to those of Morris`s book. Was this accidental or deliberate? I admit this is a partial view and I do not really want to dissuade anyone from reading Peter Ackroyd. All I would really suggest is that if you are a newcomer to Peter Ackroy`s work choose another of his books and if you want a book about Venice read the one by Jan Morris

This is a thoroughly enjoyable biography of Venice. I found the writing style very engaging, and I learned a lot about the city and its history. Although the book is organised into themes rather than as a chronological history , it is easy to follow the development of the city from the middle ages from up to the present day, through this vivid and entertaining account. There is quite a collection of characters in the pages; Tintoretto, Vivaldi, Marco Polo, Casanova, Canaletto, Saint Mark, and Napoleon all feature in the narrative, and all contributed in their own way to what is a unique and fascinating place.The author, Peter Ackroyd, makes clear that the pursuit of wealth and trade underpinned Venetian society, and this single minded focus facilitated, and was supported by, relative stability of government and life.I found this to be a real pleasure to read, and it has certainly motivated me to visit Venice again as soon as possible

The early chapters of the book make for compelling reading, full of interest and detail. There does come a point when one wonders how much one really wants to know about Venice, and one imagines Ackroyd felt the same because the style deteriorates to becoming list-like as the feature of Venice (e.g. churches) is exhaustively documented. It does pick up again for the last chapter and provides a really insightful look at Venice and its history, a city we all think we know of but in fact readers will find they don't know it well. Readers of Donna Leone will find it interesting!