The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt

Venice reveals its secrets after a devastating fire

Good Condition - Covers are scuffed and creased with worn, curled corners and a price sticker on the back.

John Berendt arrives in Venice shortly after the 1996 fire that destroys the historic La Fenice opera house, an event that becomes his doorway into the city's public and private worlds. Through encounters with residents, expatriates, artists and influential figures, he explores a place where beauty, gossip, intrigue and competing loyalties are closely intertwined. The investigation into the fire runs alongside stories of the people who inhabit Venice and the cultural inheritance they seek to preserve or control. Blending reportage with character portraits, Berendt presents a richly observed account of a celebrated city beyond its familiar tourist image.