by Sue
(UK)
Miss Garnet's Angel is a lovely story (I've read it twice!) about a spinster teacher who inherits some money and decides to go to Venice for a while.
During her stay she meets some people restoring an old church, and discovers the Bible story about Tobias and the angel.
Alternate chapters are about her and her adventures, then one about the Bible story.
This is a charming book, very evocative of life in Venice.
I work in a charity bookshop, and if the book is on our shelves and someone comes to buy it, I make sure they have been to Venice, because it wouldn't mean the same unless you could picture the back streets and squares away from the tourist crowds.
Highly recommended.
Maria's reply: Thank you for the recommendation. I have just ordered my copy of Miss Garnet's Angel on Amazon. Pity I'm not near your book shop. I would have preferred popping in, having a chat, and browsing through your shop. I am a little old-fashioned in that way, - I still prefer the experience of buying an actual book (rather than a Kindle one) in an actual shop.
By the way, when you are next in Venice, you absolutely must visit the AcquaAlta Bookshop. For anyone who loves the experience of being in a bookshop, this has to be one of the loveliest you'll ever find. The link has pictures of what you can expect, but nothing ever prepares you for the reality of shelves straining under the weight of countless books, cats everywhere, and gondolas inside and floating past the open door.
P.S. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases
by Red
(New England)
The Traveller's Companion to Venice is essential reading before you visit Venice. Hugely successful in capturing that sense of history and atmosphere that makes Venice so uniquely different. Even better is the fact that the book is so easy to read, unlike so many Venice guidebooks, most of which seem to be plodding at best.
On finishing the book, I found I was literally chomping at the bit to get on the first plane to Venice.
Maria's reply: I know the book and agree that it is well worth reading and certainly very different from most Venice guidebooks.
P.S. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases
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