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Reviewed by UK Guest, 23rd Jan 2005. |
| Review Summary: Pure Magic - Quattro Stelle! |
Overall Score: 4/5
 
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Review: Francesco da Mosto's book 'Francesco's Venice' brings together the threads of history and culture so marvellously presented in his eponymous TV series with a flair for communication that is neither patronising nor overly highbrow - somehow he strikes a balance which is a refreshing change fom the third-hand anecdotes that litter the pages of many guide books. Just when you begin to feel just a little fatigued by the weight of all that history, he drops in a little titbit from his own family's extensively documented accounts and any fatigue is suddenly alleviated. More importantly, unlike many other so-called guides to the city, he asks the awkward but agonisingly relevant question - what will become of Venice? By addressing concerns for its future through the kaleidoscope of its past, Francesco da Mosto has achieved something very unusual - to have breathed a little life into a destination, and a history, that seemed pickled in Aspic until comparatively recently. I've lived and worked in the Veneto for more than a decade and I find myself increasingly asking the kind of questions that da Mosto demands of himself and his readership. Essential if you're going there to live and work, recommended if you're popping over for a holiday, and worthwhile even if you have just a passing interest in chunky coffee-table books about glorious Italian cities. |
Ratings
| Value For Money: |
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4 |
| Review Score: |
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4 |
| Recommended? | |
Yes |
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Travel Guide Books