Venetians

October 7, 2013
The names imparted by his subtitle may be notable, but they’re not the most intriguing characters in this study, as Strathern (Napoleon in Egypt) grasps the opportunity to introduce readers to figures mostly lost to history. Thus he offers the stories of Queen Caterina, ruler of Cyprus for a few short years and prisoner for many more; and the minor trade consul, Francesco Lupazzoli, who lived to be 115 years old and is said to have fathered 24 children through his five marriages—plus potentially another 105 illegitimate offspring. Strathern also profiles generals like Lamba Doria and Niccolò Pisani who led epic naval battles of varying outcomes; and a repressive ruling body that eventually made such bad decisions that it caused the downfall of a “most serene” republic that had existed for a 1,000 years. With Venice shining brightly in the background as a pleasure site, where the idea of the casino originated and as many as 15,000 prostitutes may have been working during the 16th century, the story is less about Venice than of those who populated it and brought much renown: artists, mathematicians, holy men, and beautiful women. Strathern weaves an engrossing tale replete with intriguing sub-plots, emphasizing the human aspect with great feeling.

November 1, 2013

Strathern's (Aristotle in 90 Minutes) title reflects his emphasis, which is much more on people than on institutions. The book's strength is that it offers entertaining vignettes of a number of colorful Venetians, including painters, writers, and luminaries such as Marco Polo as well as Sofia Baffo, first concubine of Ottoman emperor Murad III, and Francesco Lupazolli, the Venetian consul at Smyrna in the mid-1600s, whose chief claim to fame seems to have been that he died at 115, after siring 24 children. The author's criterion for inclusion here appears to be, above all, color. Strathern's stories do entertain, but they don't always enlighten or at least not enough. That's the glaring weakness of this work: it won't really help the reader to understand better Venice and its people. Strathern does lay down context--government, economy, the evolving treatment of Venetian Jews, the plague--but explanation is drowned in a flood of stories that are as much show as substance. VERDICT Given the presence of two superb recent histories of Venice--Joanne M. Ferraro's Venice: History of the Floating City and Thomas F. Madden's Venice: A New History--why spend time on this volume?--David Keymer, Modesto, CA

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2013
The story of the spirit of the Most Serene Republic of Venice. Novelist and nonfiction author Strathern (The Artist, the Philosopher, and the Warrior: Da Vinci, Machiavelli, and Borgia and the World They Shaped, 2011, etc.) points out that Venice was, for hundreds of years, a commercial republic, a trade center happy to flaunt her wealth, and highly pragmatic in her politics, diplomacy and religion. Her navy was world famous, and with good reason; the most famous condottiere, Bartolomeo Colleoni (1400-1475), actually dragged ships over a mountain to Lake Garda to relieve Brescia from Milanese forces. Strathern deftly weaves the history of the near-continuous wars with Genoa and Milan into short biographical sketches of the Venetian giants of the arts and sciences. She fostered so many innovations, they're difficult to list. Her bureaucracy was second to none, and it served as the birthplace of statistics, double-entry accounting and the concept of the assembly line (which could outfit a galley in the time it took to eat dinner). It was the home of the first journalist, satirist Pietro Aretino (1492-1556), and, thanks to the printing press, the first regular newspaper. The presses were also able to spread the music of opera, and the first tourist guide was published in 1581, 16 years after "Il Catalogo...(The Catalogue of All the Main and Less Honoured Courtesans of Venice)." Venice also served as the bulwark against the Eastern empires, but when her powers weakened, the Ottomans and, finally, Napoleon put an end to her greatness. After the French army left, writes the author, "[t]he 1,000-year-old Republic of Venice was no more." The great artists, explorers and scientists of the period are well-noted, but La Serenissima is the true subject of this book, and a better inducement to visit would be hard to find.

COPYRIGHT(2013) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 15, 2013
The city-state of Venice, situated on islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic, maintained its independence for more than a millennium, until the Napoleonic Age. Blessed by its location, it dominated the east-west trade routes that linked the medieval West with the Byzantine Empire and points further east. During the Renaissance, it became one of the glittering cultural jewels of northern Italy. Strathern attempts to explain the growth and magnificence of Venice by concentrating on the lives of some of the historical figures who played prominent roles in its development, from Marco Polo to the famed adventurer, lover, and literary icon Casanova. This is an enjoyable journey filled with interesting tidbits about both well-known and relatively obscure characters who left their mark on the city. Strathern also delves into the often mysterious and confusing manner in which Venice was governed by a small core of elite citizens. As serious history, however, this survey falls short since it fails to link the city with broader historical trends and ignores many aspects of Venetian political and cultural development. Still, this work can serve as a useful and informative introduction for general readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)