Was I the one who recommended this book to you?
The Shrike Send a noteboard - 30/12/2012 03:28:16 PM
I read it back in 2005 and then had a chance to see some wonderful Venetian art at the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum and also at the MFA.
First, wonderful review. And second, Venetian history really is fascinating. I especially liked the section on the Fourth Crusade. Given that you and I both feel the sack of Constantinople was one of the biggest tragedies of the Western world, it was interesting to see it from the point of the view of the Venetians rather than the Byzantines.
The sections on Imperial Venice and her colonies was also a highlight for me. Given my penchant for reading Habsburg history with its natural focus on the land warfare between the Habsburgs and Ottomans, it was fascinating to read about the struggle over the Eastern Mediterranean between Venice and the Ottoman Empire.
I do wonder what new information is now available. JJN's book was published in 1989. I have a couple books on Venetian history on my Amazon wishlist I have been meaning to read. Thomas Madden's Venice: A New History and Roger Crowley's City of Fortune. I doubt they have John Julius Norwich's voice, but I'll probably read them both in the first half of 2013 after my reread of WOT is done. At least there will be no sniffing. I hope.
First, wonderful review. And second, Venetian history really is fascinating. I especially liked the section on the Fourth Crusade. Given that you and I both feel the sack of Constantinople was one of the biggest tragedies of the Western world, it was interesting to see it from the point of the view of the Venetians rather than the Byzantines.
The sections on Imperial Venice and her colonies was also a highlight for me. Given my penchant for reading Habsburg history with its natural focus on the land warfare between the Habsburgs and Ottomans, it was fascinating to read about the struggle over the Eastern Mediterranean between Venice and the Ottoman Empire.
I do wonder what new information is now available. JJN's book was published in 1989. I have a couple books on Venetian history on my Amazon wishlist I have been meaning to read. Thomas Madden's Venice: A New History and Roger Crowley's City of Fortune. I doubt they have John Julius Norwich's voice, but I'll probably read them both in the first half of 2013 after my reread of WOT is done. At least there will be no sniffing. I hope.
A History of Venice by John Julius Norwich
- 29/12/2012 11:39:31 PM
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Was I the one who recommended this book to you?
- 30/12/2012 03:28:16 PM
628 Views
I bought this one sua sponte from the Folio Society.
- 30/12/2012 05:02:12 PM
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This is definitely on my list.
- 31/12/2012 07:01:05 PM
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The Fourth Crusade was a travesty for world civilization
- 31/12/2012 09:48:20 PM
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Ah, I see your point.
- 31/12/2012 10:58:33 PM
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Well, the Venetians weren't the ones doing the worst of the looting...
- 01/01/2013 07:36:49 AM
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It's extremely readable
- 03/01/2013 02:09:23 AM
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I don't doubt that he extrapolates a bit much
- 04/01/2013 03:48:28 AM
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I don't recall the specifics.
- 05/01/2013 03:49:26 AM
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