DescriptionAlessandra is not quite 15 when her prosperous merchant father brings a young painter back with him from Holland to adorn the walls of the new family chapel. She is fascinated by his talents and envious of his abilities and opportunities to paint to the glory of God. Soon her love of art and her lively independence are luring her into closer involvement with all sorts of taboo areas of life. On excursions into the streets of night-time Florence she observes a terrible evil stalking the city and witnesses the rise of the fiery young priest, Savanarola, who has set out to rid the city of vice, richness, even art itself. Alessandra must make crucial decisions about the shape of her adult life, as Florence itself must choose between the old ways of the luxury-loving Medicis and the asceticism of Savanorola. And through it all, there is the painter, whose love will change everything.
DescriptionMiss Julia Garnet, prompted by the death of a friend, goes to live in an out-of-the way corner of Venice. Here she meets with people and experiences which fracture her known world: Nicco, a beautiful Italian boy; Carlo, an art dealer; and the enigmatic English twins engaged in restoring the Chapel-of-the-plague, whose mysterious history includes a lost 14th-century diptych. Crucial among these encounters is that with the paintings in the local church, which tell the story of Tobias and the Angel. As she unravels the story's history, Julia's life is thrown into a new and sometimes disturbing light.
DescriptionAn editor and literary critic becomes obsessed with the life and work of poet Jeffrey Aspern, who long ago died at a Romantic and tragic young age. Now, the editor pursues the only living person to have known Aspern - the 80-year-old Juliana Bordereau. But more than memories of Aspern, Juliana has secreted away papers belonging to the poet - papers she would rather see burned than passed on to future generations. As the editor roams the canals of Venice attempting to wheedle the papers out of the old woman, Juliana relives memories of the poet she knew for so long. Meanwhile, her live-in companion, her spinster cousin Miss Tita, plots an escape from her sheltered life. Could those notes and letters play a role in her escape? In his usual manner, Henry James weaves these strands together in a moment that culminates in a single withering glance.
DescriptionVenice, with its mesmerizing system of narrow streets, bridges and canals, offers one of the most perfect walking environments in the world. Nearly 100, 000 foreigners flock to the city each day, yet most never get beyond the bustling Piazza San Marco. Now, with Venicewalks Audio Guide, you can put on your earphones, keep your eyes on some of the most extraordinary art and architecture in existence, and listen while the history is explained and the scandal is revealed. These four intimate walking tours can take as little as two hours or as long as a morning or afternoon, depending on whether you stop at shops, museums, or cafes which are pointed out along the way. You can also listen to the tapes before you leave to help you plan your day in Venice and they will be an enjoyable reminder for you when you return.
DescriptionSet in Venice at the close of World War II, Across the River and into the Trees is the bittersweet story of a middle-aged American colonel, scarred by war and in failing health, who finds love with a young Italian countess at the very moment when his life is becoming a physical hardship to him. It is a love so overpowering and spontaneous that it revitalizes the man's spirit and encourages him to dream of a future, even though he knows that there can be no hope for long. Spanning a matter of hours, Across the River and into the Trees is tender and moving, yet tragic in the inexorable shadow of what must come.
DescriptionIt was seven years ago that Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil achieved a record-breaking four-year run on The New York Times best seller list. John Berendt's inimitable brand of nonfiction brought the dark mystique of Savannah so start…
DescriptionWelcome to the magical underworld of Venice, Italy, where hidden canals and crumbling rooftops shelter runaways and children with incredible secrets... Prosper and Bo are orphans on the run from their cruel aunt and uncle. The brothers decide to hide out in Venice, where they meet a mysterious thirteen-year-old boy who calls himself the "Thief Lord." Brilliant and charismatic, the Thief Lord leads a ring of street children who dabble in petty crimes. Prosper and Bo delight in being part of this colorful new family. But the Thief Lord has secrets of his own. And soon the boys are thrust into circumstances that will lead them to a fantastic, spellbinding conclusion.
