Venice Noir

The identity of Venice, Queen of the Adriatic, is inseparable from the waters of the lagoon by which she is surrounded and from which she rises like a mirage. Isabella Panfido, avoiding the obvious, escaping the crowds, takes us on an exploration of those waters that since time immemorial have been Venice’s refuge and defence, visiting some of its many islands (the names of a few - Fisolo, Sant’Arian, Lio Piccolo, San Secondo - will be unknown even to the most assiduous visitors to the city), and introducing us to their elusive magic and their well-kept secrets.

We learn of haunting illusions created by the peculiar geography of the lagoon under certain climatic conditions; of the devastating plague of 1630 that led to the loss of 47,000 Venetian lives over a period of sixteen months; of the destruction by a bitter north wind of baskets full of carefully harvested soft-shelled crabs and their seemingly miraculous rebirth and metamorphosis from one delicacy into another; of thwarted yearnings and ambitions, of jealous rivalries and revenge, of the terrible price of vanity - and much, much more.

An expert guide and consummate storyteller, the author draws on a deep and extensive knowledge of her native city past and present, and on her own personal experiences, weaving together myth and legend, imagination and historical fact, to capture the mystique of the phenomenon that is Venice.

Identitatea Venetiei, Regina Adriaticii, este inseparabila de apele lagunei de care este inconjurata si din care se ridica ca un miraj. Isabella Panfido, evitand evidentul, scapand din multime, ne poarta intr-o explorare a acelor ape care din timpuri imemoriale au fost refugiul si apararea Venetiei, vizitand cateva dintre numeroasele sale insule (numele catorva - Fisolo, Sant'Arian, Lio). Piccolo, San Secondo - va fi necunoscut chiar si pentru cei mai asidui vizitatori ai orasului) si ne vor prezenta magia lor evaziva si secretele lor bine pastrate. Aflam despre iluziile bantuitoare create de geografia particulara a lagunei in anumite conditii climatice. ; a ciumei devastatoare din 1630 care a dus la pierderea a 47.000 de vieti venetiene pe o perioada de saisprezece luni; a distrugerii de catre un vant amar de nord a cosurilor pline de crabi cu coaja moale recoltati cu grija si a renasterii si a metamorfozei lor aparent miraculoase dintr-o delicatesa in alta; de dorinte si ambitii zadarnicite, de rivalitati si razbunare geloase, de pretul teribil al vanitatii - si multe, multe altele. Un ghid expert si un povestitor desavarsit, autoarea se bazeaza pe o cunoastere profunda si extinsa a orasului ei natal trecut si prezent si pe propriile experiente personale, impletind mitul si legenda, imaginatia si faptele istorice, pentru a surprinde mistica fenomenului care este Venetia.