No Vulgar Hotel: The Desire and Pursuit of Venice

Be the first to write a review

Want to read this on your NOOK? Request as NOOK Book from the publisher

Thank you for requesting this book as a NOOK book from the publisher.

Customers Who Bought This Also Bought

More About This Book

Overview
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
Meet the Author
Table of Contents

Advertising

Overview

This is the definitive book for managing an incurable passion for a decaying, water-logged village. Whether you already have a raging case of Venetophilia or are among the fifteen million people who yearly put themselves in danger of contracting it, here is where you get your fix of Venetian wit, history, practicality, and enchantment.

Editorial Reviews

Pamela Paul

Reading her book, with its captivating mini-histories of Venetian literary salons, families of note and artists in residence, is like attending a gossipy Continental dinner party, in which Martin not only plays the hostess but moonlights as various guests (the garrulous raconteur, the imperious know-it-all, the great-aunt who doesn’t realize her listener hasn’t a clue whom she’s talking about). Though her artfully coiffed prose can run a bit precious and long, for the most part she enlightens and entertains. The best books on Venice, as Martin says, “deftly mix the past with the personal present in a spirit of light scholarship.” Not only does Martin know what she likes, she knows how to serve it.
— The New York Times

Library Journal

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780393330601
Publisher: Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
Publication date: 3/23/2008
Pages: 336
Sales rank: 375,187
Product dimensions: 5.50 (w) x 8.30 (h) x 0.90 (d)

Meet the Author

Judith Martin, author of the “Miss Manners” columns, several best-selling books on etiquette, and two novels, lives in Washington, DC.

Eric Denker is a Senior Lecturer in the Education Department of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Art History at Georgetown University.

List of Illustrations     9
Acknowledgments     11
You're A Tourist and I'm Not     15
Getting Your Feet Wet     55
Great Moments in Venetian History     94
Venice with Your Imaginary Friend     130
Adopt Your Landlord     169
Venice Depicted     205
Going Overboard     244
Bridging the Sighs     277
Credits     315
Index     319

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review

( 0 )

Rating Distribution

5 Star

(0)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines

Tell the world what you think of this product.

Add Recommendations

Your Name: Create a Pen Name or Leave Anonymously

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

- HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
- Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
- Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
- Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
- Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
- Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
- Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

- By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
- Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
- See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.

Anonymous

Posted July 17, 2008

A mockery of the soul - by a confessed lagoonatic

I confess. I have a poster-sized repro of the 1500 deBarbari hanging on the wall of my study and I fly the standard of San Marco at my house. If you have Venice in the marrow of your bones as I do, you will probably laugh and cry your way through the meandering narration of this book. However, I would not recommend this to the novice. It is too esoteric and self-indulgent for the average tourist guide. You decide.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
squerb

Posted June 21, 2009

Best book on Venice

Not the best history or guide or pictures (b&w), but best overall. A Venice fanatic's personal, fact strewn, witty, and insightful guide to the beloved. It tosses in a bit of everything. History, of course: Literary & artistic & some musical history and standard Venetian history with lots of well told anecdotes. What it's like to live there now. Such practical matters as eating, traghettos, dogs, and hats.
And Judith Martin, who is also "Miss Manners," seems to have read a lot of books and seen a lot of movies and art and buildings and talked to a lot of people about Venice, and has ready and piquant commentary. So, this is a good book to get leads.
So, a quick sample: "Venice has been credited with inventing practically everything that makes life worth living (or not), including opera, factories, mirrors, quarantines, bleached hair, double-entry bookkeeping, lotteries, paperback books, casinos, regattas, roof terraces, assembly lines, improv comedy, platform shoes, social walkers and women's team sports. Many of these, Venetians actually did invent..." For the rest, turn to page 121.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble