Often hailed as one of the best travel books ever written, Venice is neither a g
uide nor a history book, but a beautifully written immersion in Venetian life an
d character, set against the background of the city's past. Analysing the partic
ular temperament of Venetians, as well as its waterways, its architecture, its b
ridges, its tourists, its curiosities, its smells, sounds, lights and colours, t
here is scarcely a corner of Venice that Jan Morris has not investigated and bro
ught vividly to life. Jan Morris first visited the city of Venice as young James
Morris, during World War II.
As she writes in the introduction, 'it is Venic
e seen through a particular pair of eyes at a particular moment - young eyes at
that, responsive above all to the stimuli of youth.' Venice is an impassioned wo
rk on this magnificent but often maddening city. Jan Morris's collection of trav
el writing and reportage spans over five decades and includes such titles as Syd
ney, Coronation Everest, Hong Kong, Spain and Manhattan '45. Since its first pub
lication, Venice has appeared in many editions, won the W.H.
Heinemann award
and become an international bestseller. "The best book about Venice ever written
."(Sunday Times). "No sensible visitor should visit the place without it...Venic
e stands alone as the essential introduction, and as a work of literature in its
own right." (Observer).
