Scan barcode
cooker3's review against another edition
5.0
I have been traveling through the Balkans and as J went North up the Dalmatian Coast I couldn't help but note that practically all the coastal towns were once Venetian; I underestimated how important and vast the Venetian empire was. I wanted to know why and this book was exactly what I was looking for. It is well written, informative but not dry and a great overview of a place, people's and empire I knew next to nothing about. It's highly recommend if you are in the same shoes as me.
adammp's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book in anticipation of a coming trip to the Dalmatian coast, in order to get a better understanding of the nature of Venice and its maritime empire. Roger Crowley does a masterful job of capturing Venice as a city, society, and empire at its rise and peak.
While the book's focus is clearly on Venice, Crowley also does an impressive job of tying Venician history into the history of Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, and even the Russian steppe, as indeed he must considering the extent of Venice's trading network in the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries.
If I have any complaints about this book, it's about the themes that he introduces very quickly at the end rather than at the beginning. In particular, Crowley stresses the importance of Venice as the only major Italian city that did not rise to prominence during the Roman empire. Introducing this theme earlier would have done much to explain Venice's perpetual conflict with Genua and other city-states in Northern Italy. Crowley also addresses Venician culture, economy, and what maritime life was like in the last third of the book, rather than addressing these subjects at the beginning and weaving them into the narrative.
Overall however, I found Crowley's writing style to be engaging and his presentation of the material to be nuanced and interesting. I'd recommend this book to anyone who is interested in either the history of Venice, or the history of Europe and the near east during this time period.
While the book's focus is clearly on Venice, Crowley also does an impressive job of tying Venician history into the history of Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, and even the Russian steppe, as indeed he must considering the extent of Venice's trading network in the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries.
If I have any complaints about this book, it's about the themes that he introduces very quickly at the end rather than at the beginning. In particular, Crowley stresses the importance of Venice as the only major Italian city that did not rise to prominence during the Roman empire. Introducing this theme earlier would have done much to explain Venice's perpetual conflict with Genua and other city-states in Northern Italy. Crowley also addresses Venician culture, economy, and what maritime life was like in the last third of the book, rather than addressing these subjects at the beginning and weaving them into the narrative.
Overall however, I found Crowley's writing style to be engaging and his presentation of the material to be nuanced and interesting. I'd recommend this book to anyone who is interested in either the history of Venice, or the history of Europe and the near east during this time period.
mioleo9's review against another edition
5.0
Great book. The story of Venice is one-of-a-kind and Crowley brings all of the naval battles and political intrigue to life seemingly effortlessly. I will never forget his account of the sack of Constantinople. Venice was full of contradictions: it was surrounded by water but suffered from a shortage of safe drinking water; it went to aid the Catholic Church many times at its own expense yet was looked down upon by the Pope and other Christian nations; the merchant city was so serious and yet the buildings and canals looked like they were plucked out of a dream world. Crowley put a lot of work into understanding not just Venetian history but the Venetian psyche as well. I learned so much from this book and highly recommend it.
cupiscent's review against another edition
4.0
I've always been interested in Venetian settings, mostly because I enjoy twisty politics, and Italian city-states, and Venice in particular, are great for that sort of thing. But I'm pretty sure I added this one to my TBR after getting a glimpse of the oddities of Venice in [b:Virgins of Venice: Broken Vows and Cloistered Lives in the Renaissance Convent|401948|Virgins of Venice Broken Vows and Cloistered Lives in the Renaissance Convent|Mary Laven|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442942887l/401948._SY75_.jpg|391352] and wanting to see more beyond the cloister wall (somewhat in keeping with the theme of that book). I'm so glad I did, because I hadn't realised just how odd Venice was in a feudal/medieval-Europe sense. Not feudal at all, for starters, and far more a commune and a trading concern than a traditional imperial power (and yet, acting in similar ways). In any case, this was fascinating, and full of both broad views of sweeping systems, and individual bits of stirring and heartbreaking action.
It was also great fun to play "spot the inspiration points", for KJ Parker, and for Terry Pratchett (Ankh-Morpork is very Venetian, even though it's not actually at all what people would usually use the descriptor "Venetian" to denote), and I was so busy with those points that I turned a page and ran straight into an entire Guy Gavriel Kay plot, and then spent a long time laughing at myself.
It was also great fun to play "spot the inspiration points", for KJ Parker, and for Terry Pratchett (Ankh-Morpork is very Venetian, even though it's not actually at all what people would usually use the descriptor "Venetian" to denote), and I was so busy with those points that I turned a page and ran straight into an entire Guy Gavriel Kay plot, and then spent a long time laughing at myself.
abeanbg's review against another edition
3.0
Had hoped for a grand biography of the city ala Gotham or Nature's Metropolis. Instead, this is just the account of some significant military campaigns, which was a disappointment.
aloyokon's review against another edition
An engaging story of the meteoric rise and fall of Venice's maritime empire. From its start in the Fourth Crusade, to its struggle with rival states like Genoa and its fight to maintain its trading posts in lands like Crete, to its decline in the face of the Ottoman threat, Crowley makes an engaging tale of a crucial aspect of medieval history.
jsjammersmith's review against another edition
5.0
Roger Crowley and Venice, you can just hear my money flying away from me, but I don't care. I knew after finishing 1453 that I just had to read this man's collected work because I have yet to find a popular history writer who has the level of depth, narrative ability, balanced historical bias, and general concern for the puplic and professional face of History. Plus, I mean, like, it's Venice dude.
City of Fortune did have the same level of Dynamism that 1453 had, but this book is still an amazing introduction to the most serene republic of Venice and history. Taking a wealth of scholarly work and producing a history that feels relevant and dynamic and interesting but Crowley has an ability with words as much as he does with facts and information. This book tells a story about the Republic of Venice and contextualizes it with its time and tries to understand why the leaders and average peoples managed to create a mythos of themselves that last for centuries. Venice is, according to Crowley, the first modern city and he argues it quite effectively
My only real beef with this book is that Crowley's endnotes only apply for his direct quotes and I would have liked to have seen more concern for tracing certain details back to their sources, and his ending feels a bit abrupt.
Still, I loved this book and it's only inspired me to learn more about the Serene Republic. I would offer this book to anyone beginning the history of Venice because it's not only a satisfying and effective introduction, it's an incredible book, and Crowley remains, indefinitely, my man.
City of Fortune did have the same level of Dynamism that 1453 had, but this book is still an amazing introduction to the most serene republic of Venice and history. Taking a wealth of scholarly work and producing a history that feels relevant and dynamic and interesting but Crowley has an ability with words as much as he does with facts and information. This book tells a story about the Republic of Venice and contextualizes it with its time and tries to understand why the leaders and average peoples managed to create a mythos of themselves that last for centuries. Venice is, according to Crowley, the first modern city and he argues it quite effectively
My only real beef with this book is that Crowley's endnotes only apply for his direct quotes and I would have liked to have seen more concern for tracing certain details back to their sources, and his ending feels a bit abrupt.
Still, I loved this book and it's only inspired me to learn more about the Serene Republic. I would offer this book to anyone beginning the history of Venice because it's not only a satisfying and effective introduction, it's an incredible book, and Crowley remains, indefinitely, my man.