I've decided to put to use my love of reading by reviewing the books I read (for better or for worse).
Today we review: Venice: A Travel Guide to Murano Glass, Carnival Masks, Gondolas, Lace, Paper & More by Laura Morelli.
Rating: 9 out of 10.
Pros: Great information. I learned a lot from this book. I certainly feel that if I travel to Venice (which I hope to at some point) the information I learned will come in handy. Even beyond art, I feel that I have a better understanding of Venice. The book is very well written.
Cons: I don't think I have any complaints about this book, but I didn't give it a 10 because I can't list it among my all time favorite books; nor did I find it to be life changing or earth shattering.
I like reviewing travel books because there are a lot of garbage travel books out there. Luckily, Laura Morelli's Venice guide is not one of them.
I actually learned more from this travel guide than I expected too. The author obviously has a great knowledge of Art and Art History. While I've spent much time thinking about the stories behind a painting, I never though much about the stories behind craft items such as lace or carnival masks.
The author gives a lot of advice that at least seems like it would be useful in regards to what to buy and how not to get ripped off. I haven't been to Venice so I can't say for sure if I agree or not with this advice, but it seemed like the advice would be helpful.
Best of all, I felt I like when (and if) I do travel to Venice, I'll have a better understanding of Venice. From avoiding tourist traps to finding out about the glass museum. In particular, I liked the tips about avoiding offers for free rides (the cost of which will be high pressure sales).
Beyond the writing, I also enjoyed the pictures and a few of the pictures were excellent.