The Venetians Audiobook By Paul Strathern cover art

The Venetians

A New History: From Marco Polo to Casanova

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The Venetians

By: Paul Strathern
Narrated by: Derek Perkins
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The Republic of Venice was the first great economic, cultural, and naval power of the modern Western world. After winning the struggle for ascendency in the late 13th century, the Republic enjoyed centuries of unprecedented glory and built a trading empire which at its apogee reached as far afield as China, Syria, and West Africa. This golden period only drew to an end with the Republic's eventual surrender to Napoleon. The Venetians illuminates the character of the Republic during these illustrious years by shining a light on some of the most celebrated personalities of European history - Petrarch, Marco Polo, Galileo, Titian, Vivaldi, and Casanova. Frequently, though, these emblems of the city found themselves at odds with the Venetian authorities, who prized stability above all else, and were notoriously suspicious of any "cult of personality." Was this very tension perhaps the engine for the Republic's unprecedented rise?Rich with biographies of some of the most exalted characters who have ever lived, The Venetians is a refreshing and authoritative new look at the history of the most evocative of city-states.

©2013 Paul Strathern (P)2014 Tantor Europe Italy Middle Ages Ancient History Africa Crusade

Critic reviews

"Stories of powerful men making disastrous decisions have an endless fascination, and Strathern makes the most of it in this entertaining account." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Derek Perkins's fluid articulation, like a gondola threading the canals, carries the listener unresistingly through the crowded spectacle of Venice's centuries of glory." ( AudioFile)
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Great way to learn history brings it to life! So we’ll written and researched- art history, music, daring feats, intrigue, blood lust! WOW!

SO excellent!great way to learn history!

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Opera, intrigue, murder, mayhem, sex, and scandal, it's all here!! Truly one of the most interesting historical titles I've ever listened to. I highly recommend giving this title a try..

Wonder & Delight served Venetian style!!!!

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Well done. Could have been dry and boring. It was fast moving and full of interesting detail. Not only what they did, buy WHY!
An In depth history of Venice and the Venetians. They were the most rich and powerful in navy and trade. They didn't try to conquer land, the conquered trade.
Get a MAP!!! History flows quickly in the 1200's! Very well narrated, and the individual stories of the people involved were just as interesting as the history they made.

Very Well Presented and Fascinating History

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I learned a lot from this audio book and Derek Perkins is a great narrator.

Very good

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Covered all aspects of Venetian culture, including art, music, politics, literally, sex, wars, commerce.
Recommended to history lovers and those looking for the roots of our modern culture.

Mesmerizing

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