The City of Falling Angels

Price: $19.00 - $10.27
(as of Sep 12, 2026 13:40:35 UTC – Details)


A #1 New York Times Bestseller!
“Funny, insightful, illuminating . . .” —The Boston Globe
Twelve years ago, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil exploded into a monumental success, residing a record-breaking four years on the New York Times bestseller list (longer than any work of fiction or nonfiction had before) and turning John Berendt into a household name. The City of Falling Angels is Berendt’s first book since Midnight, and it immediately reminds one what all the fuss was about. Turning to the magic, mystery, and decadence of Venice, Berendt gradually reveals the truth behind a sensational fire that in 1996 destroyed the historic Fenice opera house. Encountering a rich cast of characters, Berendt tells a tale full of atmosphere and surprise as the stories build, one after the other, ultimately coming together to portray a world as finely drawn as a still-life painting.

From the Publisher

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 26, 2006
Edition ‏ : ‎ Illustrated
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 414 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0143036939
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0143036937
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.2 x 5.1 x 1.2 inches
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 12 and up
Best Sellers Rank: #104,410 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #10 in Historical Italy Biographies #29 in Italian History (Books) #37 in Italian Travel Guides
Customer Reviews: 4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars (1,426) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
Customers find the book provides great insight into Venice’s history and architecture, covering every aspect of the city and featuring fascinating characters. Moreover, the writing quality is praised, and customers appreciate its readability, with one noting it reads like a thriller cum social diary. However, the plot receives mixed reactions, with some finding the story line great while others say it’s lacking.