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Brendan Gisby
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Venetian Lives Kindle Edition

by Brendan Gisby (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.9 out of 5 stars 63 ratings
La Serenissima, Venice, the most beautiful city in the world, is visited every year by many thousands of tourists; too many, it’s often said. But few tourists ever see beyond the Grand Canal, the Rialto and the sights around Piazza San Marco. Few ever learn about the people who live and work in Venice.

Now there’s an opportunity through this small collection of stories to meet some of the city’s residents. Follow Monsignor Giuseppe, the custodian of the sacred remains of the Virgin of Syracuse, as he performs his duties. Hear what the gossipers have to say about the unexplained disappearance of old Tomà, the eccentric dreamer. Sit with Luigi, the shopkeeper and swindler, while he counts his wealth. And roam through the narrow, deserted calli with Eugenio, the lovesick exile.

Come and eavesdrop on the innermost thoughts and fears and dreams of these Venetian lives.
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  1. Print length
    43 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    4 May 2012
  5. File size
    129 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0080RKEOC
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ McStorytellers
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 4 May 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 129 KB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 43 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer reviews:
    3.9 out of 5 stars 63 ratings

About the author

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Brendan Gisby

Brendan Gisby

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Brendan Gisby was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, halfway through the 20th century, and was brought up just along the road in South Queensferry (the Ferry) in the shadow of the world-famous Forth Bridge. He presently lives in splendid isolation in the wilds of Strathearn in Scotland.

Retiring from a business career in 2007, Brendan has devoted himself to writing. To date, he has published four novels, four biographies and several short story collections, details of all of which can be viewed on this site.

Brendan is also the founder of McStorytellers (http://mcstorytellers.com), a website which showcases the work of Scottish-connected short story writers.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
63 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's stories sweet and enjoyable to read.

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Story qualityReadability
5 customers mention ‘Story quality’5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the stories in the book, praising their sweet and colorful nature, with one customer noting the beautiful descriptions and another highlighting the well-structured plot.

"Venetian Lives is a short colourful story of four very different characters ..A Monsignor who takes care of a saints remains..A greedy shopkeeper..." Read more

"...Well structured in plot and prose truly a joy to read." Read more

"...– if you take time to look beyond the beautiful language, the beautiful descriptions and the well drawn characters – to the crumbling edifices on..." Read more

"Loved the stories but some of them were a little too "short". I was just getting into them when they ended :..." Read more

4 customers mention ‘Readability’4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable to read.

"...and sounds of Venice.....and brought memories to the surface...An enjoyable read...Of all the characters Monsignor Giuseppe was my favorite... Mi..." Read more

"...Well structured in plot and prose truly a joy to read." Read more

"A delightful wee book about the lifestyle and it's pitfalls living in one of the world's most beautiful cities...." Read more

"Excellent read especially if you love Venice." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Livia Sbarbaro
    5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet storytelling... From Venice...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 January 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Venetian Lives is a short colourful story of four very different characters ..A Monsignor who takes care of a saints remains..A greedy shopkeeper who doesn't really like the tourists...a dreamer and a legend...Ah sweet storytelling this took me back to the sights and sounds of Venice.....and brought memories to the surface...An enjoyable read...Of all the characters Monsignor Giuseppe was my favorite... Mi piace ...grazie...
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Robert Davidson
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Posy of Reollections
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 December 2019
    Verified Purchase
    The Scribe of Crieff has delighted this reader yet again with this bitter sweet collectione of cameos of some of the serene city's denizens. Well structured in plot and prose truly a joy to read.
    One person found this helpful
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  • C. Wight
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beyond the sunset, Venice is crumbling...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 June 2015
    Verified Purchase
    In this selection of four short stories (beautifully written by the way) Brendan Gisby gets inside the skin of four people (should we call them characters?) to look at the crumbling Venice. He quickly realises that the beautiful sunsets, while captivating, are not enough to sustain. But looking for Brendan in these stories is as fruitless as trying to hold on to a sunset. From the Priest who has suffered a terrible shock from which he has never recovered, to Tomas the Dreamer ‘Just another sad dreamer in a city full of dreamers’ , to Luigi the Shopkeeper who cannot reconcile his relationship with his town and the turisti who invade it and the man whose partner has left him because Venice isn’t all it’s cracked up to be – who now has to reassess his life choices – we see Brendan at work trying to make sense of it all while making meaning. Brendan is as ever, uncompromising in his delving down to the heart of the emotion, be it pretty or be it sad. He’s a man well built to face realism. And he not only deals with disappointment, he can write well about it too. So if you’ve ever thought of giving it all up and emigrating to a beautiful place somewhere else to live out your dream – read Venetian Lives first and take time to think it through. And then read it again – there’s a lot of hidden depths in this short volume – if you take time to look beyond the beautiful language, the beautiful descriptions and the well drawn characters – to the crumbling edifices on which they stand.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Roger McKillop
    4.0 out of 5 stars ... it's pitfalls living in one of the world's most beautiful cities. I read it just after I had ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 September 2015
    Verified Purchase
    A delightful wee book about the lifestyle and it's pitfalls living in one of the world's most beautiful cities. I read it just after I had returned from a short holiday in Venice and I could easily relate to the various settings of the stories. Campos, Vaporetti, Churches and Venetian life in the midst of a daily tourist invasion, it's all there in Brendan's wee Venetian book!
    6 people found this helpful
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  • K8P
    4.0 out of 5 stars Loved the stories but some of them were a little ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 June 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Loved the stories but some of them were a little too "short". I was just getting into them when they ended :(
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Nick Wright
    5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 September 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Every page reminds you of your all too short stay in Venice and noe I want to return and trace the pages of these stories.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Paula99
    5.0 out of 5 stars Atmospheric and uplifting
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 June 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Loved this book. Every story beautifully written. A real sense of place and deftly drawn characters. Not a wasted word.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 January 2015
    Verified Purchase
    interesting look into behind scenes of Venice
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Dozenoya65
    5.0 out of 5 stars Love all of Brendan Gidbys books
    Reviewed in the United States on 17 December 2021
    Verified Purchase
    These books are great inspiring reads for when you want something to entertain and inspire you instead of looking at your phone . Ive read most of his books and there’s not a dud in the bunch
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  • G. Polley
    5.0 out of 5 stars a city that tourists love to flock to and snap photos of
    Reviewed in the United States on 29 December 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Ah Venice, that ancient city of canals, churches, mansions that once was a powerful nation; a city that tourists love to flock to and snap photos of, who come and go and come again, but seldom get to know the people that live there. What are the Venetians like? In this fine collection of stories, you'll get to know a few of them. I found these stories the kind that stay with me, to be revisited again and again when something reminds me of Venice. Brendan Gisby is an enchanting story teller. I'll be reading more of his tales.
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  • Rosemary Pooser
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful stories
    Reviewed in the United States on 26 April 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Gisby's strength is prose; beautiful, flows like poetry. I've never been to Venice. Having read these wonderful stories, I feel like I have.
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