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Venezia in numeri. Una storia millenaria Paperback – April 13, 2021
Purchase options and add-ons
- Print length143 pages
- LanguageItalian
- PublisherEditoriale Programma
- Publication dateApril 13, 2021
- ISBN-108866437808
- ISBN-13978-8866437802
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Product details
- Publisher : Editoriale Programma (April 13, 2021)
- Language : Italian
- Paperback : 143 pages
- ISBN-10 : 8866437808
- ISBN-13 : 978-8866437802
- Item Weight : 10.6 ounces
- Best Sellers Rank: #9,022,152 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
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Alberto Toso Fei
Alberto Toso Fei was born in Venice in 1966. A Murano islander, he descends from one of the oldest families of master glassmakers. A journalist, writer and historian, he reported for television news outlets Televenezia, Antenna Tre Nord Est and Telenordest in addition to print media.
His successful first book “Venetian Legends and Ghost Stories” (2000, Arsenale / 2002, Elzeviro) was followed by “Veneziaenigma” (2004, Elzeviro), winner of the Gambrinus Giuseppe Mazzotti award (2005) and the audience award Veneto Banca—The Voice of Readers (2005). The trilogy was completed in 2005 with the publication of “Mysteries of the Lagoon and Stories of Witches” (Elzeviro), winner of the Villa Morosin Special Jury Prize for fiction.
2007 saw the publication of “Shakespeare in Venice: Exploring the City with Shylock and Othello” (Elzeviro), a joint effort with Professor Shaul Bassi. “The Ruyi—Venice” and “The Ruyi—Rome” (2009, Log607/Marsilio) introduced an innovative travel guide concept in collaboration with Log607. Toso Fei also edited “My Local Guide: Venice”, one in a popular travel guide series.
Most recently, “Secrets of the Grand Canal: Mysteries, Anecdotes and Curiosities about the Most Beautiful Boulevard in Venice” (2010, Studio LT2) was published in Venice and is now in its second printing.
Toso Fei is the Artistic Director of the festival “Veneto Spettacoli di Mistero”, now in its second year. The festival, created and supported by the Regione del Veneto, runs the entire month of November.
He lives and writes in both Venice and Rome.
and here, some anecdotes...
Legends in music
In 2009, singer-songwriter Gilberto Gasparini recorded an album of songs in the Venetian language entitled “El Petene” (the “comb”, as the Venetians affectionately call the metal decoration on the prow of the gondola). In it are four songs inspired explicitly by “Veneziænigma” by Alberto Toso Fei, recalling ancient legends of the Venetian tradition.
Spectacles of Mystery: Legend becomes a Festival
In 2009 and 2010 Alberto Toso Fei directed the Festival of Mystery, entitled “Veneto: Spectacles of Mystery” which came to life in one hundred and forty sites across the region, and lasted through the entire month of November starting on October 31, the night of All Saints. Supported by the Regione Veneto and organized across the territory by the Pro Loco offices of the UNPLI network, this unprecedented Festival was dedicated entirely to Mystery, producing events dedicated to the mysteries and legends of the Veneto in the squares and towns of the historical cities, or immersed in the splendid natural settings of the region, from the mountain forests to the waters of the lagoon. The roster included sites of mystery, historic enigmas of the past, spirits, the dead, and ghost-ridden castles, natural areas animated by legends, figures from Venetian imagery (ogres, anguana nymphs, mazzarioli and sanguanelli elves and fairies), stories of devils and witches, mysterious historical personalities, artistic and literary curiosities.
Every legend and mystery was presented in the squares, villas, castles, forests, towns, and historical cities in theatre productions, costumed evocations, guided tours, story-tellings, puppets, projections, readings, concerts, musicals, exhibitions of art and photography, torchlight processions, games for children.
The artistic events were complemented by a gourmet experience, as every location offered its own specialty products, foods and wines. During the Festival, a book on the Mysteries of the Veneto (also translated into English) and edited by Toso Fei, was available for sale.
The secrets of the Grand Canal… snapped up!
In 2009, “The Secrets of the Grand Canal”, which had been on sale for only seven months (it was released in May), was the best seller in the major bookstores of Venice and Mestre: the readers at the Mondadori, Giunti and Toletta bookstores – among others – really liked the double book.
At the Giunti store, in particular, the books by Alberto Toso Fei set another very special record. As the most … shoplifted book! In 2010 at least eleven copies were stolen during the two weeks of Carnival. Not a very distinguished record, but a flattering one!
Venetian Legends and Ghost Stories (blue edition)
Probably not everyone knows that “Venetian Legends and Ghost Stories” was printed in a first edition, with a blue cover, by Arsenale in 2000. Despite the large number of books printed (in just a few months, numerous editions were printed for a total of several thousand copies), it is now a rare book for collectors. The book was designed entirely by Alessandro Toso Fei, and features a sophisticated graphic design with retouched photographs taken specifically for its pages.
The book “Venetian Legends and Ghost Stories” led to the creation of “ghost tours” in Venice, an activity that did not exist before it was published, and is based explicitly on the texts of the book.
In October 2003 it became a “talking book”, an audio version for the visually impaired by the Italian Association of the Blind; over the years it has also become a popular choice for the gift by wedding couples to their guests. Furthermore, from Venice to Connecticut, from France to Rhode Island, the book has been used to develop classroom projects: at the Ridgefield Middle School in Ridgefield, Connecticut, for example, as an educational tool in literature classes on Halloween; at the Birchwood Middle School in North Providence, Rhode Island, as an educational tool for art classes; at the Collège “Pierre Sémard” in Bobigny, Paris, it was the focus of a student project for a feature-length film.
Customer reviews
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PoldoReviewed in Italy on April 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars I graffiti di Venezia
originale pervenire alla storia di Venezia attraverso dei numeri significativi che consentono una lettura non continua e progressiva a ma di volta in volta scelta dal lettore. Gradevolissimo ed utile per conoscere alcuni importanti aspetti della Serenissima.
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ItalicoReviewed in Italy on June 3, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars L' autore è una garanzia.
Il libro è impaginato molto bene. Belle illustrazioni e gradazioni dei colori. Un bel condensato di storia ed aneddoti che lascia poi il gusto, magari, di approfondire con altri testi. Da consigliare. Prezzo onesto ed acquisto ad occhi chiusi.
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RomanaReviewed in Italy on November 10, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Venezia e i numeri
Consegna veloce, ottimo imballaggio.
Libro interessante, ne consiglio l' acquisto.
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GBDFReviewed in Italy on September 19, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars VENEZIA IN NUMERI
Un libro sintetico , ma che in poche pagine racconta una storia millenaria in modo simpatico, può anche essere una valida guida per visitare oggi alcuni luoghi della splendida Venezia
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RBRReviewed in Italy on May 31, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Una Storia che non ha uguali
Libro che è bene poter consultare. Da veneziano conosco molte delle informazioni riportate; un non veneziano può meglio comprendere cosa fu la Serenissima Repubblica di San Marco