A new book of Питера Акройда is next proof that biography of city no less, and maybe and more enthralling, than biography of any celebrity. Especially if Venice becomes the new hero of historical investigation Акройда. Most enigmatic and independent city of Italy, former republic located on one hundred eighteen islands, a city above that the threat of flood hangs constantly Акройд describes in to the peculiar to him manner of documentalist-romantic. Акройд understands that, why venetians so differ from other habitants of Italy, as turn out that on constantly подтопляемых islands hundreds of works of art appeared and saved, and when the great empire of merchants and artists grew into a city Казановы, tourists and rubber knee-boot.