Venice 697-1797: A City, A Republic, An Empire
Italian author and journalist Zorzi, a native of Venice, has  published a number of books on the city (e.g., Venetian Palaces;  Venice: A Journey of Dreams). As the title of his most recent  work suggests, it traces the history of Venice from its earliest  settlements to 1797, revealing the city's transformation from a  small fishing village to a cultural and political metropolis.  Using some 340 full-color illustrations, which include  present-day photographs of the city and paintings from different  eras, Zorzi generally follows a chronological development of the  city but also groups his discussions by subject (e.g.,  architecture, shipbuilding, commerce and industry, wars,  cooking). Zorzi also tackles some of the city's current problems  of pollution, loss of manufacturing, and absentee landlords.  Maps and charts scattered throughout are especially useful in  tracing the city's thousand-year expansion. Although  interesting, this book offers a somewhat superficial overview of  Venice's history as more emphasis is placed on its coffee-table  appeal (i.e., its illustrations) than the solidity of the text.  Nevertheless, the book is so stunning that it can be recommended  for all libraries. George M. Jenks, Bucknell Univ., Lewisburg,  PACopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.