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April 22, 2024
Description
Republic of Venice
An unusual journey through Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece and Cyprus
By Giovanni Vale
Republic of Venice is the first volume in the Extinguished Countries series, a series of travel guides to countries that no longer exist.
As a result of hundreds of interviews with locals from Bergamo to Cyprus, the guidebook recounts a thousand years of history of the Most Serene Republic through stories, maps, photos, illustrations and recipes. Following both the today’s borders and those of the past, it offers a journey in search of architectural, linguistic, gastronomic and cultural heritage that the Republic has left in its former territories. What is Venetian about Cyprus? Why do Dalmatians eat dried codfish? What are the Albanian influences in Venice and what is the history of the winged lions of Rovereto? Without nostalgia or revisionism, Republic of Venice traces a well-documented and enjoyable path through different interpretations of a common past. It is a pocket-sized time machine for discovering Europe in a new way.
Extinguished Countries is an editorial project launched in 2020 with a crowdfunding campaign. Its aim is to take the reader back in time to lost kingdoms, republics and empires, discovering various layers of our identity. The book is available in English and Italian.
Giovanni Vale (Gemona del Friuli, Italy, 1987) is an Italian journalist and writer. Since 2014 he has been working as a Balkan correspondent for several Italian and foreign
newspapers (Il Piccolo, La Croix, RSI…). He is the creator of Extinguished Countries.
Technical details
Publisher: Paper Boat Stories
Series: Extinguished Countries
ISBN: 9789534938904
Dimensions: 21,5 x 14,5 cm
Publication: May 2021
First reprint: October 2021
Pages: 320
Price: 23,22 EUR
Tom –
Amazing book! I had a great time on vacation along the Dalmatian coast with it.
Katherine –
Because of this book, I understand more about where I live (near Split, Croatia—for many years a part of the Venetian Republic) and where I travel. As a book editor, I can attest to the excellent quality of the writing and design, but what I like best about it is its innovative regrouping of lands that are not usually considered together. This book draws lines through a shared history among lands that are now separate countries—no other travel book takes me through one important era of history in this way. I look forward to the Habsburg edition for all these reasons, and will give it to all my travel-loving friends!
Philip Joyce –
This guide for me was a refreshing new approach in explaining Venice’s complicated and detailed history in a very easily understood (for a layman!) geographical way. In addition the guide covered Venice’s culture and food, with colourful images photographs and light hearted drawings.
Marko –
Great book, ideal for discovering the former Venetian territories, thoroughly researched and well-presented information, packed with stories and recommendations on things to do and see.
Josip –
A friend gifted me this book half year ago and I binge-read it right away. I was surprised with an innovative concept that connects two of my favorite topics – geography and history.
Its an easy read, very well written, full of fun facts and with a pinch of humor. For anyone connected to these areas, or for anyone that has visited or plannes to visit them – this book is a full recommend.
Alex –
This is an amazing book to follow as you travel along the old borders of the Ventian Republic. It brings a new way of exploring a place or create an itinerary to follow the impact that this nation had in the current borders. I have even planned trips to explore specific places and towns based on the book to learn bit more about La Serenissima. I cant wait for future Extinguished country guides
Cynthia Berglez –
My husband and I were first attracted to the Go Fund Me for Extinguished Countries ‘Republic of Venice,’ because we love history and we love Venice. It was the perfect combination. The excitement the creators generated in all the benchmarks of bringing this publication to completion built a community we are still proud to be a part of (I remember the day the boxes of paper arrived).
The ‘Republic of Venice’ is an amazing work of history, travel, and culture showing deep research. Using the Empire of Venice as the organizing concept the book has a unique outlook and voice that takes you into a dramatic past, and then back into the present.
If you love travel, or are just an armchair traveler, like Nonna, if you love history this is the book for you. I’m a librarian, I know books.
Don Dulchinos –
GoFunded this one, as the project spoke to me on the personal level – family connections to the Republic (Greece plus Montenegrin coast). The book delivered on the complex layers of history and social relationships over deep time. And the big lesson that the borders we live inside are always fluid and this is a good thing. I wish all ethnonational blood and soil types would read this and stop picking their arbitrary fights.
Oh, and it’s a beautifully designed example of the craft of bookmaking.
Nimrod Johnson –
As a person for whom history has always been a major interest and travel a favorite pastime when I first heard of the project I leapt to p reorder through the crowdfunding . So I also had the chance to send photos for the book. I very much enjoyed reading it when it was published and the maps were well done. A year later we visited Venice as part of a group (a choir) so were unable to fully utilize the travel guide part but it did keep us in control and alert us to our surroundings.
Obviously from this it is clear I will want the coming publication on The Hapsburg Empire.
Julie –
What a treat! This book helps me connect the dots – I’ve travelled several places that were part of La Serenissima but never had the overarching view that “made sense of it,” until now. I love the spotlights on contemporary experts and efforts that keep the story in the present – it’s not just a history book, and the format is really lively. I look forward to having it with me next time I’m in that part of the world, but until then, it’s a great armchair read.
Andy McGuffie –
Loved this book! Gave me a new perspective on the region and new insights into places I have visited. Recommended for anyone wanting to know more about the Adriatic and beyond!