Vidal In Venice (Part One); Vidal In Venice (Part Two)

Venice and Vidal paired together can only equal education and entertainment. In this two-part look at the decayed city, novelist and wit Gore Vidal examines how a city the size of Central Park dominated half the Mediterranean. Conquered, as Vidal puts it, first by Napoleon, and second by the tourists, the program traces the birth and flowering of one of the greatest maritime empires the world has ever known. During the historical overview, Vidal searches for his own roots--although not listed in the prestigious "Book of Gold", he does unearth several Vidals in the current telephone directory. The balance of the first program is given to a fascinating look at the Palace of the Doges, and comments about the various types of chicanery that regularly went on within its walls. Part II examines the cultural and artistic heritage of Venice, from the art of Tintoretto ("the Cecil B. De Mille of painting") to the music of Vivaldi. Along the way, Vidal manages to lampoon his favorite subjects, namely American politics, organized religion, and Hemingway. There's also a wonderful section on the Inquisition ("One thing was for certain about the Inquisitors--they played hard ball.") Whether he's ruminating about how the Venetians, lacking a saint, stole St. Mark, and smuggled him in a barrel of pork, or praising the voices of gondoliers, Vidal is always a delightful host. And Venice is, indeed, a city of numerous charms. Highly recommended. (See BELLISSIMO for availability)