Venice, the Tourist Maze : A Cultural Critique of the World’s Most Touristed City

"The tourist Venice is Venice," Mary McCarthy once observed-a sentiment very much in line with what most of the fourteen million tourists who visit the city each year experience, but at the same time a painful reality for the 65,000 Venetians who actually live there. Venice is viewed from a new perspective in this engaging book, which offers a heady, one-city tour of tourism itself. Conducting readers from the beginnings of Venetian tourism in the late Middle Ages to its emergence as a form of mass entertainment in our time, the authors explore what happens when today's "industrial tourism" collides with an ancient and ever-more-fragile culture. Giving equal consideration to those who tour Venice and those who live there, their book affords rare insight into just what it is that the touring and the toured see, experience, and elicit from each other. Illustrations: 25 b/w photographs, 4 maps Venice Is Viewed From A New Perspective, Offers A Heady, One-city Tour Of Tourism Itself. Conducting Readers From The Beginnings Of Venetian Tourism In The Late Middle Ages To Its Emergence As A Form Of Mass Entertainment In Our Time, The Authors Explore What Happens When Industrial Tourism Collides With An Ancient Fragil Culture. Introduction: The City Built On The Sea -- Timescape -- Pilgrims' Rest -- Strumpets And Trumps -- Landscape -- The Heart Of The Matter -- Lost In The Labyrinth -- Contested Ground -- Seascape -- The Floating Signifier -- Behind The Stage -- Dangerous Waters -- Worldscape -- Restoration Comedies -- Ships And Fools -- Taking It All Home -- Afterword: Chi Ciapa Schei Xe Contento. Robert C. Davis And Garry R. Marvin. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 335-344) And Index. Illustrations......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Note to Readers......Page 12 introduction: The City Built on the Sea......Page 14 part one: Timescape......Page 22 1 Pilgrims’ Rest......Page 24 2 Strumpets and Trumps......Page 43 part two: Landscape......Page 66 3 The Heart of the Matter......Page 68 4 Lost in the Labyrinth......Page 92 5 Contested Ground......Page 118 part three: Seascape......Page 144 6 The Floating Signifier......Page 146 7 Behind the Stage......Page 173 8 Dangerous Waters......Page 194 part four: Worldscape......Page 222 9 Restoration Comedies......Page 224 10 Ships and Fools......Page 250 11 Taking It All Home......Page 274 afterword: Chi ciapa schei xe contento......Page 306 Notes......Page 314 Bibliography......Page 348 Index......Page 358 Robert C. Davis And Garry R. Marvin. Description Based On T.p. Screen Of 2006-01-19. This Electronic Book Contains The Following Additional Features Not Available In The Print Version: Two Additional Images, 22 Black And White Images Replaced With Color Images--copyright And Permissions. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This Volume Is Made Possible By A Grant From The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Mode Of Access: Intranet. Electronic Text And Image Data. 'Venice, the Tourist Maze' charts the history of tourism in the most tourist-visited place on the planet, & at the same time offers a critique of the city-as-tourist-destination. The 'maze' is the paradox created when a city becomes a theme park entertaining visitors on an industrial scale