IT IS NEITHER AN ESSAY NOR A GUIDEBOOK, BUT A SERIES OF FASCINATING INSIGHTS INTO THE PAST AND PRESENT OF A UNIQUE CITY. IN SEVEN DAYS IN VENICE: AN ARTISTIC STROLL IN AND OUT OF HIDDEN CORNERS, ALLEYWAYS, AND WINE BARS (MILAN: EDI- ZIONI SETTECOLORI, 2022), DONA' DALLE ROSE ACCOMPANIES US THROUGH HIS CITY WHILE REGALING US WITH IMPRESSIONS AND THOUGHTS, TITBITS AND ANECDOTES. A JOURNEY WITH NO BEGINNING NOR END, BRINGING TOGETHER EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE REVEALED IN A NEW LIGHT. NOT A GUIDE, NOR AN ESSAY BUT AN ELIGHTENED FLÂNERIE WITH MAPS, DRAWINGS, AND HISTORICAL NOTES TO HELP ILLUMINATE THE WAY. A SHORT, MEANDERING JOURNEY OF SEVEN DAYS THROUGH THE TYPICAL WINE BARS AND SMALL SQUARES OF VENICE ON THE TRAIL OF PERSONAL MEMORIES THAT INTERTWINE WITH THOSE OF ILLU- STRIOUS FOREIGNERS WHO VISITED AND LIVED IN THE CITY. FROM ROUSSEAU, SHAKESPEARE, AND WAGNER IN THE CANNA- REGIO DISTRICT TO STRAVINSKY, FOSCOLO, AND DANTE IN CASTELLO. FROM TURNER, EZRA POUND, AND BRODSKY IN DORSODURO TO TITIAN, TINTORETTO, AND PROUST IN SAN POLO. FROM LORENZO LOTTO, NIETZSCHE, AND MONET IN SANTA CROCE TO CASANOVA, D'ANNUNZIO, AND HENRY JAMES IN SAN MARCO. FROM BYRON, HUGO PRATT, AND THOMAS MANN IN LIDO TO STALIN AND CHURCHILL CRUISING BETWEEN THE ISLANDS OF THE LAGOON. AND THE LIST GOES ON. STROLLS ON LAND AND TRAILS THROUGH WATER THAT REVEAL THE IDENTITY OF A CITY THAT, UNLIKE MANY OTHERS, IS THE SUM OF THOSE WHO HAVE LIVED IT, LOVED IT, HATED IT. A CITY SO UNIQUE IN THE WORLD IN THAT IT ENCAPSULATES ALL PLACES WHILE AT THE SAME TIME IS NOTHING LIKE ANY OF THEM. BECAUSE VENICE IS MANY VERY DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT IT IS NOT SIMPLY A "PLACE". IT IS MORE LIKE A STATE OF BEING, THAT SOMEWHERE YOU ?ND YOURSELF IN, MAYBE EVEN WITHOUT HAVING HAD A REASON TO GO. HERE, DONA' DALLE ROSE GIVES YOU EVERY REASON TO DO JUST THAT, TO GO TO VENICE.