The Stones of Florence
by Mary McCarthy
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Book Summary Information
Author: Mary McCarthyEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2002-11-04
ISBN: 0156027631
Number of pages: 252
Publisher: Mariner Books
Book Reviews of The Stones of Florence
Book Review: Uphill Going
Summary: 1 Stars
Reading "The Stones of Florence" by Mary McCarthy is, unfortunately, like a pedestrian climb to San Mineato, all uphill going. Ms McCarthy begins her book with a long chapter pointing out every fault and flaw of the city of Florence. Florence is too hot in the summer, too congested with traffic, the sidewalks are too narrow, the people are too unwelcoming and argumentative, on and on, for about twenty-five relentless pages.
By the time one arrives at the end of Chapter One--similar again to the climb to San Mineato, one is out of breath and wondering if the trip was worth the trouble, and not perhaps as impressed by the lovely surroundings as our erstwhile guide might have intended.
Of course there are other ways of getting to San Mineato (do go, dear traveler and take the bus, please, it is cheap and effective, sit in the nave in late afternoon to hear the monks sing vespers and then watch the sun set as you have dinner at the quaint terrace restaurant just to the left of the Piazzale Michelangelo, where you will find great pasta and refreshing drinks of granita... Surprisingly low, good prices and great views of the entire city, before retuning to the old city). And there are other, better ways of reading about Florence than this book which should have been subtitled, "Only I Know Florence So The Rest of You Bums Ought to Stay Away". Nanny nanny boo boo.
For it is only at page twenty-six (chapter two) that McCarthy finally launches into her Ms Know-It-All tone about the city's history. By then the reader is so enervated he or she cares but little about what one will see, or who was who, and either too frustrated or too exhausted or both to pay her much attention. The reader continues reading only because supposed experts have said that this is a book worth considering. Well, what do they know?
It is all too much like having Mummy and Daddy insist "Eat Your Vegetables!" or having your grumpiest crone of an aunt plunk you down in front of a mediocre painting and prod with her cane and insist an appreciative response from you because she is doing it "for your own good". Dreadful.
Maybe Mary was having a bad day, or week, or life, I don't know; but by the time one is done with this dreary work one wonders why Mary wrote the book at all. Maybe she needed the money, badly. One wonders even more why any publisher accepted it. It is rather inconceivable that any editor thought this book worth the time, bother, paper and ink.
Oh, well, yes, there are a few smatterings of truth to all that she says. Florence can be too hot. The last time I was in Florence it was July and the heat was of the record-breaking variety. All the more reason to stroll over to Vivoli's and have a gelato, or two. The traffic was hectic, but then, all the more reason to duck into a shop and come out with something new in gorgeous Florentine leather. The sidewalks are narrow, all the more reason to slow down, and drink in the details of this marvelous, indescribably fascinating city that has surprises for the first time or returning visitor at every turn. One could spend a month just enjoying the vast variety of door knockers on the ancient palaces, or for that matter, sampling the byways that offer relief from the tourist trail. But then, why pretend one is not a tourist--there is nothing wrong with visiting a place to experience it, with all of its surprises and wonders. And as for the people--yes there are street vendors who ought not be there, but on the whole we find the Florentines to be welcoming and pleasant, as we find all of the Italians--who respond to Americans as if their long lost cousin has just stopped in for a visit.
A visitor to any city could produce a long list of dislikes and turn them into a "Ten Things I Hate About You". Mary McCarthy's approach has no sense whatsoever that she loves or even likes the famous center of the Italian Renaissance. What a contrast it is to R W B Lewis' fabulous, thoroughly enjoyable, readable book on the same subject--filled with history and art that is more than facts and travel that takes one where the natives go, which I recommend highly to one and all and without qualification as the best single volume about Florence written in modern times. McCarthy is the reader's adversary. Lewis is the reader's friend; you can find it here...
The City of Florence: Historical Vistas and Personal Sightings, by R W B Lewis - don't miss it!
The title of Mistress Mary's book is, of course, a play on dear old Johnny Ruskin and his writings about Venice, but this is NOT a masterpiece of English literature. Far from it. It is a disappointment from start to finish, especially when read in comparison to the Lewis book.
If you find this review helpful you might want to read some of my other reviews, including those on subjects ranging from biography to architecture, as well as religion and fiction.
Summary of The Stones of Florence
A beloved tribute to Florence that blends history, artistic reflection, and keen social observation
Renowned for her sharp literary style, essayist and fiction writer Mary McCarthy offers a unique history of Florence, from its inception to the dominant role it came to play in the world of art, architecture, and Italian culture, that captures the brilliant Florentine spirit and revisits the legendary figures?Dante, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and others?who exemplify it so iconically. Her most cherished sights and experiences color this timeless, graceful portrait of a city that's as famous as it is alluring.
It becomes evident from the first page of The Stones of Florence that Mary McCarthy loves her subject. Yet hers is the steady love of a long acquaintance, an affection that has deepened from mere infatuation to a steady, clear-eyed regard. In this witty tribute to Florence, Mary McCarthy explores the city's past and present, in the process offering up a tour that covers everything from a description of oil painting to the remarkable history behind Florence's many towers. The Stones of Florence is ideal for reading on the plane ride to Italy, but it's also perfect for armchair travelers, art lovers, and students of the Renaissance.
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