{"product_id":"book-bchf","title":"Gondola","description":"Of all the trademarks of Venice-- and there are many, from the gilded Basilica of San Marco to the melancholy Bridge of Sighs-- none is more ubiquitous than the gondola. The internationally acclaimed \"American with the Venetian heart,\" Donna Leon, tells its fascinating story (The Washington Post). First used in medieval Venice as a deftly maneuverable getaway boat, the gondola evolved over the centuries into a floating pleasure palace, bedecked in silk, that facilitated the romantic escapades of the Venetian elite. Today, the gondola wears black-- a gleaming, elegant hue, and is manned by robust gondolieri in black-and-white-striped shirts and straw hats. A tourist favorite, the gondola has never ceased to be a part of authentic Venice. Each boat' s 280 pieces are carefully fashioned in a maestro' s workshop-- though Leon also recounts a tale of an American friend who attempted to make a gondola all on his own. The feat took five years and countless do-overs. But the gondola is a work of art well worth the labor. And once its arched prow pushes off from the dock, the single Venetian at its oar just might break out in a barcarole, a popular Italian boat song. The best of these songs, as timeless as the allure of the gondola itself, are compiled into an accompanying CD.","brand":"Recorded Books, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Audiobook","offer_id":49384805695792,"sku":"BDbchf","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Audio CD","offer_id":49384805728560,"sku":"ZEbchf","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Audio MP3-CD","offer_id":49384805761328,"sku":"ZMbchf","price":29.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0879\/2784\/9264\/files\/99514-bchf-Square.jpg?v=1735113323","url":"https:\/\/downpour.com\/products\/book-bchf","provider":"Downpour","version":"1.0","type":"link"}