Reviews
"Dark Wateris not simply the best book yet about the flood that devastated Florence in November, 1966; it's a new kind of art history-one that reflects on the transformation of a real Italian city (Firenze) into an imaginary city that's become almost a museum of itself (Florence)." Robert Hellenga, author ofThe Sixteen Pleasures "A miraculous book, a passionate inquiry into the spirit that sustains the beauty of art and its more vexing sibling, religion.Dark Wateris a mystery story and a memoir, set in a city of incomparable riches and dark fascinations. Clark's masterwork of quest literature deftly combines investigative journalism, meticulous history, and, best of all, a cast of indelible characters whose lives move through Florence and its floods with novelistic power and suspense." -- Patricia Hampl, author ofThe Florist's Daughter "Lovers of Florence / Firenze will fall intoDark Water headfirst. This is an engrossing, layered, and intelligent voyage into the history of artists' relationships to the capricious river Arno. Robert Clark deepens our knowledge of this most poetic of cities, with an unstinting and loving examination of the politics and love brought to bear on the flood of 1966 and the ongoing reverberations that persist. A formidable accomplishment." --Frances Mayes, author ofUnder the Tuscan Sun "A wonderfully intimate evocation both of the geniuses that created Florence's masterpieces and the teams of art experts and 'mud angels' who rescued them. Anyone visiting Florence after readingDark Waterwill find the city all the more precious and miraculous." -- Ross King, author ofBrunelleschi's Dome, " Dark Water is not simply the best book yet about the flood that devastated Florence in November, 1966; it's a new kind of art historyone that reflects on the transformation of a real Italian city (Firenze) into an imaginary city that's become almost a museum of itself (Florence)." Robert Hellenga, author of The Sixteen Pleasures "A miraculous book, a passionate inquiry into the spirit that sustains the beauty of art and its more vexing sibling, religion. Dark Water is a mystery story and a memoir, set in a city of incomparable riches and dark fascinations. Clark's masterwork of quest literature deftly combines investigative journalism, meticulous history, and, best of all, a cast of indelible characters whose lives move through Florence and its floods with novelistic power and suspense." -- Patricia Hampl, author of The Florist's Daughter "Lovers of Florence / Firenze will fall into Dark Water headfirst. This is an engrossing, layered, and intelligent voyage into the history of artists' relationships to the capricious river Arno. Robert Clark deepens our knowledge of this most poetic of cities, with an unstinting and loving examination of the politics and love brought to bear on the flood of 1966 and the ongoing reverberations that persist. A formidable accomplishment." --Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun "A wonderfully intimate evocation both of the geniuses that created Florence's masterpieces and the teams of art experts and 'mud angels' who rescued them. Anyone visiting Florence after reading Dark Water will find the city all the more precious and miraculous." -- Ross King, author of Brunelleschi's Dome, "A miraculous book, a passionate inquiry into the spirit that sustains the beauty of art and its more vexing sibling, religion.Dark Wateris a mystery story and a memoir, set in a city of incomparable riches and dark fascinations. Clark's masterwork of quest literature deftly combines investigative journalism, meticulous history, and, best of all, a cast of indelible characters whose lives move through Florence and its floods with novelistic power and suspense." -- Patricia Hampl, author ofThe Florist's Daughter "Lovers of Florence / Firenze will fall intoDark Water headfirst. This is an engrossing, layered, and intelligent voyage into the history of artists' relationships to the capricious river Arno. Robert Clark deepens our knowledge of this most poetic of cities, with an unstinting and loving examination of the politics and love brought to bear on the flood of 1966 and the ongoing reverberations that persist. A formidable accomplishment." --Frances Mayes, author ofUnder the Tuscan Sun "A wonderfully intimate evocation both of the geniuses that created Florence's masterpieces and the teams of art experts and 'mud angels' who rescued them. Anyone visiting Florence after readingDark Waterwill find the city all the more precious and miraculous." -- Ross King, author ofBrunelleschi's Dome"Dark Wateris not simply the best book yet about the flood that devastated Florence in November, 1966; it's a new kind of art history-one that reflects on the transformation of a real Italian city (Firenze) into an imaginary city that's become almost a museum of itself (Florence)." Robert Hellenga, author ofThe Sixteen Pleasures, Praise forDark Water "Robert Clark has written a miraculous book, a passionate inquiry into the spirit that sustains the beauty of art and its more vexing sibling, religion.Dark Wateris a mystery story and a memoir, set in a city of incomparable riches and dark fascinations. Clark's masterwork of quest literature deftly combines investigative journalism, meticulous history and, best of all, a cast of indelible characters whose lives move through Florence and its floods with novelistic power and suspense." -Patricia Hampl, author ofThe Florist's Daughter Robert Clark'sDark Wateris not simply the best book yet about the flood that devastated Florence in November 1966, it's a new kind of art history-one that reflects on the transformation of a real Italian city (Firenze) into an imaginary city that's become almost a museum of itself (Florence). -Robert Hellenga, author ofThe Sixteen Pleasures, "A miraculous book, a passionate inquiry into the spirit that sustains the beauty of art and its more vexing sibling, religion.Dark Wateris a mystery story and a memoir, set in a city of incomparable riches and dark fascinations. Clark's masterwork of quest literature deftly combines investigative journalism, meticulous history, and, best of all, a cast of indelible characters whose lives move through Florence and its floods with novelistic power and suspense." -- Patricia Hampl, author ofThe Florist's Daughter "Lovers of Florence / Firenze will fall intoDark Water headfirst. This is an engrossing, layered, and intelligent voyage into the history of artists' relationships to the capricious river Arno. Robert Clark deepens our knowledge of this most poetic of cities, with an unstinting and loving examination of the politics and love brought to bear on the flood of 1966 and the ongoing reverberations that persist. A formidable accomplishment." --Frances Mayes, author ofUnder the Tuscan Sun "A wonderfully intimate evocation both of the geniuses that created Florence's masterpieces and the teams of art experts and 'mud angels' who rescued them. Anyone visiting Florence after readingDark Waterwill find the city all the more precious and miraculous." -- Ross King, author ofBrunelleschi's Dome "Dark Wateris not simply the best book yet about the flood that devastated Florence in November, 1966; it's a new kind of art history-one that reflects on the transformation of a real Italian city (Firenze) into an imaginary city that's become almost a museum of itself (Florence)." Robert Hellenga, author ofThe Sixteen Pleasures
