City of the Soul, William Murray
City of the Soul, William Murray
List: $9.95 | Sale: $6.96
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City of the Soul
A Walk in Rome

Author: William Murray

Narrator: Grover Gardner

Unabridged: 2 hr 34 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 12/16/2003


Synopsis

“One lifetime is not enough for Rome,” the famous saying goes, and anyone who’s ever been there knows these words to be true. In City of the Soul, William Murray begins to show us why.

Growing up in Rome and spending much of his life in the city, William Murray is an expert guide as he takes us on an intimate walking tour of some of Rome’s most glorious achievements, illuminating the history and the mythology that define the city. Murray leads us through the centro, the city’s historic downtown center. He writes about the Villa Borghese, the Piazza di Spagna, and the Trevi Fountain and describes such singular attractions as the Capuchin Church of Santa Maria della Concezione, whose macabre crypt has impressed visitors from Mark Twain to the Marquis de Sade.

As he walks, he reveals stories that only a longtime resident would know, capturing the sights, sounds, and flavors that make Rome a combination of the deep past and the ever-sensual present.

About The Author

William Murray was a staff writer at The New Yorker for more than 30 years and authored more than 20 novels and works of nonfiction, including City of the Soul and The Last Italian. He died in 2005.Grover Gardner’s narration career spans 25 years and over 550 audiobook titles. AudioFile magazine has called him one of the “Best Voices of the Century” and features him in their annual “Golden Voices” update. Publishers Weekly named him Audiobook Narrator of the Year for 2005. His recordings have garnered 18 Earphones Awards from AudioFile and an Audie Award from the Audio Publishers’ Association.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Preeti on August 16, 2011

This is the book I expected my previous (unfinished) read - Florence: A Delicate Case - to be. It served as a nice introduction to Rome prior to my trip there. The author intersperses his experiences in Rome with the history of the city, serving as a tour guide through the streets, the monuments, an......more

Goodreads review by Cherrie on March 05, 2022

Rome prep read. Makes me wanna stay there longer already. Like how the book concludes with stories of Roman woman figures in Murray’s life, family love, not the often belittling lovers.......more

Goodreads review by Mary on April 10, 2019

This book was interesting in that I had just returned from Italy and recognized some of the places discussed in the book. Had I not been to Italy I probably would not have enjoyed the book so much. Learned about some places I would like to visit on my next trip to Italy.......more

Goodreads review by Linda on September 04, 2008

I certainly have to concur with author Murray that Rome is a unique and wonderful place. This little book is a gentle pleasure to read. Not much new here, but there are some interesting factoids and it's nice to read of this man's personal attachment to a place that I also love. He's a good writer w......more