The Stones of Venice, Volume 1


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(3.2 stars; 9 reviews)

The Stones of Venice is a three-volume treatise on Venetian art and architecture by English art historian John Ruskin, first published from 1851 to 1853. Intending to prove how the architecture in Venice exemplified the principles he discussed in his earlier work, The Seven Lamps of Architecture, Ruskin examined the city in detail, describing for example over eighty churches. He discusses architecture of Venice's Byzantine, Gothic and Renaissance periods, and provides a general history of the city as well. The book aroused considerable interest in Victorian Britain and beyond. The chapter "The Nature of Gothic" (from volume 2) was admired by William Morris, who published it separately in an edition which is in itself an example of Gothic revival. It inspired Marcel Proust; the narrator of the Recherche visits Venice with his mother in a state of enthusiasm for Ruskin. The Stones of Venice is considered one of the most influential books of the 19th century. (Summary adapted from the Wikipedia by Leni) (14 hr 12 min)

Chapters

Preface 14:40 Read by Stephanie Lee
Chapter 01, The Quarry, part 1 22:14 Read by Stephanie Lee
Chapter 01, The Quarry, part 2 20:36 Read by ToddHW
Chapter 01, The Quarry, part 3 26:25 Read by ToddHW
Chapter 02, The Virtues of Architecture 28:30 Read by Availle
Chapter 03, The Six Divisions of Architecture 11:11 Read by Availle
Chapter 04, The Wall Base 13:21 Read by MorganScorpion
Chapter 05, The Wall Veil 10:30 Read by MorganScorpion
Chapter 06, The Wall Cornice 16:37 Read by MorganScorpion
Chapter 07, The Pier Base 29:26 Read by Nicole Lee
Chapter 08, The Shaft 51:38 Read by Pamela Krantz
Chapter 09, The Capital 39:30 Read by Pamela Krantz
Chapter 10, The Arch Line 20:06 Read by MorganScorpion
Chapter 11, The Arch Masonry 26:35 Read by MorganScorpion
Chapter 12, The Arch Load 5:28 Read by Snapdragon
Chapter 13, The Roof 14:17 Read by MorganScorpion
Chapter 14, The Roof Cornice 26:19 Read by MorganScorpion
Chapter 15, The Buttress 18:45 Read by MorganScorpion
Chapter 16, Form of Aperture 21:35 Read by Rholdah
Chapter 17, Filling of Aperture 25:34 Read by Rholdah
Chapter 18, Protection of Aperture 12:34 Read by Little Tee
Chapter 19, Superimposition 27:24 Read by Pamela Krantz
Chapter 20, The Material of Ornament, part 1 28:40 Read by Lucretia B.
Chapter 20, The Material of Ornament, part 2 45:10 Read by Lucretia B.
Chapter 21, Treatment of Ornament, part 1 26:22 Read by MorganScorpion
Chapter 21, Treatment of Ornament, part 2 29:29 Read by MorganScorpion
Chapter 22, The Angle 14:48 Read by MorganScorpion
Chapter 23, The Edge and Fillet 21:49 Read by doonaboon
Chapter 24, The Roll and Recess 11:41 Read by doonaboon
Chapter 25, The Base 33:51 Read by doonaboon
Chapter 26, The Wall Veil and Shaft 25:48 Read by doonaboon
Chapter 27, The Cornice and Capital, part 1 36:10 Read by Pamela Krantz
Chapter 27, The Cornice and Capital, part 2 34:28 Read by Pamela Krantz
Chapter 28, The Archivolt and Aperture 24:51 Read by Pamela Krantz
Chapter 29, The Roof 14:41 Read by April Gonzales
Chapter 30, The Vestibule 21:51 Read by MorganScorpion

Reviews

regional accents


(4 stars)

annals and anals have different pronunciation and meaning. these dialect or accent issues didn't distract from the reading as Ruskin's argument demands attention and the voice of the reader is marginal to the material. Many thanks to the volunteers who bring the text to voice.

A worthwhile effort, but...


(2.5 stars)

While one is grateful that people do volunteer to read these books without pay, reading this book really does require a level of proficiency and even a bit of erudition that are exasperatingly lacking in some readers. For example, the first reader not only does not make much of an effort to pronounce Italian names and phrases correctly, she makes some astonishing goofs in plain old English, such as pronouncing the word "preface" as "pree-fayce." That's a real attention-ruiner.