Goodreads members who liked the sixteen pleasures also liked. The sixteen pleasures by robert hellenga in chm, epub, fb2 download e book. The sixteen pleasures summary the sixteen pleasures by robert hellenga is a novel filled with art, intrigue, and selfdiscovery. On tuesday i decided to go to italy, to offer my services as a humble book conservator, to help in any way i could, to save whatever could be. His seven novels include the sixteen pleasures, the fall of a sparrow, blues lessons, philosophy made simple, the italian lover, snakewoman of little egypt, and the confessions of frances godwin. Sixteen pleasures by robert hellenga in djvu, epub, txt download e book. Twenty feet of water in the cloisters of santa croce, the cimabue crucifix ruined beyond hope of restoration, panels ripped from the baptistry doors, the basement of the biblioteca nazionale completely underwater, hundreds. Foods, arts, sexuality, and spirituality are interwoven in the sixteen pleasures.
Nine fragments depicting the loves of the gods i modi, the british museum. She plans to help repair old books that were damaged when the arno river flooded. The sixteen pleasures by robert hellenga is a novel filled with art, intrigue, and selfdiscovery. Inspired to sample each of the ineffable sixteen pleasures, margot embarks on the intrigue of a lifetime with a forbidden lover and the contraband volume a sensual, lifealtering journey of loss and rebirth in this exquisite audiobook of spiritual longing and earthly desire.
The sixteen pleasures audiobook, written by robert hellenga. Inspired to sample each of the sixteen pleasures, margot embarks on the intrigue of a lifetime. May 11, 1994 a wonderfully rich and absorbing story that seems far too assured to be a first novel. In this highly acclaimed bestseller, 29yearold american book conservator margot harrington arrives in florence, italy, to save the waterlogged library of a. Casanovas and venices libertinism did not emerge from a vacuum. The blurb calls this an erotic book about an erotic book. The sixteen pleasures contains vivid descriptions of the restoration of some florentine frescoes as well as the intricate details of book conservation. Chapter one where i want to be i was twentynine years old when the arno flooded its banks on friday 4 november 1966. In the course of mending books in florence, margot harrington is releasing. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app.
Giulio romano, encyclopedia britannica, october 29, 2008. Praise for the sixteen pleasures part mystery, part romance, part guidebook. I have read the book in its print form and wanted it on my kindle for a reread. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. The city had suffered a devastating flood and she joined the stream of. Usa today elegantly movingeverything about the narrator and heroine of this novel is appealing right from the first paragraph. The sixteen pleasures by robert hellenga and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The sixteen pleasures is eventually sold at auction for a large amount of money. The vaticans 16th century sex guide, karen strike, flashbak, march 26, 2017. The sixteen pleasures by robert hellenga book club. A lively first novel that communicates the heady peril, as well as the adventure, of florence after the flood. I modi aka the positions is a notorious book of erotica that became famous in 16th century italy as much for being banned as for its racy content. Forced to find her own way, margot ends up working in the waterlogged library of a convent, falling in love with an older, married man and also coming, clandestinely, into possession of an extremely rare book, the sixteen pleasures, a volume of exquisite erotic drawings and sonnets from the 16th century.
I would also like to recommend a wonderful novel, the sixteen pleasures, by robert hellenga set in the frenzy of art restoration after the flooding florence in 1966, a young volunteer discovers a waterlogged copy of the infamous book, hidden in a convent. Book conservator margot harrington hurried off to florence, italy in november 1966. The sixteen pleasures pdf download full read book page. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 384 pages and is available in paperback format. In what ways is the sixteen pleasures a comingofage novel. Hellengas work is a multilayered novel, with sensual discovery and high adventure, as well as its.
And what better book than one about loving and loving books. Margot harrington, age 29, decides to fly from chicago, where she lives, to italy. The discovery of an old book of erotica in an italian convent by a beautiful twenty nineyearold book conservator from america becomes her. The sixteen pleasures audiobook by robert hellenga. Marcantonio raimondi, encyclopedia britannica, april 8, 2009.
A centuriesold book is found in florence in this novel with a sympathetic heroine, a suspenseful plot. While struggling to save a waterlogged convent library after the. The sixteen pleasures npr coverage of the sixteen pleasures by robert hellenga. Margot harringtons memoir about her discovery in florence of a priceless masterwork of renaissance erotica and the misguided love affair it inspired is now, 25 years later, being made. An exhilarating novel of romance, art, and food in florence, featuring the beloved margot harrington, who graced robert hellengas the sixteen pleasures. The sixteen pleasures is a well written, enteraining read about a book restorer and her adventures in florence following the devastating flood of the arno river. Europes first pornographic blockbuster was made in the. American volunteer margot harrington finds her niche in the waterlogged library of a carmelite convent. Although the pleasure of reading this book can hardly compare with any of the sixteen, still, id put it high on the list of pleasures one can have alone. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. When book conservator margo harrington goes to florence to a. Graceful, assured prose, a wry but empathetic view of the human character and an authoritative command of fascinating background detail are among the distinguishing features of this deeply satisfying first novel. Find books like the sixteen pleasures from the worlds largest community of readers. I love robert hellengas work and have all his books.
May 01, 1994 the sixteen pleasures purports to take place just after the great flood of 1966 that devastated much of the city of florence and its artistic treasures. Sep 01, 2009 margot harrington, an american volunteer in florence, is an expert at book conservancy. Robert hellenga the adventure of margot harrington, an american book conservator saving treasures in the 1966 flood in florence. The first edition of the novel was published in may 1st 1994, and was written by robert hellenga. The sixteen pleasures by robert hellenga goodreads. While struggling to save a waterlogged convent library after the devastating arno flood of 1966, she comes across a fabulous volume of sixteen erotic drawings by giulio romano, accompanying sixteen steamy sonnets by pietro aretino. For within its walls she discovered a priceless renaissance masterwork.
The sixteen pleasures by robert hellenga 1995, paperback. The sixteen pleasures new york public library overdrive. Sixteen pleasures by robert hellenga, 9780385314695, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. A young american book conservators discovery, while in florence, of a volume of 16 sensual drawings with equally erotic sonnets leads her to a romantic encounter. While the original edition was apparently completely destroyed by the catholic church, fragments of a later edition survived. The sixteen pleasures by robert hellenga reading guide. The sixteen pleasures that the vatican tried to ban. Margot harrington, a young american bookbinder, goes off to try and help preserve some of the cities treasured old books, and in the process, becomes embroiled with an older italian man, finds herself, etc. The suspense he manages to create in a book auction scene rivals that of any thriller.
A novel and millions of other books are available for instant access. But the sixteen pleasures is a favorite because i remember being in. Pdf the sixteen pleasures book by robert hellenga free. Inspired to sample each of the ineffable sixteen pleasures, margot embarks on the intrigue of a lifetime with a forbidden lover and the contraband volumea sensual, lifealtering journey of loss and rebirth in this exquisite novel of spiritual longing and earthly desire. Discuss aspects of the novel that feel contemporary and those that feel oldfashioned.
While struggling to save a waterlogged convent library, she comes across a fabulous volume of sixteen erotic drawings by giulio romano, accompanying sixteen steamy sonnets by pietro aretino. I am very unhappy with all the typos in the book that should have been caught. She is asked by the mother superior of a convent to help secretly sell a banned book. After the church destroyed early versions in rome in 1524, within three years copies were in. Margot harrington, an american volunteer in florence, is an expert at book conservancy. According to the sunday new york times the damage wasnt extensive, but by monday it was clear that florence was a disaster. The sixteen pleasures ebook washington county cooperative. When book conservator margo harrington goes to florence to aid in restoring the treasures damaged in the flooding of the arno in 1966, she is entrusted with a rare book that its owner, the abbess of a convent, hopes to sell without the bishops knowledge. Free download or read online the sixteen pleasures pdf epub book. The main characters of this fiction, cultural story are. The sixteen pleasures by robert hellenga, paperback barnes. Robert hellenga august 5, 1941 is an american novelist, essayist, and short story author.