The Doorbells of Florence

By Andrew Losowsky

Book Overview

These alluring photographs of doorbell panels in Florence, Italy, inspired stories that imagine the lives of the people who dwell at each address. Charming, whimsical, and elegant, each story is a perfect match for its photo, balancingthe antique, old-world appeal of Florence and the contemporary, gritty realities of a modern city. The photos lay bare a rarely observed side of Florence and the stories capture the spirit of peeking inside the secrets, habits, and desires of a city's inhabitants. Travelers, lovers of Italy, and imaginative wanderers will delight in this beautiful collection, which features hand-drawn lettering and a silk-screened cover.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0811866491
• ISBN13: 9780811866491
• Release Date: March 2009
• Publisher: Chronicle Books
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 7.3"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

A charming book.

This is quite a charming book. One can look through the photos with pleasure and read the stories behind the doorbells at random. I gave this book to a very ill friend who loved it. The size made it easy for her to hold and the quick stories were fun and distracting. I looked at the photos a couple of times before reading any of the wonderful stories that are associated with the doorbells. Nice to own and lovely to give as a gift.

fun, dynamic, and charming

A fun set of short stories that transport you through the personal worlds of Florentines via their doorbells. Dynamic and charming throughout.

A book worth keeping.

Losowsky crafts stories about the residents of Florence from clues on their doorbells. These three-dozen glimpses range from a few sentences to a half-dozen pages, making for a fun and beautifully-written book to browse at your leisure. It's at once a quirky guide to a city and a spotlight on a piece of technology we rarely give a second glance. Excellent attention paid to design, with full color photographs, imaginative lettering, and heavy paper. A book for the library, backpack, purse, and back pocket. A book worth keeping.