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Politics of Washing: Real Life in Venice
This is the story of ordinary life in an extraordinary place. The beautiful city of Venice has been a fantasy land for people from around the globe for centuries, but what is it like to live there? To move house by boat, to get a child with a broken leg to hospital or set off for school one morning only to find that the streets have become rivers and the playground is a lake full of sewage? When Polly Coles and her family left England for Venice, they discovered a city caught between modern and ancient life - where the locals still go on an annual pilgrimage to give thanks for the end of the Black Death; where schools are housed in renaissance palaces and your new washing machine can only be delivered on foot. This is a city perilously under siege from tourism, but its people refuse to give it up - indeed, they love it with a passion. The Politics of Washing is a fascinating window into the world of ordinary Venetians and the strange and unique place they call home.
208 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
November 22, 2014
The Politics of Washing, a memoirs of one year of living in Venice of an Anglo-Italian family, is by an author (the wife) who twists herself into impossible contortions to become an apologist for unforgivable Venetian bad behavior. So many statements in the book begin "There is no excuse for this sort of behavior, but..." There are many "buts" in the 200 page book. And none of the "buts" are valid. There REALLY IS NO EXCUSE for the Venetians' behavior.
The move of the couple, she English, he Italian, and their four children to Venice, seems ill-conceived from the start, and the family is quite ill-prepared for the reality of a city without cars, and life in another culture. It is no secret that the "roads" of Venice are canals, and the taxis and cars are boats, and yet the author is surprised by this. It is no secret that Italy has probably the worst-functioning government services in Europe, and yet the author seems surprised by this, too.
It has long been a fact that Venice is the most tourist-visited city in the world, and yet the author seems surprised by the tourists. There are other towns and cities in the world whose population swells to many multiples of the resident population during tourist season. Those cities embrace their economic good-fortune, and seek to provide decent facilities for the in-comers, and make sure their visit is all they dream it will be. Thus they ensure that their economic mainstay remains strong and produces repeat visits.
Venetians, in contrast, shoot themselves and the tourists in the foot with their common price gouging and often disgraceful accommodations, along with the often disgraceful treatment of visitors. The bellyaching, oddly, is repeated by the author, her having seemingly been fully brainwashed by the locals into becoming a petty, insulting, ignorant and very often naive temporary resident of Venice. And her own bigotries about U.S. Americans shine through.
The most frustrating parts of the book are when the author repeats the delusional "wishes" that the locals profess to, claiming them also for her own: subsidized housing for "locals", plentiful jobs and industries for "locals", tourism restricted by immigration-style number limits.
Other delusions are all her own: an education for "locals" so they are less xenophobic, and a campaign to help "locals" understand that immigrants who live in Venice are the "new Venetians" and the salvation of the city.
I wasn't going to review this book, which I received as a review-copy, because I don't enjoy writing negative reviews. But the publisher sent an e-mail reminding me of my obligation to post a review, so I felt obligated to post this honest review.
Please visit my full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews.
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...
The move of the couple, she English, he Italian, and their four children to Venice, seems ill-conceived from the start, and the family is quite ill-prepared for the reality of a city without cars, and life in another culture. It is no secret that the "roads" of Venice are canals, and the taxis and cars are boats, and yet the author is surprised by this. It is no secret that Italy has probably the worst-functioning government services in Europe, and yet the author seems surprised by this, too.
It has long been a fact that Venice is the most tourist-visited city in the world, and yet the author seems surprised by the tourists. There are other towns and cities in the world whose population swells to many multiples of the resident population during tourist season. Those cities embrace their economic good-fortune, and seek to provide decent facilities for the in-comers, and make sure their visit is all they dream it will be. Thus they ensure that their economic mainstay remains strong and produces repeat visits.
Venetians, in contrast, shoot themselves and the tourists in the foot with their common price gouging and often disgraceful accommodations, along with the often disgraceful treatment of visitors. The bellyaching, oddly, is repeated by the author, her having seemingly been fully brainwashed by the locals into becoming a petty, insulting, ignorant and very often naive temporary resident of Venice. And her own bigotries about U.S. Americans shine through.
The most frustrating parts of the book are when the author repeats the delusional "wishes" that the locals profess to, claiming them also for her own: subsidized housing for "locals", plentiful jobs and industries for "locals", tourism restricted by immigration-style number limits.
Other delusions are all her own: an education for "locals" so they are less xenophobic, and a campaign to help "locals" understand that immigrants who live in Venice are the "new Venetians" and the salvation of the city.
I wasn't going to review this book, which I received as a review-copy, because I don't enjoy writing negative reviews. But the publisher sent an e-mail reminding me of my obligation to post a review, so I felt obligated to post this honest review.
Please visit my full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews.
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...
June 6, 2014
A friend asked what I was reading as I began this book. When I told her it was a book about Venice, she said, "Oh, are you planning a trip?" "That would be nice," I answered. That was before I realized that the main idea of this book is "Venice is drowning in tourists. STAY AWAY!" While the beginning of the book relates interesting, practical details of living in such a unique location, this preachy agenda is firmly in place by the middle, and continues relentlessly to the end.
A page near the end describes the city as both "the most beautiful place in the world" and a "dank . . . stone labyrinth." Perhaps because she assumes we all know what the beautiful parts look like, the author tends to dwell on the negatives. These are some of the things I learned:
--Venetians hate outsiders, even other Italians
--Venetians smoke constantly, and refuse to pick up after their dogs
--The Italian school system hates children
--When the tide is extra high, nasty stuff washes over everything
Maybe I'll take a virtual tour of the good parts someday, but save my actual travelling for some friendlier shore. Good job, Ms. Coles.
A page near the end describes the city as both "the most beautiful place in the world" and a "dank . . . stone labyrinth." Perhaps because she assumes we all know what the beautiful parts look like, the author tends to dwell on the negatives. These are some of the things I learned:
--Venetians hate outsiders, even other Italians
--Venetians smoke constantly, and refuse to pick up after their dogs
--The Italian school system hates children
--When the tide is extra high, nasty stuff washes over everything
Maybe I'll take a virtual tour of the good parts someday, but save my actual travelling for some friendlier shore. Good job, Ms. Coles.
January 10, 2015
I was hoping for a book about daily life in modern Venice, but instead this book was a depressing collection of snapshots depicting Venetian hatred of tourists and stereotype characterizations of foreigners and locals.
If you want to visit Venice, this book will definitely do little to encourage you. Yes, I know Venice is truly burdened by the flood of tourists and the depopulation of everyday life, but the author forgets that Venice without visitors would not be able to sustain its beauty and "museum" charm. It will never be able to support itself as an artisan community where people live and raise children and have a picture book work-a-day life. Rising waters, eroding infrastructure and beautiful buildings are expensive to deal with -- very expense.
If you want to visit Venice, this book will definitely do little to encourage you. Yes, I know Venice is truly burdened by the flood of tourists and the depopulation of everyday life, but the author forgets that Venice without visitors would not be able to sustain its beauty and "museum" charm. It will never be able to support itself as an artisan community where people live and raise children and have a picture book work-a-day life. Rising waters, eroding infrastructure and beautiful buildings are expensive to deal with -- very expense.
April 22, 2014
Couldn't finish. Described as a "riveting account", but I can't agree. Everything was written in an overly melodramatic style, when really much more straightforward manner would have sufficed. Perhaps, had I progressed more than a third of the way through the book, I may have found it more enjoyable.
June 23, 2013
Everyone who's ever visited Venice has probably thought, even if only briefly, of what it would be like to live in the city. Even allowing for the reality of occasional flooding and tourist crowds, it still seems like a magnificently romantic place to live.
On the other hand, if you wait until you have four children, ages 12 and under, the experience might be somewhat different. Polly Coles, a Londoner, and her Italian husband make that ambitious move, and it makes for a change from the typical retire-to-a-villa-in-France-or-Italy memoir.
The book seems unstructured, although it's set up as a chronological narrative of a year in Venice. It's more a collection of observations and vignettes of their life in a city that is both eternal and endangered. Coles describes the complicated logistics of having a new washing machine delivered and the old one taken away in a town without streets or cars or elevators. In true British fashion, she doesn't let the threat of rain (or even actual rain) stop her from holding a children's birthday party in the campo. She goes to parent-teacher conferences and grapples with "tu' and 'lei', the familiar and polite forms of 'you'.
And, in true Venetian form, Coles participates in the most popular local sport, complaining about tourists.
On the other hand, if you wait until you have four children, ages 12 and under, the experience might be somewhat different. Polly Coles, a Londoner, and her Italian husband make that ambitious move, and it makes for a change from the typical retire-to-a-villa-in-France-or-Italy memoir.
The book seems unstructured, although it's set up as a chronological narrative of a year in Venice. It's more a collection of observations and vignettes of their life in a city that is both eternal and endangered. Coles describes the complicated logistics of having a new washing machine delivered and the old one taken away in a town without streets or cars or elevators. In true British fashion, she doesn't let the threat of rain (or even actual rain) stop her from holding a children's birthday party in the campo. She goes to parent-teacher conferences and grapples with "tu' and 'lei', the familiar and polite forms of 'you'.
And, in true Venetian form, Coles participates in the most popular local sport, complaining about tourists.
August 23, 2021
Man sidder med tanken: Hvorfor gjorde hun det? Både flyttede til Venezia og skrev bogen. Negativ tone og manglende forståelse for andet end den britiske vinkel. Sidder med en følelse af en reklame, der ønsker mig hen hvor peberet gror - kan på ingen måde anbefales
April 30, 2020
So, this took me a while to get through. I bought this book in Venice and the Peggy Guggenheim store and was ready to prolonge the Venetian feeling which I adore so much. However, it was different than I imagined and contained opinions of the author and her lessons on matters of life. I found it hard to read and did not enjoy it as much as I hoped I would. It did succeed in giving a negative image on how life of the Venetians changed and worsened over the years. 2 stars.
July 13, 2025
I really enjoyed this memoir. It was a bit different in that it wasn't a typical accounting of the author's life while living abroad. While Polly Cole gives us some insight into her move from England to Venice, we don't get too much backstory except that her partner, the father of her children, is Italian and the couple thought it would be good for their brood of 4 children, including one set of twins, to experience life in Venice, after living the earlier parts of their lives in the English countryside.
Much of the book is commentary on the rampant tourism that, in the author's opinion, is overwhelming the native Venetians who just want their city back. (Of course, she does acknowledge that many Venetians make their livings off of the troublesome tourists who clog the waterways on their sightseeing boats and inundate the sidewalks and shops.) She tell us that 16 million people visit Venice annually; the native population is about 60,000 people.
I enjoyed seeing another side of tourism and the book did make me stop to think how I would feel if my hometown were constantly overrun with tourists. It also made me think about Paris in that light.
I enjoyed the peeks into the school system that she offered--one that is more rigorous than the system in Great Britain with little offered in the way of recreation or greenspace for the kids. I appreciated her accounts of getting around the city on foot or by boat and what it is like to share a laundry line with the residents in the apartments across the street (hence, the title of the book), and how difficult it was to have a new washing machine delivered in Venice, then carted up four floors in a very narrow stairway in an ancient building.
I also enjoyed Cole's references to literature and mythology, although I have a feeling some readers may consider them a bit too much.
Much of the book is commentary on the rampant tourism that, in the author's opinion, is overwhelming the native Venetians who just want their city back. (Of course, she does acknowledge that many Venetians make their livings off of the troublesome tourists who clog the waterways on their sightseeing boats and inundate the sidewalks and shops.) She tell us that 16 million people visit Venice annually; the native population is about 60,000 people.
I enjoyed seeing another side of tourism and the book did make me stop to think how I would feel if my hometown were constantly overrun with tourists. It also made me think about Paris in that light.
I enjoyed the peeks into the school system that she offered--one that is more rigorous than the system in Great Britain with little offered in the way of recreation or greenspace for the kids. I appreciated her accounts of getting around the city on foot or by boat and what it is like to share a laundry line with the residents in the apartments across the street (hence, the title of the book), and how difficult it was to have a new washing machine delivered in Venice, then carted up four floors in a very narrow stairway in an ancient building.
I also enjoyed Cole's references to literature and mythology, although I have a feeling some readers may consider them a bit too much.
September 15, 2014
I bought this book at Foyles in London (the new one! they've moved up the street--very nice new digs) because I'd read a review of it in the TLS. I tear out book titles from the TLS and save them up for my next trip to London and then I hand over all these little scraps of newsprint to the helpful people there and end up with a lovely pile of new books to read.
Polly Coles, the author, is a British woman married to a Venetian. They have 4 kids and mostly live in England, but this book is about their year in Venice. It's mostly a fascinating meditation on wishing there were a way to save Venice from the tourists (of which she, in all honesty, counts herself). There are a number of funny bits about flooding, rain, the kids' schools, etc., but mainly it's about the magical city and how the tourists make it impossible for the city's real residents to live reasonable lives.
For instance, if you were Venetian and had a dentist appointment on the other side of the Grand Canal from your apartment and it was summer time, forget about ever getting there. There are 16.5 million visitors to their city every year, filling up the narrow streets, walking slowly, taking pictures of your children playing in the squares, and generally being a nuisance. They support stores that sell things that no resident wants or needs. They take up all the space on the vaporettos. Etc.
She also makes no bones about how rude the residents are to the tourists. Or the fact that when it floods (frequently), the sewers back up and spill their sewage onto the streets.
Her wish for Venice is to make a city where the unbelievably wonderful architecture and design of this thousand year old and car-less city can be made to mesh with a vibrant living community of modern people.
To which I can only say "YES!"
Polly Coles, the author, is a British woman married to a Venetian. They have 4 kids and mostly live in England, but this book is about their year in Venice. It's mostly a fascinating meditation on wishing there were a way to save Venice from the tourists (of which she, in all honesty, counts herself). There are a number of funny bits about flooding, rain, the kids' schools, etc., but mainly it's about the magical city and how the tourists make it impossible for the city's real residents to live reasonable lives.
For instance, if you were Venetian and had a dentist appointment on the other side of the Grand Canal from your apartment and it was summer time, forget about ever getting there. There are 16.5 million visitors to their city every year, filling up the narrow streets, walking slowly, taking pictures of your children playing in the squares, and generally being a nuisance. They support stores that sell things that no resident wants or needs. They take up all the space on the vaporettos. Etc.
She also makes no bones about how rude the residents are to the tourists. Or the fact that when it floods (frequently), the sewers back up and spill their sewage onto the streets.
Her wish for Venice is to make a city where the unbelievably wonderful architecture and design of this thousand year old and car-less city can be made to mesh with a vibrant living community of modern people.
To which I can only say "YES!"
May 30, 2018
If the purpose of a book is to exact an emotional response, then Polly Coles succeeds. With bells on.
To date I've visited Venice six times, and have even done the seemingly unforgivable: arrived by cruise ship. Especially in the light of this latter confession, first and foremost of the conflicting emotions ‘The Politics of Washing’ exacts from me is discomfort.
Discomfort at being one of the millions of tourists that flood this unique city each year, drowning its real inhabitants. Does it count that my greatest wish is to follow in Coles’ footsteps and become a Venetian myself? Or should I cancel my next trip (already booked for next year), and leave Venice to its rightful inhabitants?
Since I first visited Venice as a child, I’ve had a love affair with her. But after reading Coles’ no-nonsense insights, I’m seriously concerned my next visit will be shrouded in guilt. Already, I find myself trying to justify my selfish imposition on the city (after all, it is largely to research my own book, and I will be interacting directly with Venetian residents and craftsmen, just like on my last visit). Yet I can’t help worrying that I’ll spend the whole time trying to spot real Venetians among the crowds, so I can hide from their disapproving stares.
All that being said, perhaps the discomfort ‘The Politics of Washing’ has instilled in me is a good thing. It’s certainly made me confront some of the less positive aspects of travelling. As a consequence, hopefully, my eyes will be more open to these the next time I walk the streets of Venice.
To date I've visited Venice six times, and have even done the seemingly unforgivable: arrived by cruise ship. Especially in the light of this latter confession, first and foremost of the conflicting emotions ‘The Politics of Washing’ exacts from me is discomfort.
Discomfort at being one of the millions of tourists that flood this unique city each year, drowning its real inhabitants. Does it count that my greatest wish is to follow in Coles’ footsteps and become a Venetian myself? Or should I cancel my next trip (already booked for next year), and leave Venice to its rightful inhabitants?
Since I first visited Venice as a child, I’ve had a love affair with her. But after reading Coles’ no-nonsense insights, I’m seriously concerned my next visit will be shrouded in guilt. Already, I find myself trying to justify my selfish imposition on the city (after all, it is largely to research my own book, and I will be interacting directly with Venetian residents and craftsmen, just like on my last visit). Yet I can’t help worrying that I’ll spend the whole time trying to spot real Venetians among the crowds, so I can hide from their disapproving stares.
All that being said, perhaps the discomfort ‘The Politics of Washing’ has instilled in me is a good thing. It’s certainly made me confront some of the less positive aspects of travelling. As a consequence, hopefully, my eyes will be more open to these the next time I walk the streets of Venice.
April 16, 2014
Today I have something a little different for you!
But before I start I have another confession to add to the growing list - I love travel books, it could be because I am a Sagittarius or it could just be nosiness!, The real reason is that I love to be able to discover these places without the hassle of getting on plane and a really good writer can instantly transport you to underneath the beautiful sakura in Japan or to the frozen wastes on Antarctica.
This book manages that and it takes us to the timeless city of Venice in Italy.
Polly and her family leave England and up sticks to Venice, now my preconceived idea of doing this was that I knew canals replaced the roads but surely living there would be easy enough?
I was wrong on this count!
This book shows how things we take for granted can be just that little bit more time consuming in Venice, the school run involves boats, hanging out the washing sounds dangerous and the high tides which I ashamed to say I knew nothing about sound positively scary to me (could be because I cannot swim)
Polly has done a beautiful job of showing us that it can be done, Venice to me is such a romantic city and Polly has painted a vivid picture of day to day life there. If anything I am envious of her living in such a historic place.
If like me you have a lust for travel, then please read this book you will not regret it.
I award The Politics of Washing: Real Life in Venice 4 out 5!
But before I start I have another confession to add to the growing list - I love travel books, it could be because I am a Sagittarius or it could just be nosiness!, The real reason is that I love to be able to discover these places without the hassle of getting on plane and a really good writer can instantly transport you to underneath the beautiful sakura in Japan or to the frozen wastes on Antarctica.
This book manages that and it takes us to the timeless city of Venice in Italy.
Polly and her family leave England and up sticks to Venice, now my preconceived idea of doing this was that I knew canals replaced the roads but surely living there would be easy enough?
I was wrong on this count!
This book shows how things we take for granted can be just that little bit more time consuming in Venice, the school run involves boats, hanging out the washing sounds dangerous and the high tides which I ashamed to say I knew nothing about sound positively scary to me (could be because I cannot swim)
Polly has done a beautiful job of showing us that it can be done, Venice to me is such a romantic city and Polly has painted a vivid picture of day to day life there. If anything I am envious of her living in such a historic place.
If like me you have a lust for travel, then please read this book you will not regret it.
I award The Politics of Washing: Real Life in Venice 4 out 5!
May 23, 2014
If you love going to Venice as a tourist – as I do – then this a book you should probably avoid. Polly Jones spent a year there with her children and Italian husband, and this book is her observation on how tourists are seen by the locals. There are lots of interesting cameo mini-essays, describing how children play together, the place of the church, the changing shops, leisure activities and, of course, the way hanging washing impacts on Venetian households and their neighbours. It's an easy read, good bed-time reading because the chapters are super-short.
But to be honest, I felt Ms Jones spent far too much time trying to make people like me feel guilty for going to Venice at all, that I'd no right to be there, that my presence was making life impossible for the locals, and that I should understand that the default Venetian view of me is that I've destroyed their city.
I take her point, but Venice has been a place to visit for thousands of years; tourism and trade are the reason for its very existing. I think Polly Jones feels tourism isn't a 'real' industry, but she seems blissfully unaware that trade is a lot less clean than tourism. Be careful what you wish for.
If you have no intention of going to Venice, you'll find this fascinating. If you're a serial Venice tourist, handle with care.
But to be honest, I felt Ms Jones spent far too much time trying to make people like me feel guilty for going to Venice at all, that I'd no right to be there, that my presence was making life impossible for the locals, and that I should understand that the default Venetian view of me is that I've destroyed their city.
I take her point, but Venice has been a place to visit for thousands of years; tourism and trade are the reason for its very existing. I think Polly Jones feels tourism isn't a 'real' industry, but she seems blissfully unaware that trade is a lot less clean than tourism. Be careful what you wish for.
If you have no intention of going to Venice, you'll find this fascinating. If you're a serial Venice tourist, handle with care.
September 18, 2017
The book could have been over in one chapter and saved me a lot of time.
Really disappointed with how it unfolded.
I hate to not finish a book, so kept going, but just got more and more annoyed, it was getting boring, there was a lack of spark or a feeling that she had really lived there at all.
There was no need for the author and her family to live in Venice for a year (what an honour for them), to come up with this.
It was it seemed a way for her to voice her views on Venice and tourism, constantly regurgitating the negative. Not sure she even had a handle on that, as it was far too simplistic to say Venice should stop the tourists for a few years to give it a rest and recover. Not that i disagree on all aspects of her repeated ramblings, especially agree that cruise ships most definitely should not be there.
I would have preferred it, if she had spent at least the majority of the book actually describing "living" on the watery island. To top it off, there lacked any colour or depth for which Venice is surely insulted!
Really disappointed with how it unfolded.
I hate to not finish a book, so kept going, but just got more and more annoyed, it was getting boring, there was a lack of spark or a feeling that she had really lived there at all.
There was no need for the author and her family to live in Venice for a year (what an honour for them), to come up with this.
It was it seemed a way for her to voice her views on Venice and tourism, constantly regurgitating the negative. Not sure she even had a handle on that, as it was far too simplistic to say Venice should stop the tourists for a few years to give it a rest and recover. Not that i disagree on all aspects of her repeated ramblings, especially agree that cruise ships most definitely should not be there.
I would have preferred it, if she had spent at least the majority of the book actually describing "living" on the watery island. To top it off, there lacked any colour or depth for which Venice is surely insulted!
May 6, 2014
I was really QUITE disappointed w/ this...from an 'outsider's' point of view perhaps this was charming and thoughtful, but I am an American, living in Venice for one year (who has also spent many interim and shorter visits here). I am always interested in others in my position and their view but Ms. Coles seems definitely to be wandering through Venice with this 'future' book theme on her mind and sees negatives and sadness where I definitely do not.
She seems to be either hell-bent on imposing HER BRITISH standards on Italy (school debacle) or bemoaning what has not 'been', in reality, in place in Venice for decades! Good grief.
It gets rather boring, story after story with this dour old face she insists on carrying around in the most beautiful city in the world. How much we may miss looking for 'what might have been', secondo me!
She seems to be either hell-bent on imposing HER BRITISH standards on Italy (school debacle) or bemoaning what has not 'been', in reality, in place in Venice for decades! Good grief.
It gets rather boring, story after story with this dour old face she insists on carrying around in the most beautiful city in the world. How much we may miss looking for 'what might have been', secondo me!
January 5, 2015
Venice is one of my favourite cities. I've actually been there, on a school trip when I was 14, and have always wanted to go back. This desire has been fed by the many books set in Venice that I've read over the years. I know that Venice is not the romantic dream place of many of the books I've read. However, this book could stand as a dream crusher. It's as if the author is trying to negate all the good press Venice has, to save it for the real Venetians. The whole book is a series of interesting tidbits about real life in Venice, which is harder than anywhere else because of tourists.
August 7, 2014
I'm left unsure how to rate this. The writing is lovely, and the book contains many interesting views on Venice (and Italians in general) that I've never heard before. However, the author's unrelenting vendetta against tourism gets old very quickly, and by the end I was skimming because I found her so annoying.
February 4, 2015
It was interesting to read what changes for a person who goes from being a tourist to a resident. I like these kind of stories because it takes some of the gilding off the travel stories, but adds the depth of real people, everyday dilemmas, and modern conundrums played out over ancient places.
March 13, 2014
Enjoyed this book so much... highlighted my way through it as there is so much good writing and so many of her experiences could translate to Mexico.
July 29, 2016
Beautifully written with humor as well. Can't wait to go to Venice!!
July 16, 2023
I have been fortunate enough to do a fair bit of travel in my time here. And there are definitely places that feel like no other and stick with you for the rest of your life. I have on the other hand never stayed in one of these places for more than a few weeks. I am still after all a tourist in these foreign lands. Never have I been fortunate enough to stick around and fully immerse myself into another culture. So for the time being the best I can do Is pick up books like this and hope that it will give me a little understanding of what it is like to be a foreigner in a stage land.
Venice is somewhere that had been on my list of places to visit for a very long time. It is one of those places that seems to hold this magical place in our imaginations. At the tale end of last year, I managed to make this become a reality. Getting to spend a week in this curious city was an eye-opening experience just as much as it was an adventure into the unknown. And whilst it most definitely lived up to what I had hoped it would be there is still an unspoken edge to this city. A place that most definitely has an uneasy relationship with the thousands of tourists who walk its streets every day. And this is I suppose how I came to be in possession of Politics Of Washing. I wanted to better understand what it is like to call this place home and not just a place where you figure tips just get to skim the surface.
Coles and her partner came to the conclusion that they wanted their children to experience his culture before they become too old. A better understanding as to half of what made them into who they were becoming. It is in theory a beautiful idea. Children after all act like little sponges absorbing all around them at lightning speed. Venice however is a place that has a tricky relationship with outsiders. It is easy to understand when you take into account the alarming rate at which locals are being driven out by the spread of short-term holiday rentals and the reality that most visitors in the modern age will only visit the same few locations and unfortunately give little regard from those that call it home. But for the author, this was far from the idea they had. It was after all a place they too hoped to call home and a land and people they truly hoped to become one with.
Cole takes us into her first year of living in this foreign land. In doing so a few things start to come to the source quite quickly. I believe that it doesn't really matter the location, there will always be friction between the way you are brought up and that of your adopted land. It is probably only when we find ourselves in such a situation do we then do we realize how much of our own country we truly are. For me, it was definitely interesting to see not only the differences between English sensibility and that of the Italians. But also going beyond that for in Venice they are Venetian first and Italian second. A fact that is easier to understand when you realize just how young a unified Italy actually is. She does an amazing job of showing us this in light of what it is like in a day-to-day sense. For some, this may be an uneasy thing to come to terms with. What you are getting is not a chuckle-a-minute memoir of a fish out of water. For it became obvious quite quickly that for some Venice is under siege from tourists and foreigners and they would be quite happy if they would all leave and not come back.
There are times when she paints a very bleak picture of this city. We are left feeling just as unwelcome as the author and her family do. I suppose it does go for anywhere in the world that people turn up expecting something not all that short of a theme park forgetting it is a living breathing place. We also get to see just how hard Coles works to try and become excepted by those in her immediate community. It is very obvious from her writing that Coles has a deep love for this city and its people. It shines out in her writing even in the more tricky times. And I think it helps to readjust the way in which we look at Venice. Maybe it teaches the reader to give it far more compassion than they otherwise would consider giving it. That if you were to visit maybe learn a little of the language and make sure that the money you intended to spend goes in the favor of the locally owned shops and restaurants. And to be conscious that some people here are simply trying to go about their day-to-day not just passing through.
It is definitely hard to categorize this as a travel book and if you look at it such you will be greatly disappointed. Coles shows us what it is like to dive in at the deep end and try and learn to swim with the Venetian. It is a book that I'm glad I took the time to read and I know that it has given me a better understanding of what it is like to live there. Even if this is merely just dipping your toe into such a subject.
Venice is somewhere that had been on my list of places to visit for a very long time. It is one of those places that seems to hold this magical place in our imaginations. At the tale end of last year, I managed to make this become a reality. Getting to spend a week in this curious city was an eye-opening experience just as much as it was an adventure into the unknown. And whilst it most definitely lived up to what I had hoped it would be there is still an unspoken edge to this city. A place that most definitely has an uneasy relationship with the thousands of tourists who walk its streets every day. And this is I suppose how I came to be in possession of Politics Of Washing. I wanted to better understand what it is like to call this place home and not just a place where you figure tips just get to skim the surface.
Coles and her partner came to the conclusion that they wanted their children to experience his culture before they become too old. A better understanding as to half of what made them into who they were becoming. It is in theory a beautiful idea. Children after all act like little sponges absorbing all around them at lightning speed. Venice however is a place that has a tricky relationship with outsiders. It is easy to understand when you take into account the alarming rate at which locals are being driven out by the spread of short-term holiday rentals and the reality that most visitors in the modern age will only visit the same few locations and unfortunately give little regard from those that call it home. But for the author, this was far from the idea they had. It was after all a place they too hoped to call home and a land and people they truly hoped to become one with.
Cole takes us into her first year of living in this foreign land. In doing so a few things start to come to the source quite quickly. I believe that it doesn't really matter the location, there will always be friction between the way you are brought up and that of your adopted land. It is probably only when we find ourselves in such a situation do we then do we realize how much of our own country we truly are. For me, it was definitely interesting to see not only the differences between English sensibility and that of the Italians. But also going beyond that for in Venice they are Venetian first and Italian second. A fact that is easier to understand when you realize just how young a unified Italy actually is. She does an amazing job of showing us this in light of what it is like in a day-to-day sense. For some, this may be an uneasy thing to come to terms with. What you are getting is not a chuckle-a-minute memoir of a fish out of water. For it became obvious quite quickly that for some Venice is under siege from tourists and foreigners and they would be quite happy if they would all leave and not come back.
There are times when she paints a very bleak picture of this city. We are left feeling just as unwelcome as the author and her family do. I suppose it does go for anywhere in the world that people turn up expecting something not all that short of a theme park forgetting it is a living breathing place. We also get to see just how hard Coles works to try and become excepted by those in her immediate community. It is very obvious from her writing that Coles has a deep love for this city and its people. It shines out in her writing even in the more tricky times. And I think it helps to readjust the way in which we look at Venice. Maybe it teaches the reader to give it far more compassion than they otherwise would consider giving it. That if you were to visit maybe learn a little of the language and make sure that the money you intended to spend goes in the favor of the locally owned shops and restaurants. And to be conscious that some people here are simply trying to go about their day-to-day not just passing through.
It is definitely hard to categorize this as a travel book and if you look at it such you will be greatly disappointed. Coles shows us what it is like to dive in at the deep end and try and learn to swim with the Venetian. It is a book that I'm glad I took the time to read and I know that it has given me a better understanding of what it is like to live there. Even if this is merely just dipping your toe into such a subject.
October 22, 2017
I can see why a lot of people wouldn’t like this book. If you love Venice because of holidays there, you will probably hate this book as much as the author herself hates the tourists who in her opinion, swarm upon and plague the city. I have only ever visited Venice on a day trip and despite loving the city and feeling like I could have spent much more time there, I wold not want to stay for a long period and found the place much too busy. Therefore, to some extent I was able to sympathise with the narrator.
I loved the setting. Her descriptions of the hidden aspects of Venice life really brought the city to life. I enjoyed finding out about the less well-known sides of Venice, such as the Italian education system. One of the saving graces of the book is its writing, which is poetic in style and is an all-round well written book, if slightly over done in parts.
The city and its inhabitants are the main stars of the book and the tourists are the main villains, with very little about the personal life of the author and her family. When I started reading this book I expected a tale about how the author and her family adjusted to living in a new county and whilst there is some of this included, it is only there to show different aspects of Venice, rather than to allow the reader to get to know the author and her family personally. Despite been very opinionated about certain aspects of life in Venice, the author’s main reason in telling the book is not to give tell a personal story; it is to tell the story of a city that is losing its identity because the local inhabitants are struggling to stay because of the huge influx of tourists that invade the city daily.
The book is not going to appeal to a large amount of people and does have its faults. The narrator is very opinionated and at times hypocritical and ironical; not the easiest narrator to empathise with. At times she labours the point about tourists too often and without considering the benefits they bring or offering any real solutions. Her anger should be directed at the government and officials who are in charge of tourist numbers, not the tourists themselves who are trying to come and discover the magic of Venice, like she herself has done previously.
I would rate this book a very low three stars and in fact debated about giving a two star rating, but overall I did enjoy most of the book. I’d just finished reading a book about serious subjects and found this a light but well-written book that could be easily put down and picked up again about a city I found a very interesting subject matter to read about.
I loved the setting. Her descriptions of the hidden aspects of Venice life really brought the city to life. I enjoyed finding out about the less well-known sides of Venice, such as the Italian education system. One of the saving graces of the book is its writing, which is poetic in style and is an all-round well written book, if slightly over done in parts.
The city and its inhabitants are the main stars of the book and the tourists are the main villains, with very little about the personal life of the author and her family. When I started reading this book I expected a tale about how the author and her family adjusted to living in a new county and whilst there is some of this included, it is only there to show different aspects of Venice, rather than to allow the reader to get to know the author and her family personally. Despite been very opinionated about certain aspects of life in Venice, the author’s main reason in telling the book is not to give tell a personal story; it is to tell the story of a city that is losing its identity because the local inhabitants are struggling to stay because of the huge influx of tourists that invade the city daily.
The book is not going to appeal to a large amount of people and does have its faults. The narrator is very opinionated and at times hypocritical and ironical; not the easiest narrator to empathise with. At times she labours the point about tourists too often and without considering the benefits they bring or offering any real solutions. Her anger should be directed at the government and officials who are in charge of tourist numbers, not the tourists themselves who are trying to come and discover the magic of Venice, like she herself has done previously.
I would rate this book a very low three stars and in fact debated about giving a two star rating, but overall I did enjoy most of the book. I’d just finished reading a book about serious subjects and found this a light but well-written book that could be easily put down and picked up again about a city I found a very interesting subject matter to read about.
June 14, 2022
I've bought this book in Venice and was very excited to read about life in Venice. Being there for a week left me with many questions about everyday chores of its residents. However, this book seemed to want to remove charm from Venice. The book started off somewhat interesting, I went through more than half of it in one sitting. But the further I read, the more I realised how negative the author is and how much she belittles everyone who is not from UK. At the point where she was invited to a meeting of foreign parents, she notes that she *knew* she didn't belong there because other mothers present were from several African and Asian countries. At some boat ride, she notices and belittles a *perhaps* maid from a south Asian country (she assumes) whose shadow she can see in the window of a museum. I had to pause several times and reflect my thoughts (as to ensure myself I read it correctly) with my partner to see if I'm the one taking it wrongly or is the author just so self-absorbed. I could not help but have this feeling that she continuesly puts herself and English citizens above *others*, and furthermore to put herself due to her origin and education above others. I wish I was wrong, but this was the message I got through while reading this book. I wish it brought the charm of Venice. The title of the book has nothing to do with the content, in my opinion. The title should be her own feelings and thoughts of living in Venice for a short while.
May 26, 2023
Polly has penned the memoir of her life in Venice over one year, she writes of the Venetians and their community, the changing face of Venice through the seasons, the difficulties of getting around Venice where there are no cars, where deliveries can be an adventure in patience and confusion.
She tackles the ever growing concern of the future of Venice that all Venetians have, their ability to be home when they are forced to move to the mainland, yet daily returning home to Venice.
The struggles of daily living while running the gambit of millions of unwanted tourists. Venetians venting ire at tourism, yet knowing their city depends upon it. How do they change this toxic environment for Venetians?
The year of this memoir was 2011 and the prevailing commentary on Venice and its future is still being discussed in 2023.
I think everyone who has ever been to Venice or is contemplating a journey needs to read this book and reflect on what all of us, as tourists, are destroying in Venice, when we stomp through it, year after year.
Perhaps humanity requires more reflection on the consequences of millions of feet in Venice. An ancient and historical city that may well sink beneath the sea like Atlantis and be lost to us forever, if we don’t change how we treat her!
She tackles the ever growing concern of the future of Venice that all Venetians have, their ability to be home when they are forced to move to the mainland, yet daily returning home to Venice.
The struggles of daily living while running the gambit of millions of unwanted tourists. Venetians venting ire at tourism, yet knowing their city depends upon it. How do they change this toxic environment for Venetians?
The year of this memoir was 2011 and the prevailing commentary on Venice and its future is still being discussed in 2023.
I think everyone who has ever been to Venice or is contemplating a journey needs to read this book and reflect on what all of us, as tourists, are destroying in Venice, when we stomp through it, year after year.
Perhaps humanity requires more reflection on the consequences of millions of feet in Venice. An ancient and historical city that may well sink beneath the sea like Atlantis and be lost to us forever, if we don’t change how we treat her!
February 22, 2024
If you look at how long it took me to finish this book, you would think it’s 1000+ pages long. It’s not. It’s just soooooo depressing.
I live in the Veneto and visit Venice often…I guess I’m a tourist? And Polly hates tourists. So, there’s that. And I get it. She’s sick and tired of tourists spoiling her city and not investing and not being mindful of those who live and breath there. Frankly, I get tired of the tourists, too. I usually visit Venice early in the morning. I stay off the beaten paths. I always go with a purpose. I return to my favorite out-of-the-way restaurant, where I am always the only American and where I happily visit with the chef.
Admittedly, I do not have children in school there. I’m not rushing to dentist appointments against the throngs of selfie-taking groups of day trippers—oblivious to the world around them. But I also see the world at large differently, I think. My glass is perpetually half full. A rainy day is an opportunity to wear my bright red rain boots!
And maybe that’s why it took me a year to read this slim little account of life in Venice?
I live in the Veneto and visit Venice often…I guess I’m a tourist? And Polly hates tourists. So, there’s that. And I get it. She’s sick and tired of tourists spoiling her city and not investing and not being mindful of those who live and breath there. Frankly, I get tired of the tourists, too. I usually visit Venice early in the morning. I stay off the beaten paths. I always go with a purpose. I return to my favorite out-of-the-way restaurant, where I am always the only American and where I happily visit with the chef.
Admittedly, I do not have children in school there. I’m not rushing to dentist appointments against the throngs of selfie-taking groups of day trippers—oblivious to the world around them. But I also see the world at large differently, I think. My glass is perpetually half full. A rainy day is an opportunity to wear my bright red rain boots!
And maybe that’s why it took me a year to read this slim little account of life in Venice?
August 20, 2017
I bought this book while in Venice and although it's written in the back that you should buy this book before going to Venice, I am glad I bought it after. I started reading it the day we arrived back home and reading it was like going back there and being there again. I knew the streets, the calles, the rios, the campos,... Every bridge, every step was familiar and home.
This is a true portrait of the Venetians, those who have to live with thousands of tourists invading their town every day, every year. It explains why sometimes Venetians aren't as welcoming as we'd expect, although I don't have any complaints. Imagine living in a town where you almost can't function properly (go to work, to a meeting and even buy a house) because of the tourism industry. It is a very balanced portrait of life in the city and I agree: prior or after a visit to Venice this book is a must!
This is a true portrait of the Venetians, those who have to live with thousands of tourists invading their town every day, every year. It explains why sometimes Venetians aren't as welcoming as we'd expect, although I don't have any complaints. Imagine living in a town where you almost can't function properly (go to work, to a meeting and even buy a house) because of the tourism industry. It is a very balanced portrait of life in the city and I agree: prior or after a visit to Venice this book is a must!
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November 23, 2021This book seemed to me like a huge complaint. Much of it is just cultural pessimism of the plainest kind (oh! those little shops closing down....Oh! those tourists blocking my way...). The fact that it takes an effort to manage all the walking and carrying that is described repeatedly is no surprise to locals and tourists alike. And school systems - well, on the continent they are different from the Anglo-Saxon world as a matter of fact. As for the tourists: If Coles despises Carnival why does she attend the opening? And why do women mostly get away with strikingly unbecoming descriptions in this book? A delusion. A report from a person who is not willing to adapt.
I am grateful to Venice for sharing all her art and beauty with the world. And off the trodden path, there are many places where tourists and locals get along well together.
I am grateful to Venice for sharing all her art and beauty with the world. And off the trodden path, there are many places where tourists and locals get along well together.
May 8, 2023
Usually I don't read others reviews until I've finished a book, so I don't have any preconceived notions. However, I was struggling a bit with the tone of this one and wondered whether it was me or did others share the same view. Turns out - many others feel the same way and so I felt quite sanguine about not finishing this book (something I rarely do). There is quite a negative tone to this travel guide/year-in-the-life-of book:- to Venetians, the city itself, the wretched tourists (particularly cruise ship escapees), the education system etc. Especially if you're planning a trip to Venice and wish to be a sustainable and considerate tourist, this is not the book for you. Instead, try the very uplifting and positive insights shared by Corinna Cooke in her Glam Italia series. I'm so glad I read Corinna's book first!
July 18, 2019
I was hoping for more from this book. The book felt undisciplined, rambling, unfocused. Having said that, Coles makes interesting observations about language, history and the challenges of living in a city besieged by tourists. The book feels mostly like a lament for the fate of Venice, ravaged by the twin plagues of high water and tourists. In part the book made me realize how carefully constructed and edited most memoirs are, and how this book lacked the sense of cohesion that makes many memoirs so compelling.
May 22, 2024
The Politics of Washing tells a story of a woman who moved from England to Venice together with her family. Even though it talks about the first year of living there, it is not a coherent story but rather different tiny tales about certain events. Personally, I liked it a lot because it gave me that dreamy Venice atmosphere as well as an insight into the lives of the inhabitants of Venice.
It is written in a beautiful, almost poetic way. Though I was expecting a novel with a storyline, I didn't mind how it turned out
It is written in a beautiful, almost poetic way. Though I was expecting a novel with a storyline, I didn't mind how it turned out
August 31, 2018
I’m torn over this book. It was fascinating to read of life in Venice... the acqua alta, school life, travel within the city, every day life... and yet the author alienated me with her relentless criticism of the tourist. She came over as such a negative, self absorbed woman that it took away from the informative side of the book. Bearing in mind that most readers will be or have been tourists in Venice, as opposed to residents one would think such vitriol a somewhat strange approach... 3/10
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