Harry's Bar cover art

Harry's Bar

The Life and Times of the Legendary Venice Landmark

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Harry's Bar

By: Arrigo Cipriani
Narrated by: Bryan Bendle
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About this listen

The complete history of the legendary Venice landmark where Hemingway, Welles, and others were regulars.

A meeting place for writers, artists, models, and the stars of stage, screen, and corporate boardrooms, a luxurious restaurant whose fabulous concoctions and timeless decor have often been imitated but never matched, Harry’s Bar in Venice has remained one of the world’s most renowned watering holes for more than 60 years. Ernest Hemingway, Orson Welles, Sinclair Lewis, and other luminaries have tasted its famous cocktails and enjoyed the bar’s original inventions, such as the "carpaccio" appetizer and the now-ubiquitous bellini. Filled with engaging wit and lighthearted charm, Arrigo Cipriani’s history of Harry’s Bar is a delightful listen - and the next best thing to a table at Harry’s Bar itself.

©1996, 2011 Arrigo Cipriani (P)2012 Audible, Inc. Culinary Adventures Europe Food & Wine Gastronomy Italy Professionals & Academics Western Europe

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Editor reviews

Harry’s Bar’s is a landmark in Venice, Italy, an establishment that’s been patronized by Ernest Hemingway, Charlie Chaplin, and Woody Allen and the world-famous birthplace of the Bellini cocktail. Arrigio Cipriani’s, the bar’s current proprietor, tells its long, colorful history.

The book includes recollections from Cipriani’s father, Giuseppe, the bar’s original owner. Among the many colorful stories in this audiobook is one about Harry Pickering, an American student with a drinking problem, who leant Giuseppe 30,000 lira to start the bar and gave the places its name.

Bryan Bendle relates this story of a landmark with a tone that smartly balances reverence with wit.
All stars
Most relevant  
I'm enjoying the book - illuminating and enjoyable, reveals a lot about the kind of character it took to create this legendary bar. Marred by the fact that the actor didn't find out how to pronounce Italian or French words even vaguely, which is odd when it's a book about the restaurant trade in Italy. If you are familiar with either of those languages, you may shriek occasionally.

Interesting memoir marred by pronunciation

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The reader was terrible mangling Italian French and English pronunciation alike and spoiling the narrative at times. If you have the task of narrating the least the listener can expect is for the reader to have checked the correct way to pronounce names and words particularly those in a foreign language. The crowning ‘glory’ was Belle Epoque which was read as Belle Opaque - well quite. A shame - he had a pleasant voice but this was a lazy effort and clearly with no editorial judgement or an editor as badly informed as the reader!!

A very interesting story

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Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Went to Harry's bar in Venice many years ago and brings back happy memories.

Loved it

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This book started off well with the story behind the concept and operation of Harry’s Bar but unfortunately quickly descended into disjointed, name dropping waffle - not helped by a narrator who can’t pronounce Italian dishes.

Most disappointing

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