Some of your hope - some of your dreams about the good at the heart of so many human beings - may be about to drown, says Caroline Overington, as she reviews the most talked about book of the year.
Four hundred years may separate the fictional life of thirty-something Dr Gabriella Mondini, as she battles discrimination in Venice, circa 1590, as a woman physician, and equality today.
Travel journalist Lee Mylne has done an impressive job with this guidebook combining practical information (including full accommodation pricing), with personal reviews and whimsical historical tales.