We tend to be underwhelmed by gift books and coffeetable books, especially when they're about Venice. We've seen too many heavy, expensive books that consisted mostly of standard tourist photos (gondolas, Carnival masks) and seemed destined to gather dust on bookshelves.

This year, however, we received a review copy of a readable--and affordable--book that breaks the mold. It's titled Dream of Venice, with photographs by Charles Christopher and editing by JoAnn Locktov (who also has written two books about contemporary mosaics).

We recommend Dream of Venice with enthusiasm, and if you're looking for the perfect gift book--for the holidays, for Valentine's Day, for a birthday or anniversary, or for yourself--we suggest that you read our illustrated review at Veniceforvisitors.com:

Dream of Venice Book Review