The Silent Gondoliers
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The Silent Gondoliers (ISBN 0-345-44263-6) is a 1983 novel written by William Goldman, under the pseudonym of S. Morgenstern, about why the gondoliers of Venice no longer sing.
The Silent Gondoliers is the lesser-known book written by S. Morgenstern, William Goldman's favorite pseudonym. It was released in hardcover in 1983, and a trade paperback version came out from Del Rey in 2001. Paul Giovanopoulos provided pen-and-ink illustrations for the story.
This book is suitable for all ages; parents might have to help their children with some of the vocabulary, particularly the scattered Italian phrases. Teenagers may consider it old-fashioned, but the book is so short (110 pages) that you might be able to convince them to try it anyway. Adults who enjoy a good fable well-told will likely enjoy it.
The Silent Gondoliers tells the tale of an aspiring gondolier named Luigi. He is a talented boatman, but he's a horrible singer. In fact, he's so awful that people get stomach cramps and migraines just listening to him. And in his Venice, that's a problem, because the gondoliers have their reputation as the best singers in the world to uphold. A tone-deaf gondolier just won't do, no matter how skilled he is with his oar.
Ultimately, we learn why the Venetian gondoliers no longer sing. He pursues his seemingly-impossible dream to become the best gondolier in Venice and meets zany characters along the way.
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