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Rating: 
Summary: Superlative Photography, Decent Essays
Review: Let me first tell you what this book is not. It's not a travel guide. It's not an historical narrative. It's not an architectural survey. So you'll not want to spend your money here if you're looking for that kind of thing. What it is is a portrait of the city's BEST parts, including stunning (if conservative) photography of the most well-known landmarks. That said, it's mostly a photo album of the city's physical elements (buildings, canals, roads) rather than its human element. And since it's intended to show off the best of St. Petersburg, the grittier bits are hard to find and are shoved into the very back. So, be prepared. This is more about how St. Petersburg is the best, biggest, grandest, richest, most sophisticated, etc., etc... It's beautiful, but it can also be pompous and a bit tedious.
Essays largely frame the photography, and offer historical contexts and anecdotes. They're well written, but they're also swollen with praise for this frequently over-hyped city.
In the rankings of overdone places of cultural and architectural prestige, St. Petersburg ranks right up there with Prague and Paris, but I love it anyway. If you "love it anyway", this is a book for you.
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