"It is NOT written by a planner, but instead by someone from outside the profession looking inward — Mr. Settis is an archaeologist and an art historian. Secondly, the topic is timely and universal — Venice’s current situation is a microcosm of issues, problems, difficulties, and debates taking place in historical and destination cities around the globe. The advantage of utilizing Venice as the focal point is that nearly everyone has either heard of the city or has a mental image of the city, even if they have never been there...The simple premise Mr. Settis articulates throughout his outstanding book is, “Why not focus on what made Venice great in the first place instead of trying to re-invent it or recreate it?” Don’t kill a city’s soul by turning it into something it was never meant to be. Not every city is meant to be a Las Vegas, an Orlando, or a Macao. This is a point that city leaders worldwide should be reminding themselves of constantly."

https://panethos.wordpress.com/2017/02/11/the-most-important-urban-planning-book-of-our-time/