Donna leon is the author of the internationally bestselling commissario guido brunetti series the winner of the cwa macallan silver dagger for fiction among other awards leon was born in new jersey and has lived in venice for thirty years. Donna leon born september 29 1942 in montclair new jersey is an american author of a series of crime novels set in venice and featuring the fictional hero commissario guido brunetti donna leon has lived in venice for over twenty five years. But the gondola is a work of art well worth the labor and once its arched prow pushes off from the dock the single venetian at its oar just might break out in a barcarole a popular italian boat . Gondola by donna leon 9781501259302 cd audio 2015 ebay the feat took five years and countless do overs but the gondola is a work of art well worth the labor. Today the gondola wears black a gleaming elegant hue and is manned by robustgondolieri in black and white striped shirts and straw hats a tourist favorite the gondola has never ceased to be