The Memoirs of Casanova

The autobiography of a fascinating figure—as well as a rich, detailed portrait of eighteenth-century European society . The Venetian son of a dancer and an actress, Giacomo Casanova is best known today for his legendary womanizing. But he also lived a remarkable life of adventure. A well-educated man and a gambler, Casanova worked in the church, joined the military, and became a musician, but he ultimately chose to live as a debauched nobleman, seeking pleasure wherever and whenever he could. Ca