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Loading... Casanovaby John Masters
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. A good illustrated biography of Casanova needing an update given new findings and research. ( ) I wasn't too sure about this book at first, but it surprised me with its well-researched and sympathetic view of one of the world's greatest lovers. Masters brings to life a world we would never guess at or maybe understand. Casanova was a rogue (almost a criminal at times), generous, intelligent, a good writer, a commentator on his times, a historian, and an extremely interesting character. I found the book to be fascinating and the shocking conclusions that the author reaches left me breathless. Recommended. no reviews | add a review
Giacomo Casanova's reputation rests largely on his obsession with women, but he was much more than the great eighteenth-century lover. Lawyer, mathematician, poet, translator, and librarian who was fluent in several languages, he was described by one contemporary as "the most civilized man in Europe." That he was also a con man, cabalist, spy, revenge-taker, and experienced prisoner only enhances his appeal as one who personified the extreme social and moral contradictions of the time. In chronicling the life of this bastard son of Venetian actors, Masters draws from Casanova's own highly expansive memoirs, unavailable until the 1960s, and shows that many of the most racy and unlikely events in his adventure-filled life story have been corroborated by fact. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)940.2History and Geography Europe Europe Early Modern 1453-1914LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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