Memoirs of Casanova (1792) is the autobiography of Italian adventure
and socialite Giacomo Casanova. Written at the end of his life, the
Memoirs capture the experiences of one of Europe's most notorious
figures, a man whose escapades as a gambler, womanizer, and socialite
are matched only by his unique gift for sharing them with the world.
More than perhaps any other man, Casanova sought to emulate the lessons
of the Enlightenment on the level of everyday life, a sentiment captured
perfectly in the opening sentence of his Memoirs: "I will begin with
this confession: whatever I have done in the course of my life, whether
it be good or evil, has been done freely; I am a free agent." Memoirs
of Casanova Volume IV covers the young adulthood of Giacomo Casanova.
As his time in Corfu draws to a close, the young Casanova revels in the
final days of a heated love affair with Madame F., a beautiful
noblewoman. Ending his military career, he returns to Venice and pursues
the life of a professional gambler, but soon finds that his
compulsiveness proves a poor match for the patience and cunning required
of the craft. Desperately broke, he attempts to make a living as a
violinist while continuing his fast, hedonistic lifestyle. When a chance
encounter ends with him saving the life of a Venetian senator, Casanova
begins several years of service under his patronage. Life as a nobleman
is difficult for a young libertine, however, and as his patron's
patience wears thin, Casanova looks to reinvent himself once more. With
a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this
edition of Giacomo Casanova's Memoirs of Casanova is a classic of
European literature reimagined for modern readers.
