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
: "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
is a classic of European literature reimagined for modern readers.