Casanova [Hardcover]

Derek Parker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2002

For more than 200 years, Giacomo Casanova has been infamous as the archetypal elegant libertine. He gained considerable fortune by living on just his wits, luck and charm, but this same decadent lifestyle almost left him destitute. Uncontrollably ruled by an insatiable desire for sex, he attracted women with his seductive charm and endless generosity, and was irresistible as a lover. He believed himself to be in love with many of the beautiful women he pursued, and unusually for his time, he often treated them as equals and remained dear friends with them long after the affairs ended. For this account of Casanova's life, Derek Parker has studied Casanova's memoirs along with other sources on his life and 18th-century European society. He reveals the true motivations and complex nature of an extraordinarily adventurous man, a legend in both his own time and ours.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

DEREK PARKER has been a freelance writer and journalist since the 1960s. He has written over forty books, including Nell Gwyn (Sutton, 1999) and Roman Murder Mystery: The True Story of Pompilia (Sutton, 2001). With his wife, Julia, he has written books on astrology, dream interpretation and popular psychology, including the bestselling The Compleat Astrologer (1975) and Parkers' Astrology (1991).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: The History Press (January 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 075092666X
• ISBN-13: 978-0750926669
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,626,849 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating!, July 10, 2004

By 

TSmith (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Casanova (Paperback)

A sympathetic biography of a highly complex and intelligent man, who was arguably the most famous libertine of all time. As well as being known to history as a profligate lover, Casanova was also, among other things, a writer, a playwright, a mathematician, a librarian, a diplomat, a spy, a generous friend.

More than just a biography of an adventurous man of varied interests, this book is also a revealing sociological look at 18th century European life, especially in regards to sexual attitudes and practices. The reader will, by turns, be fascinated, amused, shocked, appalled, and saddened while reading this book.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in Casanova or 18th century sexual mores.