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.
World-traveler, scholar, mathematician, linguist, spy, prisoner and con-man--the eighteenth-century womanizer had a lot more depth than that for which he is remembered, so to speak. Robert Whitfield offers a spirited reading of Masters's detailed biography, bringing a lively sense of fun to the tale. His performance maintains the scholarly authority of careful research, but he clearly enjoys having an outrageous tale to tell. Whitfield's sole characterization, that of Casanova himself, captures the scoundrel in later life, as he might have sounded when writing his own memoirs. Through subtle changes in tempo and mood, Whitfield accurately captures both the spirit of Casanova and the integrity of the author. R.P.L. (c) AudioFile, Portland, Maine
AudioFile...
Robert Whitfield offers a spirited reading...he clearly enjoys having an outrageous tale to tell.
About the Author
JOHN MASTERS was born in Calcutta in 1914. He was educated at Wellington and Sandhurst before becoming the fifth generation of his family to have served in the army in India. He retired in 1948 as a lieutenant colonel and moved to America, where he turned to writing. He is best known for the novel Bhowani Junction. Masters died in New Mexico in 1983, at the age of sixty-eight.
Digital Rights Information
OverDrive MP3 Audiobook
Burn to CD:
Permitted
Transfer to device:
Permitted
Transfer to Apple® device:
Permitted
Public performance:
Not permitted
File-sharing:
Not permitted
Peer-to-peer usage:
Not permitted
All copies of this title, including those transferred to portable devices and other media, must be deleted/destroyed at the end of the lending period.
...
