Ebook: Memoirs of Casanova Volume X

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 X finds Giacomo Casanova in grave danger, perhaps the most serious of his life. Having fallen into the trap of Manucci, a spy for the state, Casanova is arrested and sentenced without trial to five years imprisonment. Held in the infamous Leads, the prison under the Doge's Palace, he suffers in solitary confinement through unbearable heat, overwhelming darkness, and an infestation of fleas. After months in this cell, he is moved from solitary confinement, given better clothes and accommodations, and allowed to go outside for brief, supervised walks. Seeing an opportunity, Casanova begins planning his escape, collecting tools and conspiring with a fellow prisoner in order to achieve his freedom. When the day arrives, and after several aborted attempts, he seizes his only chance.