Infamous as the ultimate ladies' man, Giacomo Casanova was ecclesiastic, writer, soldier, spy and diplomat, but above all remains, after two hundred years, the archetypal elegant libertine. This book traces his life, with a vibrant insight into each of his escapades, illustrated with confessions from his memoirs. The first popular biography on the subject by an English writer for many years, it is packed with tales of sex, scandal, imprisonment, drama and love. The main source for any Casanova biography is his own 12-volume autobiographical memoirs, an unrivalled contemporary source used by Derek Parker to follow his life. Born in Venice, the son of an actor, he was expelled from the seminary of St Cyprian for scandalous conduct, with 'the pretty Bettina' who fifty years later, old and penniless, was to die in his arms. It was the the first of his many affairs. He entered service to a Roman Catholic cardinal as secretary; such was his charm that he received many unsolicited testimonials - when he preached at the Conformity Church, the collection bag contained not only money but a number of billets doux. Later, high drama ensues, such as the excitement of Casanova's rooftop escape from prison in Venice, and the disaster of his sermon on temperance, preaching at the pulpit in a state of utter drunkenness. The story of Casanova's life is compelling.