Happy birthday, Giacomo Casanova

It is the birthday of famed adventurer and legendary lover Giacomo Casanova (1725), who is remembered today for his sexual escapades, elaborate scams, prison stints, and narrow escapes largely because of his memoir, Story of My Life, which was finally published in the original version in 1960, though heavily censored versions appeared as early as 1822. It covered his life through 1774 and he began writing it in 1789 and revising for the next six years. Casanova wrote his story in French because it was more widely known than his native Italian. He wrote numerous works in Italian as well. Casanova’s story has been told in numerous fiction and non-fiction books, as we’ll as feature films.