by John Berendt
|
by Andrea di Robilant
|
The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science by Richard Holmes |
|
Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
It's hard to imagine a more romantic real-life story than the long and forbidden love affair of the 18th-century Venetian nobleman Andrea Memmo and a half-English beauty named Giustiniana Wynne. Andrea Di Robilant's A Venetian Affair is drawn in part from a cache of letters discovered by the author's father in his ancestral palazzo on the Grand Canal. In 1753, his ancestor Andrea Memmo had been introduced to a lovely girl of uncertain station (illegitimate, although her parents later married). The Wynnes' position was precarious enough in Venice's rigid society, and Giustiniana's mother took every step to prevent the young aristocrat from corrupting her daughter. But the two lovers began to meet in secret: exchanging letters through confederates and communicating in public through an elaborate code of nods and gestures. They even came within a few days of being married before further dark revelations about Giustiniana's family put a permanent end to their hopes. Although Memmo went on to have an illustrious career in the dying Venetian Republic, it is Giustiniana's astonishing later life that really captures the reader. A Venetian Affair provides both a rich picture of the times--including cameo appearances by Casanova--and a convincing account of an enduring passion. --Regina Marler, Amazon.com
Synopsis
In 1754 Andrea Memmo, the dashing and gifted scion of a distinguished Catholic family, fell in love with the beautiful Giustiniana Wynne, a match which the rules of the time forbade. Their "impossible love" was to last six tumultuous years. The lovers chased each other through peeling palazzos, ballrooms, salons, theatres and gambling dens, rubbing shoulders with Canaletto, Tiepolo and others. Increasingly desperate, they decided Giustiniana should marry so they could continue to see one another. She passed a summer flirting with the English patron of the arts, Consul Joseph Smith, while writing comical letters to her lover nearby. But Smith soon realized the deception. The affair became public, with disastrous consequences. The lovers' friend, Casanova, was imprisoned for his "pernicious" influence. Disgraced, Giustiniana left for Paris, where she launched herself into society. Another marriage was scuppered when she found herself pregnant. She gave away her child, but the rumours were unstoppable.Once again, Giustiniana was exiled, this time to London, but found that no amount of certificates confirming her station could gain her access to the circles that might deliver that elusive spouse. In 1760 Giustiniana made her way back to Italy, full of fear and longing.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?
 |
69% buy A Venetian Affair: A True Story of Impossible Love in the Eighteenth Century £5.98 |
 |
31% buy Lucia in the Age of Napoleon £9.99 |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
 |
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
Your Recent History
(What's this?)|
After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. |
