Casanova's Return to Venice

"His yearning for Venice, the city of his birth, grew so intense that, like a wounded bird slowly circling downwards in its death flight, he began to move in ever-narrowing circles."One of Schnitzler's most poignant evocations of the passing of time and the ironies of sentiment and love, Casanova's Return to Venice tells the story of an ageing Casanova's desperate desire to return to the city he truly loves after a life of exile; a desire which is contrasted with his still-libidinous and sensuous – yet weary – pursuit of women, money and prestige.



Arthur Schnitzler was born in Vienna in 1862, the son of a prominent Jewish doctor, and studied medicine at the University of Vienna. In later years he devoted his life to writing and was successful as a novelist, dramatist and short story writer. Schnitzler's work shows a remarkable ability to create atmosphere and a profound understanding of human motives. His novels Dying and Fräulein Else are also published by Pushkin Press.