Experts believe Giacomo Casanova’s legacy might have surprised him. There’s little doubt that his womanizing exploits were the stuff of legend, but he was also an astrologer, a spy, even author of one of the first science fiction novels. And… one neglectful librarian. When poverty late in life forced him to take a position in a castle 60 miles north of Prague, he despaired…even contemplated suicide. At his physician’s urging, he wrote his memoirs… all 3,700 pages of them.  He probably should have been…you know…doing “librarian” sorts of thing…but the exercise probably saved his life. “What pleasure,” he wrote, “in remembering one’s pleasures!”

You’re listening to Johann Strauss II’s operetta “Casanova”…The plot is a bit Lifetime Channel, “inspired by true events”.  Strauss’ Casanova flees not poverty, but the jealous husbands of Venice.

Where’s he’s soon up to his old tricks again.