French Literature Reviews - 2026
Véronique Pittolo, Casanova
Writers: Biography, Letters and Memoirs
Giacomo Casanova—explorer, violinist, writer, magician, spy, diplomat, librarian, but above all (by his own account) a Venetian—emerges here as a privileged observer of an exhausted century caught between the Ancien Régime and the dawn of modernity. Moving beyond his reputation as a seducer, Véronique Pittolo portrays the man of letters as a perceptive witness to the instability of his era—one that, upon closer inspection, may not be so distant from our own.
From high-society libertinism to contemporary debates on gender, power, and dynamics of domination, the author raises a compelling question: why have male icons of seduction built a universal legend, while their female counterparts have been forgotten?
Revisiting the legacy of the Enlightenment through a contemporary lens and, it must be said, with a distinct freedom of tone, her "Casanova" examines the pressing social issues of our time, in a world where literature continues to behead without shedding blood.
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Press Review (Publisher):
Giacomo Casanova remains one of the most emblematic figures of the eighteenth century, a period framed by the twilight of the Ancien Régime and the emergence of modern sensibilities. Often remembered principally through the lens of romantic conquest, his extensive writings also offer detailed engagement with the intellectual currents, social hierarchies, and shifting moral frameworks of the European Enlightenment. Within studies of literature and cultural history, the era is frequently examined for the tensions between institutional authority and individual autonomy, as well as the evolving discourses surrounding personal liberty, observation, and social critique. Readers interested in biographical studies, eighteenth-century literature, or the cultural reception of historical icons may find this work a relevant contribution to ongoing conversations about memory and representation.
DIACRITIK - Interview with Véronique Pittolo
FRAGMENTS - Interview with Véronique Pittolo
READING - Casanova at the Maison de la Poésie in Paris on Tuesday, June 30 at 7:30 PM
ROUND TABLE - Véronique Pittolo at the Levallois Historical Novel Fair on Sunday, June 28 at 3:45 PM
AOC - An article on Véronique Pittolo's Casanova
LE MATRICULE DES ANGES - Casanova
SITAUDIS - A review of Véronique Pittolo's Casanova by Yves Boudier