The Child of Pleasure

Description

The Child of Pleasure (Il Piacere) is a novel written by Italian writer Gabriele D'Annunzio, first published in 1889. The novel is considered a pioneering work of modern Italian literature and is known for its innovative style and lyrical language. It is set in the late 19th century and follows the story of a young man named Andrea Sperelli, a dandy and a member of the Italian aristocracy, as he navigates his way through the decadent and hedonistic society of Rome. The story begins with Andrea's return to Rome after a period of time spent abroad, and follows his experiences as he becomes embroiled in a series of relationships with a number of women. The novel explores themes of decadence, love, desire, beauty, and mortality, and is known for its frank and sensual depictions of sexuality. Because of this, it was very controversial when it was first published, as it challenged traditional Victorian morality and social norms. The book was banned in several countries and its publication caused a major scandal in Italy.

Part of Anne Haight's List of Banned Books.

This book has 98,092 words, 186 pages in the PDF version, and was originally published in 1889. This is a translation by Georgina Harding and Arthur Symons.

Production notes: This ebook of The Child of Pleasure was published by Global Grey on the 12th February 2023. The artwork used for the cover is 'A Dandy in Rome' by an unknown artist.