The Romantic

An intimate yet panoramic novel about the tumult and unexpected nature of life, set in the 19th century.

The novel follows the roller-coaster fortunes of a man as he tries to negotiate the random stages, adventures and vicissitudes of his life. He is variously a soldier, a farmer, a pawnbroker, a bankrupt, a jailbird, a writer, a gigolo — and many other manifestations — and, finally, a minor diplomat, based in Trieste (then in Austria-Hungary) where he sees out the end of his days.