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    The Lost Diary of Don Juan
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    The Lost Diary of Don Juan
    Unavailable
    The Lost Diary of Don Juan
    Audiobook (abridged)5 hours

    The Lost Diary of Don Juan

    Written by Douglas Carlton Abrams

    Narrated by Jonathan Davis

    3/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Douglas Abrams's magical debut novel captures the heart of the Spanish Golden Age and the secret life of the world's greatest lover-Don Juan.

    It was a time of discovery and decadence, when life became a gamble and the gold that poured endlessly into the port of Sevilla devalued money, marriage, and love itself. In the midst of these treacherous times, Juan Tenorio is born and then abandoned in the barn of a convent. He wants nothing more than to be a priest, until he falls in love with one of the sisters. When their affair is discovered, Juan leaves the Church forever. He is soon recruited to be a spy by the powerful Marquis de la Mota, who teaches him to become the world's greatest libertine and seducer of women.

    It is after knowing countless women that Don Juan is convinced by the Marquis to keep a diary, and it is here within its pages that he reveals his greatest adventures and the Arts of Passion he mastered. But what finally compels him to confess everything is the most perilous adventure of all-the irresistible fall into the madness of love with the only woman who could ever make him forget all others.

    The Lost Diary of Don Juan is not only a triumph of literary imagination but a deliciously sensual exploration of the secrets to undying love. At once a profound meditation and daring adventure, this novel brings to life one of history's most notorious and alluring individuals with depth, intelligence, and delight.


    From the Compact Disc edition.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateMay 1, 2007
    ISBN9780739343562
    Unavailable
    The Lost Diary of Don Juan
    Author

    Douglas Carlton Abrams

    Douglas Carlton Abrams is the nationally bestselling author of The Lost Diary of Don Juan, which has been published in thirty languages.  He writes fact-based fiction and did extensive research for his new novel, including swimming with and recording humpback whales, meeting present-day whalers, and cage diving with great white sharks. Previously an editor at the University at California Press and HarperCollins, he is the cofounder of Idea Architects, a book and media development agency.  

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    Reviews for The Lost Diary of Don Juan

    3/5

    60 ratings10 reviews

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    • 2/5
      The life of Don Juan written in "his own words". Who could resist getting a personal insight into the thought processes of "the world's greatest lover" Although filled with enough political intrigue and stuffy constraints of class structure of the time to make it interesting, it does not pretend to be a historically accurate book. It was just an enjoyable quick read. Perfect "escape read" for summer.
    • 3/5
      Very, very slow start. I almost gave up on it, but got stubborn, and it did improve enough for me to feel it wasn't a waste of time to finish. I know nothing about the original story of Don Juan, so I don't know how accurate it was.
    • 1/5
      Good for a light read, but I found it too slow and monotonous. The subject is quite attractive and accessible, but I didn't come out the other end feeling sympathetic towards any character.
    • 4/5
      After getting of to a shaky start this turned out being pretty good. I'm not sure if it has enought "romance" to keep a romance reader going but it didn't have so much romance that it turned me off and I'm not a romance reader.Though the overall plot was fairly predictable, I really liked the ending. One thing that bothered me was the constant "tension building" that never ended bad. Like "his legs were weak from the torture but with a final burst of strength he was able to..." and then 2 paragraphs later, "he could barely hold the sword but he was able to...". It just seemed like Don Juan was Superman by the time the chapter was over and it didn't really build any tension after the fifth near disaster in as many paragraphs.The other thing that was a little off-putting for me was that the narrator for this (audio) book was the same guy that does all the new Dune prequels. I kept on expecting sandworms to pop-up and eat Don Juan. But I don't suspect that would be a problem for too many people.
    • 3/5
      "I looked at her smiling face, and her black hair, disheveled by our earlier desire. Her clear brown eyes reflected the flames of the candles that encircled the altar of her bed. How could I refuse her?" (The Lost Diary of Don Juan pg 3) "The Lost Diary of Don Juan" by Douglas Carlton Abrams is the story of Don Juan, a man raised by nuns who has to flee after having an affair with one of them. He's guided by a Marquis who teaches him 'swordplay and seduction'. Don Juan is essentially a libertine or a Casanova- a lover of all women. The story is a bit predictable, in that of course he will eventually fall in love (real love) with one woman. It's meant to be a diary, although there are very few moments when you will be able to tell. Each entry is certainly not started, "Dear Diary." There's plenty of dialogue along with the action, so really it just seems to be a story told in the past tense. I couldn't help but think, as I read, that certain parts of the book simply made me think of Zorro. Specifically the Marquis guiding Don Juan- it just made me picture (the somewhat-recent movie verion of) Anthony Hopkins molding Antonio Banderas into the new Zorro-"The Mask of Zorro"! I also found little love for the womanizing Don Juan. Despite the author's goal to display Don Juan's `love' of all women, all I could see was Don Juan's `lust' for all women. Those who enjoy Spanish historical fiction may enjoy this story, or perhaps those who enjoy romance. I couldn't really get into it though which is why it's only getting three stars from me.
    • 5/5
      Before reading The Lost Diary of Don Juan, the infamous title character was nothing more than a name to me. From a mere caricature, Abrams has skillfully created a character who is richly complex and multi-layered. As I read the eloquently written pages of Don Juan's diary, it was impossible not to be drawn into his libertine life and the intrigues of the city of Seville in 1593.With beautiful, readable prose, Abrams paints a vivid picture of late 16th century Spain. The descriptions have a very cinematic feel. I could visualize the walled courtyard of a nobleman's home, and the dark, dank interior of Don Juan's favorite tavern. I could feel the velvet fabric of his maroon doublet. I could smell the faint, seductive orange-apricot scent of a woman's perfume. The prose tends to feel a little flowery and euphemistic when describing Don Juan's many and varied sexual encounters, the upside of this being that the subject matter is thus handled in a manner that is inoffensive to a broader audience.The Spanish Inquisition was going strong in 1593, creating a sinister atmosphere in Seville which Abrams conveys well. His Inquisitor is a cruel, dark, ominous figure. The reader will sense that treachery and betrayal are rampant in Don Juan's world. Because of this, the trustworthy few - a nun or priest here, a loyal coachman there - feel all the more significant and engaging as supporting characters.
    • 4/5
      Douglas Carlton Abrams' The Lost Diary of Don Juan transports the reader into a world where honor and piety are praised in 16th Century Seville, Spain, at the height of the Inquisition. But love must be chaste, and not lustful. Don Juan is fabled to be one of the greatest lovers and seducers of women, much like Cassanova. This work of fiction, written in a diary format, examines the inner Don Juan, his philosophies about love and lust, and his desire to remain honorable even as a galanteador. He refuses to tell tales of his "conquests," a term that really is inappropriate in the context of this novel. Don Juan does not conquer these women, but sets them free from the constraints of a society against passion and living life.The sexual encounters in the novel are well portrayed and not too graphic, which is pleasing. Don Juan's humor is inviting as he talks about seducing women on the ground floor so he won't have to jump from trees to balconies any longer. There is often more than one side to a character or historical figure. These are humans after all and are we not multifaceted. I love the way in which Abrams fleshes out Don Juan as a sympathetic character in spite of his desires to lay with multiple women. He is not only a cad, but one who is afraid of truly loving one woman and becoming beholden to her as her faithful husband. He fears this love because he does not deem himself worthy.Don Juan is a sympathetic and believable character, and his redemption is so fleeting. It's a classic love story full of redemption, despite the fleeting nature of his redemption. He loves women, and in some ways worships them. Don Juan is unaware of what he is missing in these fleeting relationships because his adrenaline pumps through his veins as he leaves their homes and seeks to escape their angry husbands and fathers. That is until he meets Dona Ana.This novel has all the makings of a great historical piece from the duels and the honorable father to the trapped maiden, the wrath of the Inquisitor, and the betrayal of misplaced loyalties. Abrams carefully chooses his language to describe the streets and alleys of Sevilla, Espana, while sprinkling the text with Spanish words. This technique provides the diary technique with greater authenticity.Although Don Juan is often thought of as a cad, this novel will provide readers with an alternative view--a renewed perspective on why one man sought love in the arms of numerous women and why that one man ultimately met his match.
    • 3/5
      Set in 16th century Seville during Spain’s Golden Age and the Spanish Inquisition, The Lost Diary of Don Juan is an action-packed look at the life and passion of the world’s greatest lover.The son of a prostitute, Juan Tenorio is abandoned as an infant at the gates of a convent. He grows into a young man under the sisters’ loving care and instruction. Juan seems destined for the priesthood until he falls in love with one of the nuns, Sister Teresa. The two begin a passionate affair, meeting in secret each evening. When they are eventually discovered, Juan is forced to leave the Church.The teenaged Juan Tenorio then joins a burglary ring in order to support himself. His skill as a thief and usefulness as a spy soon attracts the attention of the Marquis de la Monta, Don Pedro. The Marquis trains Juan as a libertine – one unbridled by traditional morality – and even secures a nobility title for the young man. Don Juan is a natural when it comes to the art of seduction, and his conquests are soon the stuff of legend. Unbeknownst to Don Juan, the Marquis is blackmailing the husbands and fathers of the women Don Juan seduces. Once Juan learns of this, he continues his libertine ways but refuses to reveal the identity of his partners to the Marquis.When the beautiful Dona Ana captures Don Juan’s eye, the world’s greatest lover finds himself embarking on his most challenging conquest of all: the mastery of his own heart. Can one who has enjoyed the pleasures of so many women find himself content with one woman for the rest of his life?Douglas Carlton Abrams gives us an intriguing look into the soul of a character who is usually portrayed as a villain and a rapist. Instead of depicting Don Juan as someone who preys on women, Abrams shows us a more tender side of the mythical lover. Passion is a central theme, not just sexual passion but also passion for life.One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was the humor. At one point, Don Juan is climbing a tree to reach a woman’s bedroom. As the rough bark digs into his hands, he tells himself that one day, he will seduce a woman on the ground floor.As one would expect, sex plays a large part in this book. The Lost Diary of Don Juan is very sensual but never crass. The prose seems, on occasion, a little too flowery, but the compelling story tends to compensate for much of the florid language.
    • 1/5
      Probably well done but boring.
    • 5/5
      I grew up wanting to visit Spain, when I finally did in 1998 I fell in love. Truth be known, I really fell in love with the Southern part of Spain or Andalusia and in particular with the city known as “Sevilla”If you love literature as I do, you probably have heard many tales of “Don Juan Tenorio” that famous character personifying romance, bravery, and the essence and soul of Andalusia. When I heard the title of this book called “The Lost Diary of Don Juan”, I had to have it. I normally have 2 or 3 books going at a time, but in this case, once I started, I could not put it down. Descriptions of Seville, its people, and its lore kept me glued to this one book until I finished. I even came to believe that many of the places described by Mr. Abrams were ones we had visited, after all much of the action takes place in the Barrio Santa Cruz where we stayed in the quaint local Hotel Murillo. What an adventure! Mr. Abrams takes you thru the life of a “Seducer” and brings you to his discovery of the true meaning of love and how to achieve it. Don Juan passion develops before your very eyes and you get to appreciate the lessons that lead him to find happiness. Interspersed throughout the book, you get history as it happened, tales of the Spanish Inquisition.For those not familiar with the Spanish language the Glossary is perfect. You may even want to glance over it at the beginning so you are fully prepared to enjoy the trip back to Seville’s glorious time of Romance and Adventure. One last thing, when you have finished reading this book, you will probably want to start planning the vacation of a lifetime to Seville, Spain, where you will undoubtedly relive the adventures described throughout the pages of The Lost Diary of Don Juan.