This is a description of Venice at the time when it served as an asylum for undesirables from all over Europe, as well as erotic vacation destinations for some, in much the same way Thailand and similar countries are today. It stands as a scurrilous sensual testament to his fervent affection for the physical beauty of the city of Venice. It was first published posthumously in 1934 in a heavily edited version and finally, in an unexpurgated edition by Quartet in 1993. This is the first annotated edition with details of the people libelled in the book.