The Quest for Corvo

In "Hadrian the Seventh," A.J.A. Symons embarks on a captivating investigation into the life of eccentric author Frederick Rolfe, known as 'Baron Corvo,' after being inspired by Rolfe's work in 1925. This groundbreaking biography unfolds like a detective story, revealing the tragi-comic existence of a talented Englishman who struggled with his aspirations of becoming a Catholic priest while living a tumultuous life in Venice. Combining wit and sharp insight, Symons's narrative explores the complexities of both the complex subject and the author, ensuring that this compelling 'experiment' remains relevant almost a century later.