Betsy Prioleau ploughs through history (and Hollywood) in her pursuit of the great ladies' men of the world. And she insists that we must not confuse ladies' men with heartless philanderers, playboys and other chancers, for, she claims, all the great ladies' men have one thing in common: they love women. Nor does one have to be an Adonis to captivate: neither Huxley, Jung, Liszt nor Dahl was a raving beauty, yet women threw themselves at them. Jean-Paul Sarte was only 5ft tall and had a blind eye but was forever in demand. So what is the secret formula? The man must be passionate (Byron), give women his full attention (Aly Khan), be an inquiring listener (Casanova, who also fulfilled every other requirement), make them laugh (David Niven), be a silent listener (Gary Cooper) and, especially, be interesting (Don Juan). And more, much more. This is a deliciously sexy, erudite read that may help (if it's not too late for some of us) reveal the elusive qualities of the world's great seducers.
