In Palermo, the capital of Sicily, shortly after World War II, a lonely, middle-aged man in poor health could be seen making the rounds of the city’s bookshops and cafés, stuffing himself with words and pastries but rarely conversing with another soul. His name was Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, and before the world could forget him, his loneliness was relieved by a young cousin, who together with a few friends sought him out.
They did so for two reasons. First, because they were curious about literature, and Giuseppe was thought to be Palermo’s most well-read citizen. Second, because they were intrigued by the older man’s title: Prince of Lampedusa, which he inherited from his great-grandfather, Don Fabrizio Tomasi. Inspired by these acolytes, Giuseppe wrote his first and only novel, Il Gattopardo (1958), about Don Fabrizio’s life during the Risorgimento of 1860–61, which resulted in Sicily’s becoming (more or less) part of a (more or less) unified Italy.
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