The Last Leopard: A life of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa

In 1957, Giuseppe Tomasi, the last Prince of the Sicilian Lampedusa family, died impoverished and unknown, leaving behind the manuscript of a book he had recently finished. The following year the book, The Leopard, was published in Italy and has since been widely translated and recognized as one of the great novels of the twentieth century. For over a quarter of a century, the reclusive man's papers were hidden from the public, until David Gilmour was befriended by Lampedusa's adopted son. From letters, diaries and notebooks, Gilmour has brought to life the unlikely character of this enigmatic genius, and his milieu in Sicily and Europe. The Last Leopard is a fascinating meditation on what makes a writer and a masterpiece.