BIOGRAPHY                     

1896:Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa was born in Palermo (23rd December) into a wealthy noble family. He would always remember his childhood.

1915-1918: He interrupted his studies and took part in the first World War.

1932:He married the Latvian baroness Alexandra Wolff Stomersee, whom he had met in London at the house of one of his uncles, who was the Italian ambassador in Great Britain.

1933: His grandfather 's legacy was shared. Only a palace in the heart of Palermo was left to G. Tomasi. Renting this, however, allowed him to lead quite a well-off life.

1940-1943:He was recalled for military service as captain of artillery.

1943: Bombing destroyed Lampedusa's palace in Palermo.

1954: In summer, Lampedusa accompanied his cousin, Lucio Piccolo, to the literary convention in S. Pellegrino Terme, where he met some writers. The meeting with such a world stimulated him to begin the novel " Il Gattopardo", which he had been thinking about for many years.

1955: He continued to write " Il Gattopardo".

1956: " Il Gattopardo" was sent, to be read, to the publisher Mondadori, who refused it. G. Tomasi went on writing the short stories " I Racconti".

1957:23rd July: Giuseppe Tomasi Di Lampedusa died of cancer in a Roman clinic. The manuscript was refused by E. Vittorini, the director of the collection " Gettoni" published by Einaudi.

1958: G. Bassani published " Il Gattopardo" in the collection he edited for the publisher Feltrinelli, presenting it with his preface. Success was great but only after the author 's death.

1956: " Lessons on Stendhal" were published in the magazine " Paragone".