Books
by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
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The Leopard |
Forty years on it was interesting to see how well this stood the test of time. The story begins with a description of the Prince, the Leopard, on his feudal estate in Sicily in the mid-19th century when Garibaldi and his followers were campaigning to bring about the Risorgimento of Italy. It is beautifully written with simplicity, affection and an underlying nostalgia which made it an excellent re-read.
(Jeremy Swann - bwl 25 August 2004) |
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The Leopard |
Set at the time of the Risorgimento, this intensely personal account of the fading of an aristocratic Sicilian family is an extraordinary read. It scarcely seems to qualify as a novel there is so little plot or characterisation. Lampedusa creates an album portraying a lost world of tradition, ritual and boredom, unchanged for centuries, now gone - and the images remain even after the book is closed. A classic - I think so - but judge for yourself.
(Ferelith Hordon - bwl 38 February 2007) |
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