Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa (1896-1957) was an Italian author, Duke of Palma, and last Prince of Lampedusa. He is most famous for his only novel, Il gattopardo, which was first published posthumously in 1958 and topped the bestseller lists internationally. Born to the Sicilian aristocracy at a time when his family's fortunes were in sharp decline, Lampedusa served as an artillery officer during World War I. A taciturn and solitary aristocrat, he devoted much of his time to books and was a prolific reader in several languages.
