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".