The Greatest Historical Novel Ever Written: The Leopard

How did Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s family story shape his only novel, The Leopard? Why is The Leopard considered an Italian masterpiece? And, who is the sexiest man ever written? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett as they delve into the fascinating story behind the writing of The Leopard, the world it was born of, and the novel itself. For analysis, book recommendations and more, sign up to our newsletter, Book Club Notes, introduced weekly by Tabby or Dominic. Email us: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠@bookclubpodhq⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠@thebookclubpodhq⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠@bookclubpodhq⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠@TheBookClubPodHQ⁠⁠ 0:00 Opening reading: death at the ball 01:48 Why The Leopard is considered a masterpiece 05:49 Lampedusa: the aristocrat behind the novel 11:16 War, capture and an extraordinary escape 16:43 London, marriage and an overbearing mother 21:13 Lampedusa starts his own book club 24:28 Redeeming a life he believed he had wasted 28:54 Rejection, death and posthumous triumph 35:06 Garibaldi and the violent birth of Italy 41:02 Don Fabrizio: cynic, sensualist and doomed prince 48:03 Tancredi, Concetta and Angelica 54:10 Desire inside the decaying palace 59:26 Why Sicily can never truly change 1:05:14 Death, decay and the meaning of the novel 1:14:25 Final verdicts and ratings Senior Producer: Nicole Maslen Assistant Producer: Alfie Norris Social Producer: Harry Balden Video Editor: Joe Pettit Executive Producer: Dom Johnson