Gioacchino Lanza Tomasi Books

Following the success of" Portrait of Venice "and "Palaces of Rome," this beautiful book tours the palaces, villas, and castles of Sicily. From the ancient Roman villa of Piazza Armerina through the Arab castles, baroque masterpieces such as Villa Pallagonia, to the art-nouveau Villa Bordonaro alle Croci- these pages reveal 30 public and private dwellings built and furnished by Italy's greatest architects and artists over the centuries. Luxuriant gardens full of flowers and statues, antique tapestries, glorious frescoed, and priceless furniture appear in hundreds of full-color photographs. History, art and anecdote intertwine in the text for an enchanting view of Sicily's great heritage.

The Leopard is a story of a decadent and dying aristocracy threatened by the forces of revolution and democracy. Set against the political upheavals of Italy in the 1860s, it focuses on Don Fabrizio, a Sicilian prince of immense sensual appetites, wealth, and great personal magnetism. Around this powerful figure swirls a glittering array of characters: a Bourbon king, liberals and pseudo liberals, peasants and millionaires.

From the atmospheric recollections of the Palazzo Lampedusa in Palermo at the turn of the twentieth century in 'Childhood Memories' to the delightful fantasy 'The Professor and the Siren', from the gently humorous, bittersweet tones of 'Joy and the Law' to 'The Blind Kittens', this volume showcases Lampedusa's unparalleled narrative skills.