It is a brilliant book, and one that is particularly salient in late middle age. On the face The Leopard is definitely about the liminal space between two ways of existing, but it is also a deep meditation on aging and losing one's powers, hopefully with grace.
Absolutely. And those subjects mirror each other nicely, too, with one amplifying the other. It is a novel that's very much worth rereading. Thank you for the comment, Matt.
The Leopard sounds like an interesting read. I love historical fiction, and visited Sicily in 2019. I stayed with the common folk, a 3 generation Sicilian family in their small town in the Catania area.
Catania is such a nice city. I would certainly recommend The Leopard, for both the story itself and for the artfulness of the prose. Thank you for the comment, Pamela.
I remember loving The Leopard when I read it many years ago. I should read it again. I wonder if Americans (as I am) have a particular fondness for aristocrats. We root for their 'old ways" and imagine ourselves being the Lord and not his valet.
I don't have a good sense whether it is more or less in the US, though I definitely agree with the latter part—nearly everyone perceives themselves in a good position when they imagine the past. Thank you for the kind words and the comment, David.
I went to visit donnafugata a few months after I read the book. It is large, but sort of sad and tawdry!
It is a brilliant book, and one that is particularly salient in late middle age. On the face The Leopard is definitely about the liminal space between two ways of existing, but it is also a deep meditation on aging and losing one's powers, hopefully with grace.
Absolutely. And those subjects mirror each other nicely, too, with one amplifying the other. It is a novel that's very much worth rereading. Thank you for the comment, Matt.
The Leopard sounds like an interesting read. I love historical fiction, and visited Sicily in 2019. I stayed with the common folk, a 3 generation Sicilian family in their small town in the Catania area.
Catania is such a nice city. I would certainly recommend The Leopard, for both the story itself and for the artfulness of the prose. Thank you for the comment, Pamela.
I put it on my list of books to read. I think I will enjoy it!
Thanks for this essay.
I remember loving The Leopard when I read it many years ago. I should read it again. I wonder if Americans (as I am) have a particular fondness for aristocrats. We root for their 'old ways" and imagine ourselves being the Lord and not his valet.
I don't have a good sense whether it is more or less in the US, though I definitely agree with the latter part—nearly everyone perceives themselves in a good position when they imagine the past. Thank you for the kind words and the comment, David.