"Il Gattopardo," or "The Leopard," is a historical novel written by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa in 1958. Set in 19th-century Sicily during the unification of Italy, the story follows the life of Prince Fabrizio Salina, a nobleman who observes the decline of his aristocratic class and the rise of a new social order. The novel explores themes of change, decay, and the passage of time. The narrative is rich in detail, capturing the complexities of Sicilian society and the impact of political upheaval. It has been adapted into a successful film directed by Luchino Visconti in 1963, which further popularized the story and its themes.