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The Godfather (Mario Puzo's Mafia)

by Mario Puzo, Robert Thompson (Introduction), Peter Bart (Afterword)

4.31 of 5 stars 4.31 · rating details · 103,877 ratings · 2,673 reviews

More than thirty years ago, a classic was born. A searing novel of the Mafia underworld, The Godfather introduced readers to the first family of American crime fiction, the Corleones, and the powerful legacy of tradition, blood, and honor that was passed on from father to son. With its themes of the seduction of power, the pitfalls of greed, and family allegiance, it reson...more

Paperback, 448 pages

Published March 1st 2002 by NAL Trade (first published 1969)

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Mar 28, 2013 Manny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: too-sexy-for-maiden-aunts, parody-homage, story-review, the-goodreads-experience, pooh-dante

"Come in."

"Ah, Don Corleone, I'm sorry to trouble you -"

"Sit down."

"Thank you, Don Corleone -"

"Where is your mother from?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Your mother, she is from Italia. Which town?"

The rest of this review is in my book What Pooh Might Have Said to Dante and Other Futile Speculations

55 likes · like · see review

Apr 27, 2013 Lou rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adapted-to-screen, june-read

A good read that demands re-read has been long time ago for now..

14 likes · like · see review

Apr 28, 2013 ✮ Ї'м Йоt Шєїґd, Ї'м Gїftєd ღ ~ Йцмєу ☮ rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: No one actually :/:

Recommended to ✮ Ї'м Йоt Шєїґd, Ї'м Gїftєd ღ ~ Йцмєу ☮ by: Priya's Mom

Shelves: 2013, classics, movie, yawn, the-meowzer-reviews

The Godfather by Mario Puzo...

Gimme one reason why there was NO CAT IN THE BOOK???
But they added one in the movie, huh.

So, the Godfather is this guy:

Most loved him, I didn't so I'm not going to talk about him. But his ideals are kinda cool.
“Friendship is everything. Friendship is more than talent. It is more than the government. It is almost the equal of family."
“Revenge is a dish that tastes best when served cold.”
“A man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man.”
"Every...more

14 likes · like · see review

Apr 13, 2012 Kaion rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: modern, school, seen-adapt

Indeed, dear reader, I did not hate The Godfather. I h-aa-ted it.

How much did I hate it? Well I could start with a long dissemination of Mario Puzo's simplistic and repetitive prose. Puzo seems to think the reader needs a reminder of plot points that occured ten pages ago, and that unnecessarily drawing out an obvious reveal by splitting it up into three points of view counts as suspense.

Or I could give you a thorough cataloguing of how very poser-y The Godfather, with its bombastic ideas of mas...more Indeed, dear reader, I did not hate The Godfather. I h-aa-ted it.

How much did I hate it? Well I could start with a long dissemination of Mario Puzo's simplistic and repetitive prose. Puzo seems to think the reader needs a reminder of plot points that occured ten pages ago, and that unnecessarily drawing out an obvious reveal by splitting it up into three points of view counts as suspense.

Or I could give you a thorough cataloguing of how very poser-y The Godfather, with its bombastic ideas of masculinity and supposed gritty crime plotlines. And yet for moral convenience, the only people we see the Corleone Family harm are fellow mobsters they are at "war" with (and somehow the Corleones are never the instigators) or else, terrible human beings who are child molesters (I'm not kidding).

I have an essay on my hard drive about how the worship of this book and the character of Vito Corleone is misguided, as he better represents the utter failure of the American Dream and its corruption of true values... that is if one takes Puzo's vision seriously at all, which one really shouldn't, as it is just another weak attempt at the myth of the Single Man, as well as obviously only prodding history for hopefully salacious material, rather than having an insight into the times.

And I could talk on forever about the greatest myth of Puzo's "history" is his adherance to the Madonna-Whore view of his female characters, only slightly amended more specifically in Puzo's case to the Long-Suffering-Wife (Whose-Willingfully-Ignorant-Devotion-To-Her-Husband-Is-Only-Matched-By-Her-Spiritual-Devotion-To-Praying-For-His-Soul) and the Body, of which there are two subtypes, the Vagina (Woman-Who-Only-Exists-As-A-Sexual-Object) and the Victim (Woman-Who-Exists-As-A-Punching-Bag-Usually-For-Plot-Device-Purposes).

But really that would involve spending more time about thinking about this truly wretched book, and really just this*:

There's a whole character in this book-- a secondary character who gets several chapters devoted to PoV-- who is defined by her gaping vagina. Yes, literally. Her whole character is about her large vagina. We get a whole decades-spanning arc about her large vagina, because really, what else could possibly be more riveting about any woman? What other possible characteristics could any woman have that would be more important than that?

Do I really need to say more?

*It was this or an haiku about watching the pages burn, but I don't believe in book burning and I could never top Bradbury anyway, so this is what you get instead.(less)

13 likes · like · see review

view all 7 comments

Brian Beata, you clearly have issues with gender roles in today's world, but like the original poster, you blame Puzo for all of them.

I don't know what it's...more
Oct 29, 2012 12:56am

Angel Dean Absolutely agree, Brian. I teach this novel and encourage students to view it on these levels. I think Puzo often reinforces stereotypes only to under...more
Nov 05, 2012 05:15pm

May 19, 2013 Jr Bacdayan rated it 4 of 5 stars

"..for Justice, we must go to Don Corleone."

In a world where laws are broken, where the government is only a puppet, where murder is routine and safety a rare thing, Don Corleone holds all the strings. He is the avenging angel, the thief in the night, the protector of the poor, the warrior of the wops, the ultimate puppeteer. He is the loving father, the faithful husband. He is the Godfather.

Don Vito, Sonny, Fredo, Michael, Tom, Clemenza, Tessio, Luca Brasi, the entire family, they're like the...more

12 likes · like · see review

Jul 15, 2008 Israel rated it 5 of 5 stars

The epic masterpiece of mafia fiction. Puzo is good and entertaining elsewhere, here is great and masterful. It is to mobster books what Godfather parts 1 & 2 are to mobster movies...a standard that can never be equalled. What really intrigues me about Puzo's presentation of the Corleone family, and something that does not translate as explicitly to the screen, is the incredible sense of moral and religious conviction that what they do is right and good. At times I found myself believing tha...more

21 likes · like · see review

Mar 17, 2008 Kerstin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm one of the people who watched the whole movie trilogy and then after that found out that The Godfather
exists as a novel. Naturally, I had to purchase it.
It is a matter of taste, I suppose, but next to the movies - so elegant and grandiose - it feels a bit like reading pulp fiction. Maybe it's that the book is lacking the presence of charismatic Hollywood giants Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, whose legendary performances rival those of Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh in Gone With The Wind. It's h...more I'm one of the people who watched the whole movie trilogy and then after that found out that The Godfather
exists as a novel. Naturally, I had to purchase it.
It is a matter of taste, I suppose, but next to the movies - so elegant and grandiose - it feels a bit like reading pulp fiction. Maybe it's that the book is lacking the presence of charismatic Hollywood giants Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, whose legendary performances rival those of Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh in Gone With The Wind. It's hard to tell. I did feel like the story tended to lose focus once in a while in the middle of the excessive subplots concerning the graphicly described sex lives of Johnny Fontane and Lucy Mancini. But I understand that, at the time, the subjects of pornography and death (especially together) were very controversial and obviously helped a lot with the sales, as the author Mario Puzo himself admitted.

Anyway... the great thing about the book is that the Corleones are all in there of course; the whole main gang. And they get you hooked on everything they do. Classic storytelling at its best.
The Godfather is basically an age-old tale about power passing between generations, more precisely from father to (reluctant) son. We have the "kingdom" of Don Vito Corleone and his "three princes". There's the rash and impulsive Santino (Sonny), the dim-witted but soft-hearted Fredo and the handsome and idealistic Michael. Vito also has a neurotic daughter called Connie and an adopted son named Tom Hagen. Who's German-Irish, btw, and works as a lawyer in the "family business".
Don Vito is a very powerful and respected "wise old man". He is known for his hospitality and seemigly benign, "reasonable" nature. He grants people "favors" and he is such a master of his game that even brutal monsters like Luca Brasi have sworn loyalty to him. In short - he "makes you an offer you can't refuse". Because, in case you do, be prepared to find a dead horse's head in your bed.

The magic of The Godfather story lies in the fact that it is told entirely from "the inside". Which enables us to care about and relate to characters who, in real life, would be considered despicable as people. It's like an exclusive peek into the closed world of a genuine Italian Mafia family. And we look into this world from a viewpoint similar to the one of Kay Adams - the only outsider in there.

Vito Corleone makes his living mostly through gambling and prostitution and, staying true to his old-school methods,
says "no" to drugs. Which is why the other Dons in the New York area decide that he is slipping and it is time to eliminate him. The night Vito is shot, it is his youngest son Michael who shows up in the hospital. Michael is an interesting isolated character. He announces proudly that he doesn't want to have anything to do with the family business and backs this up with his actions. Everything he does is different from his family - he goes to college, joins an army to fight for America and plans to marry a girl who doesn't carry a drop of Italian blood in her, Kay. He starts out as a hero that night, saving his father's life by moving his bed to another room and standing guard on the hospital stairs, displaying qualities (bravery, calculative and cool head under pressure, etc.) that make him an apparent "heir to the throne". When the Corleones work out their revenge strategies, Michael suggests that he should be the one to kill their enemies Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo and the corrupt police captain McCluskey (who has assaulted him with a heavy punch in the face). Against all odds, he ends up executing the two men in an Italian restaurant, during one of the most thrilling and suspenseful scenes ever created. Having done away with the immediate threat to his family, he is then in danger and needs to go into exile.
With Michael's trip to Sicily, the narrative perspective shifts and the story becomes his. He travels through the land of his forefathers and discovers the terrifying and bloody history of this beautiful place - the birthplace of the Mafia. He seeks to "connect with his roots" by marrying a beautiful local girl called Apollonia. But blow after blow is delivered to him in there; first with the news of his brother Sonny's murder at home and then with the tragic death of his innocent wife and unborn child through the explosives planted in his car. Everywhere Michael goes, death follows him. Once he returns to America, he is no longer the man he used to be.

Michael's transformation from a young war-hero to a ruthless Mafia boss is both fascinating and devastating. And in the end we feel a deep sense of loss, because we've witnessed a man with so much potential for good and a bright, promising future simply sell his soul and go to hell. Was it the result of his decisions or just unfortunate circumstances doesn't even seem to bear real relevance in here - the story plays it out as an inevitability, as if it was always his fate.
Michael is not the only one left to pay for his father's mistakes in a rather biblical manner, either... all of Vito's children do, in their own ways (poor, poor Fredo).

The late Mario Puzo has said that The Godfather is first and foremost about family than anything else. But how much a person would do for their family or how much it would cost them to betray their family are not the only issues it brings up. Layers upon layers upon layers of meaning emerges as the story unfolds. Questions that never find answers (unless you're the actor Tom Hanks who's convinced that all of life's questions can be answered by The Godfather).
It somehow manages to authentically reflect the everyday operations of a criminal empire, be a character-driven psychological drama, a tale of immigrant experience (the backstory of Vito's arrival to America) and a study of Italian-American lifestyle all at the same time. While being structured as a modern myth. No wonder it's so popular.

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28 likes · like · see review

Mar 02, 2008 Roxanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: already-read, favorites, re-read

I absolutely loved this book! This book started my long running obsession with Mafia.

The Godfather is one of the best pieces of literature ever written. Mario Puzo paints this elaborate picture of the Sicilian mafia through the eyes of Michael Corleone, a returning Marine Corps hero who at first wants nothing to do with the elaborate crime family that his father has built.

Don Vito Corleone, an Italian immigrant who goes from poverty in Little Italy to create one of the Five Families of New York...more

22 likes · like · see review

Feb 03, 2008 Jared Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars

Don Vito Corleone continues to be a fictional figurehead of the American mafia’s underworld. He is the portrait of a modern mafia boss, despite being thirty five years old and set in the 1940s. The Godfather is about power. Don Corleone’s insatiable desire for power combined with a total refusal to play by someone else’s rules—i.e. the government, created an amiable but villainous Don in control of the greater part of New York City’s underworld. He is heralded as an angel—granting alms, help, ju...more Don Vito Corleone continues to be a fictional figurehead of the American mafia’s underworld. He is the portrait of a modern mafia boss, despite being thirty five years old and set in the 1940s. The Godfather is about power. Don Corleone’s insatiable desire for power combined with a total refusal to play by someone else’s rules—i.e. the government, created an amiable but villainous Don in control of the greater part of New York City’s underworld. He is heralded as an angel—granting alms, help, justice, equity, protection, citizenship and whatever else you can imagine. Puzo makes you revere Don Corleone, like all of those poor people whom he has helped over the years of his reign. Granting favors is how he remains with so much power, innumerous people owe him for the “good deeds” he has done them.

Unlike other mafia novels, Puzo ensures that the blood and the gore take second stage to the decision to exercise power. After reading the explanations and unfortunate circumstances that these characters find themselves in, there is no choice but to exercise power by making their enemies “an offer they can’t refuse.” Why and when Corleone exercises power is the interesting point in The Godfather, because it demonstrates how and in what circumstances he loves possessing power.

With all of the talk of Don Vito Corleone, he is not the true protagonist. Michael is. Michael Corleone, the third son and most like his father. The second key theme of the novel is the importance of the family. Michael was an idealist, not interested in working in the “family business.” But after unfortunate circumstances of Don Corleone’s attempted assassination, Michael must step up and fill the vacancy in his father’s war room. He is essentially forced into his crimes through loyalty to his family. This loyalty is instilled in him at an early age by his father, learned as an age-old Sicilian adage and necessity.

Michael’s internal conflict between desiring a legitimate life and following his father’s footsteps is the main conflict of the book. Unfortunately, Puzo does not develop Michael enough to fully leverage this conflict into powerful writing. The plot points which drive Michael to eventually become Don Corleone himself are sufficient to explain why he made the decisions he made. For example, the necessary hit of Sollozzo and the assassination of his new bride drove him deeper into the family business. But Puzo lacks clear manifestations of an ongoing internal struggle that he set up Michael to have: he wants to be legitimate—he wants to live a normal life but can’t because he is a Corleone. Puzo’s only good example of Michael’s desire for legitimacy is how he tries to withdraw the Corleone’s from New York and take them to Las Vegas. But this seems more of an idea of Don Vito’s than Michael’s. Without directly writing Michael’s internal dialogue, Puzo could include more conversations and evidence that he is truly struggling with his decision.

As the all-time bestselling novel in publishing history, The Godfather has an intricate plot with many distinct and intriguing characters that keep you guessing what happens next.
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5 likes · like · see review

Nov 29, 2007 Kyle rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people who like the mafia

Shelves: books-i-recomend

Kyle Toebe
Mrs.Ebarvia
Honors World Literature
11/29/07

The Godfather
“I believe in America. America has made my fortune. And I raised my daughter in the American fashion. I gave her freedom, but I taught her never to dishonor her family”. This is the famous opening quote from Mario Puzo’s novel, The Godfather. It teaches an interesting moral, “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer”. Mario Puzo was born in 1920 into a poor Neapolitan family. He lived in one of the towns in his novel, He...more Kyle Toebe
Mrs.Ebarvia
Honors World Literature
11/29/07

The Godfather
“I believe in America. America has made my fortune. And I raised my daughter in the American fashion. I gave her freedom, but I taught her never to dishonor her family”. This is the famous opening quote from Mario Puzo’s novel, The Godfather. It teaches an interesting moral, “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer”. Mario Puzo was born in 1920 into a poor Neapolitan family. He lived in one of the towns in his novel, Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. Many of his books are derived from his Italian heritage. His most well known novel, The Godfather, was published in 1969. This was not his first book though. His first novel was, The Dark Arena in 1955. The Godfather was made into a movie on March 24, 1972. It won three academy awards for Best Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Picture. Mario Puzo is truly a brilliant writer. Sadly, Mario Puzo passed away in 1999.

It almost kills me to say this, but Mario Puzo’s novel has one flaw. At times, I think he dragged the story out too much. I enjoyed all four hundred fifty pages, but not all people enjoy reading lengthy novels. Another thing about the story I didn’t like was the fact that he was often too descriptive. Some people with insufficient vocabulary would find themselves missing some of his descriptions; almost pages at a time. These are some minor problems with the novel, but not enough to put the book down.

Overall, this was the most interesting novel that I have ever read. Mario Puzo’s characters were just unbelievable. The most enjoyable character was the hot-tempered Santino Corleone, better known as “Sonny.” Sonny makes many hasty decisions that lead to his death. He finds out that his younger sister, Connie is being beaten by her despicable husband, Carlo. This was all a setup as Carlo was paid by the Tattaglia family to beat his wife. Of course, the ill-tempered Sonny jumped into his car and sped off to New Jersey. He is stopped at the tollbooth on the causeway and was gunned down by a gang of vicious gangsters. I really enjoyed Sonny due to his bellicose behavior. Sometimes in the story, I could really relate to Sonny’s impatient nature. I wouldn’t really say he is much of a role model, but he is definitely my favorite character in this novel.

Even though it may have been a little long for some people’s likings, the book was enjoyable. The worst parts of this novel were even better than parts of most novels. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes thriller novels. This novel is also great for someone who is interested in the Mafioso. It was written by someone who had first hand experience in watching the Mob leaders extort businesses and kill people. This novel could honestly be loved by anyone who enjoys a good book.
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8 likes · like · see review

Dec 06, 2007 Adam rated it 4 of 5 stars

It is a sin to watch the movie before reading this book! Well written and full of power, lust, and violence! Also implicates very strong family ties! My kind of fiction!

Some favorite quotes from this book...

"Why did you go to the police? Why didn't you come to me first?

"I understand. You found paradise in America. You had a good trade, made a good living, the police protected you and there were courts of law and you didn't need a friend like me. But, now you come to me and you say "Don Corleon...more

8 likes · like · see review

Jun 08, 2012 Jason Golomb rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, literature, thriller

A friend recently loaned me her copy of this book. I've seen the movies, love them all, and, not surprisingly, enjoyed the book. As is often the case, a movie just can't compete with the level of detail and nuance that a full novel can provide.

In this case, I couldn't help but connect my memories of the movies with the particulars of the novel. The faces, the accents, the atmosphere. The mythology of "The Godfather", for me, is completely tied to the movie and so my expectations were just a lit...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 05, 2007 Ray Markey rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: any Godfather movie fan

Shelves: alreadyread

If you are a fan of the Godfather trilogy (specifically the first movie) this book is a must read. It will shed a lot of light on the backgrounds of the characters and give you some new insight into the story that you may have missed. Even if you, like I, had seen the movie many times before, sit down with this one and you'll then go back and watch the movie again... then you'll pick up the book again... I bet you will.

4 likes · like · see review

Jun 11, 2012 Lina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: classic-lit, crime, cult-classic, must-read

I loved this book, which surprised me more than I thought. This book is filled with such despicable characters, but they are so human and compelling that even though they say racist and sexist things I was invested in them.

Everyone already knows the general plot of the Godfather, so all I am going to leave you with is that the book is an even more complex version of the movie. It has more characters, more insight to how they feel and just gives a fuller feeling to this extremely interesting fam...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jun 22, 2007 Russell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: manlyshitformanlymen

Remember the random tart that James Caan was boning in the beginning of the movie? Who knew that she was such a key character in the book? NOT YOU!

9 likes · like · see review

Jul 27, 2011 Sana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011

The Godfather has proved to be one of those novels whose characters deal with violence, sex and crime as if it were second nature to their species. I always knew the basic details of the book, being such a famous movie adaptation as it is; I knew I couldn't miss reading it.

However, I found out that I was wrong about the role of The Godfather, the Don Vito Corleone. In fact, he proved to be one of those characters who are unpredictable even in death. This was not the glazed-over fiction laced wi...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 14, 2008 Petra rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I came to this book through my friend’s recommendation. Although I knew about the famous movie, which was based on the classical best-seller of Mario Puzo, I never thought I would read the novel. Reading about the world of the Mafia wasn’t my cup of tea, but when I looked for a good book, I was told I would like this one. So I tried and I was engulfed.
Placed in New York after the Second World War, The Godfather describes the mysterious and powerful world of American Mafia, which is controlled...more

2 likes · like · see review

deleted user I was never interested in issues about “mafia” in my whole life. It was in college when my professor recommended this book. I read it entirely in a su...more I was never interested in issues about “mafia” in my whole life. It was in college when my professor recommended this book. I read it entirely in a summer in Europe. I couldn’t stop it. It’s not just a story about American mafia, it’s about life itself. Don Corleone (By the way he takes the name of a Italian village) came to America in the early 1900. He came to America running away from the Sicilian mafia. It’s interesting, because in the sociological perspective, the mafia is the reaction of the people, against the Italian’s political corruption. It’s a system with codes, traditions, laws, and protection among their members. We can see such phenomenon in diverse countries throughout history.
Don Corleone grows in New York in the most absolute poverty, and hopelessness, when he is grown up, he noticed the corruption of other families and local authorities, and then he decided to create a social network of protection, and then The Mafia as sociological phenomenon is created.
Mario Puzo’s book is a masterpiece in dialogues, and Mafia’s culture. We can study the relationship of authority among parents, gender role, and political authority. All the social elements in the structure of the book are related. We don’t see the difference between “good”-bad” or honest-corruption. Everything are related in the structure of power, and how to keep it. Nothing is sure. Power and life depend in the ability to understand the social game, in other words, “The social intelligence”. It’s correct when you say that the novel reveals the darkest side of the American society, but that dark side in the American scenario have existed for a long time ago. In the political game nothing is honest. Politician play with the illusion and hopes from people, unfortunately that’s the reality.
Michael Corleone once said: “It’s impossible to see the difference between the mafia and the political world”. If you read “Diplomacy” written by Henry Kissinger you’ll notice the perversity of the political game.
Anyway, the book is a classic of human behavior, and the movie is one of the greatest ever made.
By the way, I joined to this group because English is my second language, and I know that sometimes is hard and frustrating, but this website is great, help to people to write, and read any kind of books…Finally are you german? Is English your second language? What do you do for improving your English skills?
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Jul 16, 2008 04:03pm

Jun 08, 2008 Henry Wijaya rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: absolutely not under age people

"I'll make an offer he can't refuse"
That is one quotation of Vito Corleone, the Godfather, the most powerful Don in US. Seeing his figure, I saw a man with a strong principle and willingness accompanied with a bravery to do all things needed to achieve his goal. More than those two things; his determination and his wit. This book shows a story of a mafia family, the Corleones. The family who had been very strong and seemed to be unbreakable that found its biggest challenge when the Don was shot...more

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 01, 2008 Corbin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, least-favorites

Yes, I know it is not advisable to compare a book to its movie, but the film was so goshdarn brilliant that I can't help but line the two up side-by-side. Honestly, I think the movie was much more calculated and beautiful than the book, which branched off in several dead-end directions.

So far I'm enjoying the background story that the book gives on most of the characters. Sonny seems more despicable in the book than the movie, and I feel like I have a better grip on Michael's separation from th...more

5 likes · like · see review

Lara I agree with you. I read the book thinking it would be better than the movie, but was surprised. This is one case where I have to say the movie is far...more
May 07, 2009 04:36pm

Penny Loafer totally agree
Sep 22, 2009 03:29pm

Elen I was really surpised when I read your comment Corbin. I read the book before the film came to the screen. I thought this was an amazing book. A coupl...more
Nov 07, 2011 03:38am

Jan 26, 2008 Lauren aka John Matthew's Girl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, library-has-a-copy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Godfather is by far one of the best books I've ever read. The minute i read the first page i was hooked, and by page 100, i knew this was going to become a favorite and by page 446, the last page i was not disappointed. One of the things i enjoyed most about the book, was how Mario Puzo fleshed out his characters, he made them extremely real and very three dimensional and extremely human. They're not perfect in other words, MP makes you really feel like you're right there with Micheal or the...more The Godfather is by far one of the best books I've ever read. The minute i read the first page i was hooked, and by page 100, i knew this was going to become a favorite and by page 446, the last page i was not disappointed. One of the things i enjoyed most about the book, was how Mario Puzo fleshed out his characters, he made them extremely real and very three dimensional and extremely human. They're not perfect in other words, MP makes you really feel like you're right there with Micheal or the Don or Tom or one of the many other characters. One of the most enjoyable characters (for me at least), was Johnny Fontane, who is based on Frank Sinatra, as a huge Sinatra fan, and somebody who has read multiple biographies of him, the parallels are unmistakable, MP fleshed him out considerably and made him a very human character. This book also has quite a few twists and turns, and whoa-i-didn't-see-that-coming moments, such as when Sonny gets killed, that i definitely did not expect, and when the Don dies, which make it extremely enjoyable, and keep the plot fresh and moving along, not once does this book become predictable or boring. I was initially interested in this book because I'm half Italian, and have had family members in the Mob at one point or another, so i wanted to learn more about this part of my cultural heritage, and learn more about the Mob in general. I also saw part of The Godfather, the movie, and enjoyed it very much, but then i fell asleep (darn it!), so i didn't get to see the rest of the movie, and i figured if the movie and acting where that good (after all Marlon Brando did win the Academy Award for his portrayal of Don Vito Corleone) the book had to be really good, however i would advise reading the book before watching any of the movie(s), because if you read the book first, the story line of the movie(s) is a lot easier to follow and makes more sense, and many characters such as Lucy Mancini, who doesn't get a great deal of screen time and thus you don't learn a great deal about her, whereas in the book you learn much more about her, as well as other characters. So to wrap up my review, as i could go on and on, but won't. This is a masterpiece of literature, by far one of the best books ever written, and something all teenagers and adults should read. (less)

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Jan 25, 2011 Andrew rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read this book when I was a sophmore in high school. At that time, it would take me months to read a book this large, unless for some assignment. I think I finished it in 3 or 4 days. This says a lot. First, the book is highly entertaining. A novel that keeps you glued to it, because you need to know what happens next. Second, this book is an easy read, not just because of the action, but because it is written with simple prose. But don't let the author's writing style lead you to underestimat...more

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Apr 22, 2008 Matt H rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who liked the movie, fans of Ganster movies

This is an amazing book, always in suspence and never a dull moment. Starting right where the movie starts, and includes details that the movies leave out. With this award winning classic, you get romance, action, and Itailan meatballs. You get all the feeling of New York in the 40's. You can read all of the parts that the movie left out, see inside the lives that the movies faild to capture. With Puzo's unique style of writing, you can really get attached to characters and feel like you are get...more

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Jan 19, 2008 Kevin Mellor rated it 5 of 5 stars

I didn't know what to expect when I found this at the local Wal-Mart, like a ruby in the pile of cow-flop that passes for the rest of what Wally World considers literature. I'd seen the movies and liked two of them, and I needed something to read, so I gave it a shot.

It's fantastic. Every little nuance and side story is right on the money-- people who barely get mentioned in the movies have whole story lines devoted to them, and all of them weave together in ways that make it seem more like a tr...more

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Oct 04, 2008 John rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: folks who dig the movie - those who want to read a solid story

I highly recommend this book.

The Godfather is no doubt an epic. The story is brilliant in it's pace and is highly readable. Themes of family, honor, violent justification, corruption and a sprawl of others make up the patch work of this masterful novel. Budding Las Vegas, Hollywood Moguls, the New World Order of organized crime pitted against the old traditional way seam the fabric of redemption together. This blanket of genre was crafted with respect for the reader by Mario Puzo, spawning a phe...more

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Sep 21, 2009 Tajma rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-childhood-spent-reading

I had to sneak and read this when I was eight years old. It was on my grandparents' bookshelf and I could only read about 20 pages at a time. I wasn't old enough to see the movie so this was the next best thing.

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Oct 20, 2007 Tanmay. rated it 5 of 5 stars

The book I loved the most.
Nice easy free-flowing language.A catchy,fast paced storyline.
If you've seen the 'Sarkaar' Movie,you would surely get Deja vu's reading the first few chapters.But thats only the glimpse of what waits ahead.Everything is described with extreme details in a very articulate manner.
The entire plot is carefully constructed.You'll not know when youve finished it.
Also the books full of nice quotes n tag lines..4 eg
"Let your enemies overestimate your faults.And your friends und...more

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May 25, 2012 Mona Ali rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

من أكثر الروايات التي قرأتها جمالا وشدا للانتباه ..
بعض فصولها اسهب الكاتب فيه بما لا يسترعي انتباهي لكنه حافظ على جمال الرواية في ما تبقّى .
اكتشفت من خلالها أن الأخلاق البشرية السامية لم تكن حصرا علينا كعرب/ او مسلمين ..
بل في جميع المجتمعات البشرية ثمة أخلاق وقيم حللها الزمن حتى انحطت في الوقت الحاضر في بلاد التحلل تلك بصورة علنية
جميع المجتمعات كانت تنبذ خصال معينة وتعتبرها نقيصة ومن السمو والانسانية اجتنابها وليس صحيحا ما يقال لنا اننا فقط من نملك هذه المزية ! على أن الرواية لم تنكر دور الش...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Maya Khan rated it 5 of 5 stars

I wanted to join a gang after I read this book. Seriously I was in a funk and did everything Italian. I even put on a weird accent and quoted directly from the book. I wont say what people thought of it but you get the drift. I was living in the book and that's something, coming from me because I don't really get involved in many books/ movies.. ItWas brilliant! I never knew I'd enjoy such genres so much. I still remember threatening my then boyfriend now my husband, Godfather style! He never le...more

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Mar 12, 2009 Makuka rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

O Padrinho é um relato pormenorizado sobre o dia-a-dia de uma família italiana do sub-mundo da Máfia. Mario Puzo dá-nos a conhecer os parâmetros por que se rege este meio, as relações de poder/influência que se estabelecem entre as pessoas e o modo como o crime é encarado como natural para os mafiosos.

Os Corleone são o ponto de partida da história, mas, ao longo da obra, vão surgindo outras personagens de destaque. Esta diversidade é interessante não só porque cria um novo ritmo como permite que...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 08, 2009 Leftbanker rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novels

Perdonad los errores, esta es la primera vez que escribo en español.

Si voy a leer la novela El Padrino y ver la película por la enésima vez (en español), debo escribir en castellano de la experiencia para que sea un poco menos pesado. Ya no hay palabras nuevas en inglés después de los tantos años que vivo con esta historia, después de haber leído la novela un par o tres de veces y ni quiero pensar en cuantas veces he vista la péli (mejor dicho, las tres películas de la serie). Todo la industria...more

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international wom...: The Godfather	5	9	May 05, 2013 12:31pm
Puzo had followed the mafia and the gangs and their leader is the Godfather	4	74	Mar 30, 2013 11:31am
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About Mario Puzo

Puzo was born in a poor family of Neapolitan immigrants living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York. Many of his books draw heavily on this heritage. After graduating from the City College of New York, he joined the United States Army Air Forces in World War II. Due to his poor eyesight, the military did not let him undertake combat duties but made him a public relations officer statione...more Puzo was born in a poor family of Neapolitan immigrants living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York. Many of his books draw heavily on this heritage. After graduating from the City College of New York, he joined the United States Army Air Forces in World War II. Due to his poor eyesight, the military did not let him undertake combat duties but made him a public relations officer stationed in Germany. In 1950, his first short story, The Last Christmas, was published in American Vanguard. After the war, he wrote his first book, The Dark Arena, which was published in 1955.

At periods in the 1950s and early 1960s, Puzo worked as a writer/editor for publisher Martin Goodman's Magazine Management Company. Puzo, along with other writers like Bruce Jay Friedman, worked for the company line of men's magazines, pulp titles like Male, True Action, and Swank. Under the pseudonym Mario Cleri, Puzo wrote World War II adventure features for True Action.

Puzo's most famous work, The Godfather, was first published in 1969 after he had heard anecdotes about Mafia organizations during his time in pulp journalism. He later said in an interview with Larry King that his principal motivation was to make money. He had already, after all, written two books that had received great reviews, yet had not amounted to much. As a government clerk with five children, he was looking to write something that would appeal to the masses. With a number one bestseller for months on the New York Times Best Seller List, Mario Puzo had found his target audience. The book was later developed into the film The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The movie received 11 Academy Award nominations, winning three, including an Oscar for Puzo for Best Adapted Screenplay. Coppola and Puzo collaborated then to work on sequels to the original film, The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III.

Puzo wrote the first draft of the script for the 1974 disaster film Earthquake, which he was unable to continue working on due to his commitment to The Godfather Part II. Puzo also co-wrote Richard Donner's Superman and the original draft for Superman II. He also collaborated on the stories for the 1982 film A Time to Die and the 1984 Francis Ford Coppola film The Cotton Club.

Puzo never saw the publication of his penultimate book, Omertà, but the manuscript was finished before his death, as was the manuscript for The Family. However, in a review originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle, Jules Siegel, who had worked closely with Puzo at Magazine Management Company, speculated that Omertà may have been completed by "some talentless hack." Siegel also acknowledges the temptation to "rationalize avoiding what is probably the correct analysis -- that [Puzo] wrote it and it is terrible."

Puzo died of heart failure on July 2, 1999 at his home in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York. His family now lives in East Islip, New York.(less)

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Quotes from The Godfather

“Friendship is everything. Friendship is more than talent. It is more than the government. It is almost the equal of family.- Don Corleone” — 428 people liked it

“I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse.” — 343 people liked it

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