The Godfather

The Godfather #1

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

The Godfather—the epic tale of crime and betrayal that became a global phenomenon.

Almost fifty years ago, a classic was born. A searing portrayal of the Mafia underworld, The Godfather introduced readers to the first family of American crime fiction, the Corleones, and their powerful legacy of tradition, blood, and honor. The seduction of power, the pitfalls of greed, and the allegiance to family—these are the themes that have resonated with millions of readers around the world and made The Godfather the definitive novel of the violent subculture that, steeped in intrigue and controversy, remains indelibly etched in our collective consciousness.

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Crime, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Novels

428 pages, Paperback

First published March 10, 1969

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Diane Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best! a treasure of a story,plot and movie to keep forever...good storytelling and amazing writing (paperback!)

[Brina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mario Puzo wrote The Godfather, a book that was to become an instant classic, at a time when both his personal life and that of the United States were in transition. Puzo's first two novels had not sold well, and he was almost penniless. A young, up and coming author, Puzo sought to write his version of the great American novel that would also work well on the silver screen. Meanwhile, in a time of war, the nation was beginning to view the mafia rather than Cowboys as the great American hero. According to afterward author Peter Bart, America's perception of the mafia as positive citizens is what allowed Puzo to thrust The Godfather into the forefront of American society.

As someone who has never experienced the award winning film starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, Don Corleone and the world he created were new to me. Vito Corleone had immigrated from Sicily to New York in the early 1900s, and, after a few lucky breaks, quickly established himself as one of the leaders of the crime underworld. Using his olive oil import business as a cover to make himself look like a law abiding citizen, Don Corleone's empire grew through his connections with politicians, police, and other officials. Along with his consigliere and caporegimes, Corleone instilled respect and fear into those who dared go against the most powerful mafia family in the nation.

Being a mafiosa has its costs, however. Corleone's wife through forty years of marriage was never able to be his equal partner. The mafia and everything that went with it was kept secret and separate from family life. Crimes split apart families, forged both likely and unlikely alliances, and one never knew who he could trust. Despite the awe with which people viewed the Don, even he did not feel safe outside of his self-made mall fortress on Long Island. As a result even his wife, daughter-in-law, and especially son-in-law were kept out of the business that was to remain for all times in the family.

The one protagonist who questioned the function of the mafia yet never wavered in his support of his family was the Don's youngest son Michael. A war hero and Dartmouth educated, Michael Corleone desired that his future children and grand children would be lawyers, bankers, maybe even the president, rather than have to go into the family business. Rather than marrying a Sicilian girl, he chose as his life partner a New England Yankee named Kay Adams. The two experience unconditional love yet even Kay, an Ivy League educated woman of the baby boom generation, is not told everything that occurs within the business. Like his father before him, Michael Corleone differentiates his marriage from his place in the family business.

As a Chicagoan, I always associated the mafia with Al Capone, the top Italian crime lord of the city. Viewed in a negative light, Capone alone was responsible for outsiders negative perception of Chicago for many years. Even Puzo and Don Corleone view Capone as an outlier, a crazy who is not invited to be part of the national network of Dons. In Don Corleone, Mario Puzo has created a persona who shifts people's views of the role of the mafia. While there might be killings in revenge on occasion, the Don assists his people in a time of need in the role of an inner city Italian Robin Hood. Some of the activities may be illegal, yet they are overlooked as even rival crime families view Don Vito Corleone with nothing but the utmost respect and reverence.

Following The Godfather's debut on screen, Mario Puzo never again rose to a high level of prominence. He was known as an extension of the character he created and often asked to impart words of wisdom on the Don's behalf. After three sequels, including the second part which also garnered awards, Puzo's ground breaking work lead to generations of mafia and crime family movies, most recently the Sopranos. Yet, there would be no Tony Soprano if Mario Puzo had not created Vito Corleone and his world, changing people's views of the mafia. I rate this captivating, game changing novel 4.5 stars.

Afterward:
After viewing the movie for the first time, I am impressed how closely it stuck to the book down to the minutest detail. For a three hour movie, the scenes moved quickly leaving me captivated and on edge. I found the acting to be stellar, especially Don Corleone himself Marlon Brando. Even if Puzo's other novels did not receive as high ratings, I am looking forward to The Godfather Part II. Puzo and director Francis Ford Coppola indeed made a perfect team and left Americans with a true classic.

[Nayra.Hassan · Rating 4 out of 5]

لقد اقتبست شخصية العراب من والدتي التى احببتها كثيرا و خفت منها أكثر"..مقولة لماريو بوزو
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
فيتو كورليوني..البادرينو
الرجل في صورته الاولية..الاب الذي لا يهزمه شيء

قاتل.. ودود
سارق..عادل
دكتاتور..جذاب
قاسي..لطيف
عنيف ..فاتن

♡♡العروض هنا لا يمكن رفضها♡♡

كل هذه المتناقضات جمعها ماريو في شخصية صموتة حازمة ..تفعل و لا تقول.. تتواضع بلا تظاهر..تساعد بلا جدال ..تقتل بلا نقاش..تؤلمك للابد

انه اهم و انجح و اكبر "كبير"حظى به الادب العالمي ..الكبير المؤهل للبقاء حتى اخر نفس..تحول من عامل بسيط و رب اسرة من 3اطفال الى رئيس كوزانوسترا لم يختر الشر بقدر ما الشر اختاره ..صار نفوذه يشمل الكل..من اصغر شرطي الى اهم وزير

فسلطته مطلقة..زعامته مؤكدة. .قوته جعلت منه العدو الأسوأ.. و ارى أنه استمد سلطته من عدم انتماؤه..فطوال الوقت يعتبر نفسه يحيا وسط أجانب. .لا يستحق تعاطفه سوى المطحونين من ابناء جلدته

ا{ندمت كثيرا ..على كتابة العراب بهذا الشكل الضعيف الذي لم اجند له كل مواهبي الابداعية فقد تسرعت في كتابتها لاسدد ديون القمار التي تراكمت على}!!!؟؟ 😨..ماريو بوزو
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
مافيا كلمة ايطالية تعني {الشجاعة و الاقدام
و نحن سعداء حقا ان ماريو اقدم وتشجع على كتابة ملحمته "الضعيفة" التي َعقد بها مؤلفي النصف الثاني من القرن العشرين

♡♡الخيانة هنا لا يمكن غفرانها♡♡

☆بقدر ما وجد العامل البسيط نفسه مصهورا في العالم السفلي القذر بفضل اقدامه المذهل
فان اولاده الثلاثة ظلوا يمنحونه حيرة و قهرا مكتوما
ربما لو كنا في عالم اخر لكان ربيبه هو خليفته
و لكن في النهاية من يرث العقل و الحكمة فهو الجدير بالزعامة ..


ا{لو لم تؤد الدور بعظمة و احترام لكنا غضبنا عليك }ا
رسالة المافيا لمارلون براندو
ثلاثة ممثلين ادوا دور العراب الملحمى
مارلون براندو ..اصول ايرلندية
روبرت دينيرو..اصول ايطالية
ال باتشينو ..مهاجر ايطالي


الاخراج هو الاكسجين للفيلم و اخراج فرانسيس فورد كوبولا كان اسطوريا و هذا الاهم ..و
و بدون تفكير رايي الشخصي ان : روبرت دينيرو هو من قبض على روح الشخصية الروائية للدون .. باداؤه البهيمي الصامت ..بكلماته الايطالية المقتضبة و وجهه الخالي من الرتوش ..و الاهم نظراته السادية /الدمثة التي قفشت متناقضات الشخصية في مرحلة التكوين ..لذا تكسب الطريقة المنهجية معى دائما
Method Acting 👍


الاحترام هنا لغضب لم تبديه ابدا ♡♡ ة♡♡

رواية العراب مثل عروض دون كورليوني ..لا يمكن رفضها
اللغة عنيفة صادمة كما يجب ان تكون
البناء مشوق يجبرك على انهاءها
الضعف الانساني و الهواجس لدى اقوى المجرمين
ادب شعبي لكن ينير كشافا على عالم مجهول
حفلة من الشخصيات المدهشة
لكنها مالوفة لنا كابناء البحر المتوسط بشكل سيذهلك
الترجمة اللبنانية القديمة هى الافضل

♡♡العائلة هنا لا يمكن رفضها ♡♡
و بالطبع مثل كل كتاب ممتاز لابد ان يوجد من يرفضه. .و اشهر الحاقدين على الرواية "فرانك سيناترا" !! الذي ثار على تحليل و تقديم شخصية المطرب جوان فونتاين فقد افترض الجميع انه هو ..لذا اراد دحص هذا الافتراض بان يؤدي دور مارلون براندو..لكن بوزو و كوبولا عرضوا عليه دور فونتاين 😂😂!ا

♡♡التقدير هنا لوعودك المحققة♡♡
و هكذا ستترك العراب و انت عاجزا عن ان تحبه او تكرهه..و لكن المؤكد انك لا تتمنى عداوته و لا انتهاء حكايته

[Luca Ambrosino · Rating 5 out of 5]

English (The Godfather) / Italiano

New York, 1945. The Italian-American boss Vito Corleone, during the celebrations for his daughter's wedding, agrees to meet some Italian emigrants that ask for his help. Thus begins Mario Puzo's masterpiece, whose movie adaptation made Marlon Brando's interpretation of Don Vito famous. With a simple and straightforward style, Puzo manages to masterfully describe a series of intricate and temporally shifted events, involving the reader and maintaining high levels of suspense. It comes out the best cross-section of the Italian-American subculture never done before, and probably never equaled.

The wisdom of Don Vito Corleone is disarming, it arouses feelings of respect also in the readers, making the godfather one of the most charismatic characters ever.

Vote: 9

New York, 1945. Il boss italo-americano Vito Corleone, durante i festeggiamenti per il matrimonio della figlia, acconsente a dare udienza ad alcuni emigrati italiani che invocano il suo aiuto. Inizia così il capolavoro di Mario Puzo, la cui trasposizione cinematografica ha reso celebre l'interpretazione di Marlon Brando nei panni di Don Vito. Con uno stile semplice ed asciutto, Puzo riesce a descrivere in maniera magistrale una serie di eventi intricati e temporalmente sfasati, coinvolgendo il lettore e mantenendo altissimi i livelli di suspense. Ne viene fuori il miglior spaccato della società italo-americana mai fatto prima, e probabilmente mai eguagliato in seguito.

La saggezza di Don Vito Corleone è disarmante, suscita rispetto anche nei lettori, rendendo il padrino uno dei personaggi di finzione più carismatici di sempre.

Voto: 9

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

“‘[T]ell me the truth, Tom, how many men do you figure the Don killed or had killed?’[Michael asked]

Tom Hagen turned away. ‘I'll tell you one thing you didn't learn from him: talking the way you're talking now. There are things that have to be done and you do them and you never talk about them. You don't try to justify them. They can't be justified. You just do them. Then you forget it.’

Michael Corleone frowned. He said quietly, ‘As the Consigliere, you agree that it's dangerous to the Don and our Family to let Sollozzo live?’

‘Yes,’ Hagen said.

‘OK,’ Michael said. ‘Then I have to kill him...’”

- Mario Puzo, The Godfather

I’m sure you’ve had the timeless book-versus-movie argument before. Everyone has. You’re standing at the water cooler at work, and a coworker comes up to you and says “Boy, The English Patient is an excellent movie!” And maybe you say something back like “Michael Ondaatje’s Booker-Prize winning novel is far superior.” At that point, your coworker calls you a “pretentious snob” and you respond with “sewer-dwelling ignorance peddler.” There is some cursing. Maybe someone throws water on the other. That’s the argument. It is great fun, and an eminently worthwhile way to spend the moments God gives us.

The Godfather is a great example of this type of debate. Which is better? Mario Puzo’s bestselling novel, or Francis Ford Coppola’s Academy Award-winning film?

The answer is both. Or neither. They are the same. Not just the same extremely high quality, but almost literally the same. If I were an alien visiting earth, I would believe it if someone told me that Puzo’s The Godfather was actually a novelization of Coppola’s movie. (I assume, if I were an alien visiting Earth, the topic of movie novelizations would eventually arise).

That is not the case, of course. Puzo’s novel was published in 1969. Coppola’s film came out in 1972, and spawned two sequels, one of which is worth mentioning.

At this point, The Godfather legacy is so pervasive that I feel like my job is done. Even if you haven’t read the book or seen the movie, you probably know all the plot points, character beats, and one liners. There’s nothing more to say. However, since I get paid by the word, I’ll keep going.

The Godfather tells the story of the Corleone family. They are typical American strivers who immigrated from Italy, started a business selling olive oil, and are part of the Mafia. The patriarch of the family – the Godfather – is Vito Andolini Corleone, a distant and reticent man of near-omnipotent powers. He is surrounded by three sons: hotheaded Santino (Sonny); weak and obedient Frederico (Fredo); and young World War II hero Michael, who when the novel opens has never been part of “the family business.” The family’s consigliere, or advisor, is the Irish-American orphan Tom Hagan.

The novel – like the film – opens with the wedding of Don Corleone’s daughter Connie. This is an excellent device for introducing on the main characters, their roles within the hierarchy, and the Don’s far-reaching power.

(I could spend all day comparing the book to the film. I promise I won’t. But I’d feel remiss if I failed to mention how much time is spent on a character named Lucy Mancini. This is one of the big differences between book and movie. In the film, we see her for a second – she is the bridesmaid with whom Sonny has sexual congress. In the novel, she is treated like a major character, even though her plot arc has nothing to do with the central narrative. And do you want to know what her plot arc is? I don’t think I’m spoiling anything by saying that it is a pelvic floor problem. Sonny, you see, was the only man with enough manhood – so to speak – to satisfy Lucy. Puzo, for reasons lost to history, decides to devote an entire section of the novel to Lucy’s pelvic floor surgery. I’m not making this up. I’m not clever enough to make this up).

The precipitating event of The Godfather is the attempted assassination of Don Corleone by an up-and-comer named Virgil “the Turk” Sollozzo, who was mad at the Don because the Don didn't join him in the heroin business. Don Corleone’s wounding puts Sonny in charge and draws Michael into the family business. I don’t need to continue with a plot summary. If you’ve seen the movie, you know what happens next. If you just came out of a long hibernation, I don’t want to spoil anything.

It is worth noting, despite the comparisons I can’t help making to the movie, that this is a standalone piece of quality fiction. The characters are unforgettable, from the central figure of Don Corleone himself, who is given a lengthy flashback section (familiar to fans of The Godfather, Part II), to secondary characters such as Luca Brasi (a sort of Sicilian Keyser Soze, whose very name terrifies people) and Johnny Fontane (a Frank Sinatra stand-in, given his shot at stardom by the Don).

The plotting is excellent. The story is propulsive. This is the kind of book that needs to be taken on a long plane trip, because it really passes the time. (I had to stop reading it at bedtime, because it burned away my ZzzQuil haze).

The writing, especially the dialogue – which has become part of American pop culture – is excellent. And worth sharing.

For instance, the Godfather has some Godfatherly advice on the value of friends:

“Friendship is everything. Friendship is more than talent. It is more than government. It is almost the equal of family. Never forget that. If you had built up a wall of friendships you wouldn’t have to ask me to help.”

There is also some excellent guidance on the importance of a personal touch:

“You shouldn’t let that broken jaw influence you,” Hagen said. “McCluskey is a stupid man, and it was business, not personal.”

For the second time he saw Michael Corleone’s face freeze into a mask that resembled uncannily the Don’s. “Tom, don’t let anybody kid you. It’s all personal, every bit of business. Every piece of shit every man has to eat every day of his life is personal. They call it business. OK. But it’s personal as hell. You know where I learned that from? The Don. My old man. The Godfather. If a bolt of lightning hit a friend of his the old man would take it personal…That’s what makes him great…He takes everything personal. Like God. He knows every feather that falls from the tail of a sparrow or however the hell it goes. Right? And you know something? Accidents don’t happen to people who take accidents as a personal insult. So I came late, OK, but I’m coming all the way…”

Coppola’s films resonate because they play on the hoary old tropes of the American Dream. The Corleone family is the archetypical immigrant clan that comes to the United States and makes good. The sly subversion, of course, is that they make good by controlling the unions and bookmaking.

In the film, it’s easy to get behind the Corleone family as the “good guys” while the other Mafia families are the “bad guys.” You cheer for Al Pacino because he’s Al Pacino (“Hoo-ah!”). At the same time, the film’s moral compass – Diane Keaton’s Kay Adams – is given the role of wet blanket, nagging and prying and generally taking time away from the kinetic scenes of gangland mayhem.

There are elements of that theme in Puzo’s novel, but I found the main thread here to be much darker, more brooding, and far less certain that all these people we’ve followed are worthy of the attention. Puzo opens The Godfather with a quote from Balzac: “Behind every great fortune there is a crime." Then he sets out to give you Exhibit A. He certainly baits you into siding with his protagonists early in the novel. By the end, however, he makes clear that the Corleones are not heroes, but criminals, and that there is a price they’ll have to pay for everything that they’ve done.

[Kaion · Rating 1 out of 5]

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.

[El Librero de Valentina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Qué manera de Puzo de construir a sus personajes, una trama que te envuelve y te sumerge en lo más profundo del mundo de la mafia. Un librazo.

[Mizuki · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Tell my father I wish to be his son." -Michael Corleone

This is the line that won me over!


Edited@15/04/2019:

GR ate my review!!! I can't fucking believe it!!! *sobs*

*re-write review is in order.......hopefully.*

Here is a few reasons why I put The Godfather in such a high place:

(1) The characters are entirely seductive, likable and engaging despite most of them being Mafia. It has been a long time since I last saw seductive characters like this from We Have Always Lived in the Castle.

(2) The storyline is intensive, believable and it can keep you at the edge of your seat for almost a whole book.

They were those rarities, men who had refused to accept the rule of organized society, men who refused the dominion of other men. There was no force, no mortal man who could bend them to their will unless they wished it. They were men who guarded their free will with wiles and murder.

(3) It's one hell of a great family saga, and you can actually see the 1950s post-war Italian community in the USA of that time.

(4) Okay........I'm not amused by how female characters got shoved into tiny boxes of being obedient wives, mothers and daughters, whilst men make all the decisions but for the awesomeness of the story, I can forgive this flaw.

(5) Talking about men making all the decisions, the entire story is masculine in an amazing way which actually shows the male main characters' worldview, it also shows us a group of men surviving, reacting and actually finding success and revenge in the harsh world they live in.

Edited@11/12/2020: It is the first time I read The Godfather in English and I'm once again impressed by the good writing and the sense of satire! Great job Mr. Puzo. Although I just admit the subplot about Johnny and Lucy and all these Hollywood monkey business is pretty much a drag. Haaahaaha.

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

The godfather of mafia fiction... the seminal gangster read! The stories of the first family of American mafia fiction, the Corleones. A tale of honour, tradition, blood, sweat, brutality and bullets. Family. Power. Tradition. The Godfather. Should be on everyone's must-read list, period! Puzo's saga of the life and times of Don Corleone and his Family… simply the most popular Mafia tale ever written! Broken into chapters focusing on different 'family' members and told out of time, with the main story set in the present interspersed with back stories. An absorbing read, though in my case, my very high expectations were never going to be truly met. 7 out of 12. But take note, this was first published in 1969!!!!!

[Maziyar Yf · Rating 5 out of 5]

پدر خوانده یک رمان بسیار منسجم با شخصیت پردازی قوی و یک خط داستانی نسبتا مشخص ولی بسیار جذاب می باشد که البته فیلم پدر خوانده حاصل از همین کتاب بسیار مشهورتر از کتاب هست . در حقیقت محال است که انسان این کتاب را بخواند و به هنگام خواندن دیالوگهای دن به یاد مارلون براندو یا زمان رسیدن به گفتگوهای مایکل به یاد آل پاچینو نیفتد . داستان مربوط به تعدادی سیسیلی ایست که بنا به دلایلی که بعدها توضیح داده میشود به نیویورک مهاجرت کرده اند و گویا این بیماری مافیا یا نوئستراکوزا را هم با خود از ایتالیای عقب افتاده آن زمان ( اوایل قرن بیستم ) به آمریکای پیشرفته آورده اند . این افراد در نیویورک محله خود را ساخته اند و با همان رسم و رسوم روستا و شهرهای قدیمی ایتالیا حال دارند در نیویورک و در دنیای جدید زندگی می کنند ، آنان به پلیس اعتمادی ندارند و در عوض نوعی باج به افراد با نفوذ محل خود می پردازند که از آنها در برابر خلافکاران حمایت کنند . و به این ترتیب پایه و بنای باندهای مافیا سپس خانواده های مافیایی و بالاخره پدرخوانده گذاشته می شود ، و مانند ویروس اول در خیابان ها و محله ها ، بعد شهرها و آخر سر در کل ایالات متحده و شاید سراسر جهان پخش می شوند ، کم کم کنترل مراکز پول ساز ، مثله هتل ها ، کاباره ها ، کازینوها ، قمارخانه ها ، خانه های فساد را در دست می گیرند ، و روسای خانواده ها تبدیل به خان می شوند ، فیلم و کتاب از همین جا شروع می شود ، زمانی که خان کورلئونه با بازی شاهکار مارلون براندو که یکی از روسای پنج خانواده خلافکار نیویورک است با پیشنهاد تجارت مواد مخدر در منطقه خود روبرو می شود ، به نظر خان یک مرد می تواند پول خود را از هر کاری بدست آورد و نوع آن مهم نیست ولی مواد مخدر ؟ نه واقعا کار زشتی ایست !

و این سر آغازی ایست برای کشتار بین پنج خانواده ، تیر خوردن و زخمی شدن خان ، پای پلیس هم به قضیه ترور خان باز می شود و مایکل پسر مودب و تحصیل کرده خان ، پلیس فاسد را کشته و به ایتالیا و سیسیل فرار می کند ، سپس هم زمان با قتل و عام افراد وابسته به خانواده های خلاف کار ، سانی پسر بزرگ و خشن وبی عقل خان ( با بازی جیمز کان ) هم در یک توطئه کشته میشود ، خان که آشکارا در هم شکسته از پسر خوانده ایرلندی خود، تام هیگن (با بازی رابرت دووال ) که به فرزندی پذیرفته و در ایتالیایی به آن کانسیلیر یا همان مشاور میگویند خواهان برگذاری جلسه آشتی کنان با روسای پنج خانواده ای میشود که حالا هر کدام داغدار عزیز از دست رفته ای هستند ، خان با وساطت دن بارزینی که رییس مجمع و بزرگ خلاف کارها هست به مصالحه با سران خانواده ها میرسد ولی مجبور است که تجارت مواد مخدر را حمایت کند ، دن کورلئونه که از نظر جسمی و روحی بسیار ضعیف شده است ، اداره خانواده را به مایکل که از تبعید در ایتالیا برگشته است سپرده و خود را آماده بازنشستگی می کند ، مایکل خانواده را طبق قوانین خود که بسیار خشنتر از قوانین پدر هست اداره میکند و کمی پس از فوت خان کورلئونه ، آماده انتقام از هر پنج خانواده میشود ، مایکل روسای هر پنج خانواده و دن بارزینی فاسد را می کشد و سپس زمانی که از کلیسایی که در آن پدر خوانده خواهرزاده خود شده است بیرون می آید و به خانه میرود شوهر خواهر خائن و پدر همان نوزاد غسل تمعید داده شده را هم به جرم دست داشتن در توطئه قتل سانی برادر بزرگتر کشته و سپس خود به مقام پدرخوانده ، خان و دن میرسد و این گونه کتاب و فیلم هم به پایان میرسند .
هم کتاب و هم فیلم شاهکارهای بی مانندی هستند و نمی توان گفت که کدام از دیگری بهتر هستند ، اما من کتاب را بیشتردوست داشتم ، شخصیتهای کتاب به خصوص تام هیگن یا آقای وکیل در کتاب شخصیت عمیقتری دارند که در فیلم به شخصیت سازی آنها زیاد پرداخته نشده است .

*******
کورلئونه ها کتاب پدر خوانده انسان های شروری نیستند ، آنها عطش و میلی برای کشتن زیاد ندارند ، در دنیای آنها منطق است که حکفرمایی می کند ، اگر کله اسب در تخت خواب جک ولتز کله گنده معروف هالیوود می گذارند علاوه بر مسائل کاری ، به خاطر رابطه او با اطفال هم هست .
کورلئونه ها اخلاق گرا هستند ، آنقدر اخلاق گرا که حاضر نمی شوند وارد کار مواد مخدر شوند و زمانی که به زور دیگر خانواده ها مجبور به انجام این کار می شوند به بچه ها مواد نمی فروشند . آنها منطقی هستند ، آنقدر منطقی که هنگامی که بوناسرا که دخترش به خاطر دفاع از شرف خود مورد ضرب و شتم شدید قرار گرفته و زیبایی خود را از دست داده ، از خان کورلئونه خواستار عدالت و اعدام مسببین این کار که به حکم دادگاه آمریکا آزاد شده اند می شود خان نمی پذیرد که در دنیای او جزای ضرب و شتم اعدام ، آدم کشی نیست .
کورلئونه ها فرق زیادی با سیاستمداران ، قاضی ها یا پلیس ها ندارند ، گیرم که بیشتر رک هستند و رو بازی می کنند ، آنها اعتمادی به جامعه و قوانین آن ندارند ، اجداد آنها در سیسیل یا در همین نیویورک بارها مورد ستم وتعدی قرار گرفته و هیچ قانونی از آنها حمایت نکرده بود . آنها قوانین خود را دارند ، قوانینی که بیشتر از قوانین جامعه یا دولت شهروندان عادی را حمایت می کند ، قوانینی که بیشتر از قوانین جهانی از صلح و بازرگانی آزاد دفاع می کند .
برخلاف دولتها ،در قاموس و فرهنگ کورلئونه ها کشتن بچه ها و زنان یا افراد غیر نظامی هیچ جایی ندارد ، آنها وقت صرف خانواده خود می کنند ، آنقدر به قانون خود احترام می گذارند که کانسلیر یا مشاور پس از خان نفر دوم طایفه است ، اما اینجاست که خان اشتباه می کند ، تام هیگن کانسلیرو مشاورویتو کورلئونه می شود ، نه این که بد باشد ، نه . فقط او سیسیلی نیست .
کورلئونه ها در مقایسه با دولتها یا بانکهای مرکزی یا دادگستری شرارت کمتری دارند ، آنها نه پول بدون پشتوانه چاپ می کنند و نه با ایجاد تورم کسری بودجه خود را از جیب مردم عموما تهی دست جبران می کنند ، نه تحریم می کنند و البته آنقدر هم عقل دارند که تحریم نشوند . آنها بیشتر از پلیس امنیت تامین می کنند ، داوری آنها از حُکم قضات عادلانه تر و مجازات آنها هم منصفانه تر است . نه ... آنها اصلا شرور نیستند .

[Kerstin · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Mohamed El-shandidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

‏العراب و الريفيو رقم ١٠٠ 🎉🍻.
في البداية أحب أن أقول أن الموقع كان له أثر كبير من التشجيع علي القراءة و من التعرف علي أصدقاء و قُرّاء رائعين لم يكن أمامي فرصة للتعرف عليهم من غير هذا الموقع✨.

كان الكاتب (ماريو بوزو ) قد سأم من الدخل المتوسط لرواياته و قرر أن يكتب رواية عظيمة تدر عليه المال الكثير و من حسن حظنا أنه نجح في ذلك😍

جميعنا قد شاهد الفيلم الايقوني الخالد المأخوذ من الرواية ، و كانت الرواية كذلك أيقونية خالدة ، سحرنا فيها الكاتب بأجواء العصابات الدامية، و الحروب الباردة ، التخطيط البارع ، كما أنه قدم لنا شخصية العراب الاسطورية ( الدون فيتو كريليون ).

"ولم يكن قط يُعطي وعوداً كاذبة، ولم يكن قط يسعى إلى التهرّب بأن يدَّعي أن ثمة في العالم قوىً عُليا توثق يديه ؛ كان يُعد مِثل هذا العذر جبناً . "




كان ( فيتو ) من الأشخاص العظماء الذين يعرفون أن للانسان قدَراً واحداً و عليه اتباعه ، أنشأ ( دون فيتو ) مملكته الخاصة بعيدا عن المجتمع و القانون ، و اضعاً بذلك قانونه الخاص ، و ليكوِّن بمبادئه العادلة إحدي أكبر عصابات نيوريورك و أقواها ، حتي تبدأ المكائد من حوله لتدق ناقوس الخطر علي مملكته الواسعة ، و في بناء و نسق رائع أخّاذ و حبكة مُحكمة يقدم لنا (ماريو) ملحمة خالدة من حياة المافيا الايطالية ، و عن معاني الشرف و الولاء ، و عن مآلات الخيانة و الخداع ، و أخيراً أن الأسرة تأتي قبل أي شيئ.

" فتح الدون عينيه بجهد كبير لينظر إلي ابنه مرة أخيرة ، كان مشرفاً علي الموت ، و شم عطور الحديقة ، و كانت الهالة الذهبية ما تزال تشتعل في عينيه ، و تمتم : ما أجمل الحياة . "

أكثر ما يميز الكاتب قدرته العبقرية علي بناء الشخيصات .

كان الكاتب متأثرا برواية ( الاخوة كرومازوف ) من حيث بناء الأسرة المتشابه .

عيبها الوحيد أن الجزء الخاص بشخصية ( جوني فونتانا ) كان طويلاً و مملاً و بعيداً عن محورية القصة.

حققت الرواية مبيعات هائلة و مازالت نسخها تُباع بالملايين .

رحلة ملحمية تستحق القراءة بلا شك ✨

[Fabian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mario Puzo creates his awesome world & then plays with his own elements (those of detective noir and mob drama) like a world-class chess champion. Less than a fourth into the narrative, POW! the Don has been shot. And, hold on a sec, who is the protagonist here? I thought Michael. Or the Consigliari Hagen. Or Hollywood heart-throb Johnny Fontaine? The full display of individual destinies is what makes this better than its cinematic equivalent. Here we see flesh-and-blood people living at a Hadean level-- system of business ethics and family morality included. Anyway, the novel's true nature is "the nature of the universe, the interlinking of good & evil, natural of itself." (392)

Masterful!-- As close as there is to a SOAP OPERA for MEN. The need for reinvention, as well as the necessity to keep things in line with tradition are explored fully. Interesting to note are: the general absence of Fredo, the omnipresence of Johnny Fontaine... the Hollywood sex parties in detail (and how's this for risqué [& appropriate to the season]: Best Actor & Best Actress in public sex), plus invaluable insights (like the entire Book V, largely absent from the beloved film) as bizarre as sexual readjustment surgeries and as natural as mob allegiances in Vegas. This is pure entertainment-- decadence for the reader at full throttle!!!! This is a classic train of portraits of a kingdom in steep decline, of its vindication and revolution, rife with those beloved Shakespearean precepts like corruption, revenge & fate.

[Paul Bryant · Rating 1 out of 5]

Here’s a record breaking novel, but for the wrong reasons.

1. I gave it up so fast that I did not have time to list it as “currently reading”. First time that’s happened.
2. I did not even make page 30! I mean, I even gave Darconville’s Cat 50 pages!
3. But instead of just binning it, I need to warn people about this book, so that means I will have written Three Reviews in One Day! A record for me.

Well, I love the (first two) movies like everyone does. So what could go so wrong so fast?

Example the first :

Nazorine glanced at her shrewdly. She was a “hot number” this daughter of his. He had seen her brush her swelling buttocks against Enzo’s front when the baker’s helped squeezed her behind to fill the counter baskets with hot loaves from the oven. The young rascal’s hot loaf would be in her oven, Nazorine thought lewdly, if proper steps were not taken.

I think “the baker’s helped” should read “the baker’s help” but nothing can help that dreadful sentence. Any which way you read it, it’s gross. And then the Benny Hill prurience of the hot loaf.

And anyway, swelling buttocks?

Echhh.

Example the second (he’s describing Sonny now):

He was built as powerfully as a bull and it was common knowledge that he was so generously endowed by nature that his martyred wife feared the marriage bed as unbelievers once feared the rack. It was whispered that when as a youth he had visited houses of ill fame, even the most hardened and fearless putain, after an awed inspection of his massive organ, demanded double price.

Ewwwww. I think we are supposed to chuckle “lewdly” at “as unbelievers once feared the rack”. If so, I think my sense of humour is sleeping with the fishes. No more of that, no more organs the size of an umbrella, no more hot loaves.

Well, I know what Mario Puzo would say to this if he was still around.

[Manny · Rating 4 out of 5]

"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 available elsewhere (the location cannot be given for Goodreads policy reasons)

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Every man has one destiny."

"Michael Corleone sends his regards."

A masterpiece!

I've read this book 4x, and each time, I love it more and more. The Godfather is what all crime novels should aspire to. I also feel sadder for Michael every time I read or watch The Godfather. Michael had so much potential, but his family "pulled him back in," and I think in particular the movies are actually about the fall of Michael Corleone. You watch him lose his soul, and it's sad.

That's all I got!

I'm not qualified to write a review for this book.

Read it and then watch the movies(the first 2, not part 3.....well, maybe you can watch part 3).

[M Hossain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I watched the movie first. I keep listening to its theme music all the time. I liked the characters so much. It has amazing character building with powerful portrayal of the mafia world. Ever since is watching the movie I wanted to read the book too. A friend gifted me the book. And my finally got to read this one. The book was more beautiful.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is good. This book is really REALLY good. This book is better than I expected. Amazing!

I have to go watch the movie RIGHT NOW!

From the mean streets of New York City . . . to the casinos of Las Vegas . . . to the villas of Sicily . . . the Corleones have got things under control . . . and those who cross them will pay the price.

This book has a lot of intrigue, action, suspense, double-crossing - general bad-ass-ery. I will make you an offer you can't refuse - READ THIS BOOK!

[Ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse.

قد تكون هي الجملة الأشهر فى تاريخ صناعة السينما , ولكن قبل أن ينطق بها العظيم مارلون براندو , كان قد خطها قلم روائي مبدع فى أحد الروايات الخالدة .

الفيلم الذى نادرا ما تجد أحد يكرهه (خاصة لو رجل ) فهو سحر السينما مجسدًا , فله تأثير السحر ومفعوله وبريقه الذى لا يُقاوَم.



قرأت نسخة إنجليزية لهذا العمل من حوالي سنتين , وللحق فهي أكثر القراءات الأجنبية التى استمتعت بها رغم أنها كانت تجربة مرهقة جدا بالنسبة لي , المهم أننا هنا لا نتحدث عن مجرد عمل روائي بل نتحدث عن نص عبّر عن فئة كا وتم تحويله لأعظم عمل سينمائي على الإطلاق .فنحن هنا أمام نص أدبي مذهل لماريو بوزو , واضطلع بمهمة اخراجه على شاشة السينا المخرج العظيم فرانسيس فورد كوبولا وقام بتأدية الدور الرئيس فيه الممثل الأعظم على الإطلاق وهو مارلون براندو فى الجزء الأول , وروبرت دي نيرو فى الثاني مع ثبات دور المبدع آل باتشينو. وموسيقى هى الأعظم على الإطلاق لنينو روتا.
فنحن إذن أمام حالة أدبية فريدة وحالة سينمائية أكثر تفردًا وهذا ما عبّر عنه دو كوبولا بوضوح حينما سُأل عن رائعته فقال : كان لدينا نص أدبي هو الأعظم وأداء مثيلى هو الأروع وموسيقى هى الأفضل , فسأله صحفي : وماذا قمت به أنت ؟فقال له : لقد قمت باختيارهم وجمعهم .
أما عن الرواية : فهي عمل أدبي معجز , قدّم فيه الكاتب تصوير شامل كامل لعالم المافيا وخفاياه ممثلة فى عائلة فيتو كوريليوني وشخصيته الأسطورية نادرًا أن تقابله فى عمل أدبي , شخصية العرّاب , فمن خلال هذه الشخصية استطاع المؤلف أن يقدم لك الإنسان من مختلف الاتجاهات والأهواء , استطاع أن يقدم لك شر الإنسان وخيره وكيف من الممكن أن يتحول الإنسان ويمر بتطورات عديدة عبر مختلف مراحل حياته, مع توسيع تلك الدائرة بالقاء الضوء على باقي العائلة والتي تشعر من جودة تصويرهم أن كل واحد فيهم هو بطل للعمل مستقل بذاته.
أما عن رسم الشخصيات فمن المستحيل أن يُذكر اسم فيتو كوريليوني دون أن يُذكر اسم مارلون براندو : الذي قام فى هذا الفيلم بأعظم الأدوار في تاريخ السينما على الإطلاق , فإذا أردت أن ترسم صورة للبطل فتذكر براندو وإذا رغبت فى عمق ما لشخصية براندو فى الفيلم تذ1كر رسم الرواية المذهل.

العمل قُدم فى 3 أجزاء للسينما وقد شارك المؤلف فى كتابة السيناريو لل3 أجزاء وحاز على جائزة الأوسكار فى أول جزئين , وقد ساهمت مشاركة المؤلف في كتابة السيناريو للسينا في أن يخرج الفيلم قريب جدا للرواية وليس بغريب أن تُعتبر الثلاثية هي أعظم ثلاثية في تاريخ السينما على الإطلاق من وجهة نظر الكثيرين , ويعتبر الجزء الأول هو أعظم فيلم فى تاريخ السينما على الإطلاق (من وجهة نظري) كل ذلك ساهم فى أن يكون النص الروائي والفيلم السينمائي متكاملين لبعضهما البعض قريبين جدا , وان كان النص الروائي يتفوق فى اظهار بعض التفاصيل الممتعة فإن للفيلم بريق التركيز واظهار الأحداث الجلية وتقديمها ببريق هولييود المعهود ولا يستطيع أحد أن ينسى مشهد رأس الحصان والذي كان حقيقيا بالمناسبة :

وباقي شخصيات العمل المرسومة من قِبل المؤلف بتمكن مذهل ومعرفة دقيقة بتفاصيل المافيا من مايكل (آل باتشينو) وسانتينو وفريدو وغيرهم من الشخصيات , تصوير المؤلف للأحداث كان مثير جدا ويدل على تعمق فى الدراسة منقطع لها .
أما عن لغة العمل : فكانت مرهقة بالنسبة لعدم تمكني بالشكل الكامل من اللغة الانجليزية , وفي بعض الأحيان تبدو لى بسيطة وفى الحين الآخر تبدو لي معقدة صعبة ولكن فى المجمل كانت واضحة القوة
في المجمل : أنت أمام عمل لن يتكرر ولن تقابل مثله فقد كاد أن يبلغ الكمال من لغة قوية وأشخاص مرسومة بدقة وتوصيف مدهش للأحداث , والاهم من كل ذلك هو أن العمل قد نقلك لقلب الأحداث وجعلك تتفاعل معها وقدم لك لوحة كاملة للمعيشة التى وصفها .
عمل خالد وتم تحويله لفيلم خالد شارك فى صناعته الأشخاص الأعظم فى تاريخ صناعة السينما على الإطلاق .

[Arini · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, this is where all the mafia obsessions come from (?!?!?)



Omg, look at me reading yet another classic! The boy I used to have a crush on loved this book (or the movie). Now, obviously my reason for reading this in 2021 was more spontaneous and had nothing to do with him, but the experience did bring back some embarrassing memories. That said, The Godfather was such a man’s book, and I liked it a lot—which was a pity because I’d have LOVED it if the portrayal of women wasn’t so whacked.

I suppose there are worse fate than being a mafia wife. In fact, I must admit that the position is kind of tempting. Still, all they did in this book was cook, push out babies out of their wombs, go to Sunday Mass, and stay out of their husband’s business—which, okay, this was sweet cause part of the reason was for their own safety. Regardless, I wish they’d had more agency. It just made me feel excluded from all the greatness is all. Didn’t they say that behind every man’s success was a woman?

Some parts of the book were more attention grabbing than others. Some were rather tedious because the author had a habit of bringing up brief summaries of what happened in previous sections to the latter ones. There was a part that weirded me out (that of the “other woman” storyline where she had some vaginal issue and had to undergo a surgery) mostly because it was a female problem, and as far as I know Mario Puzo was a male. Not that it means he couldn’t write about it, but still.



My favorite—other than the murder and the Don dishing out wisdom and his (I must say) pretty cool and admirable ideals about friendship and families—was Michael’s exile in Sicily. I think it was romantic. At least, up until the woman he married on the island got car bombed (it was supposed to be him). Then like everything else, it turned into a tragedy. The repercussion of that was quite bone chilling since it (along with Sonny’s death) marked the turning point for Michael’s character.

This book was very quotable. I listened on audio, and it was marvelous. You might need some time to find your groove. Having no idea how some names were spelled (unless you’re Italian) and how the mob wolrd worked, the beginning was a bit confusing. It should not be a hindrance if you read and listen simultaneously at least for the first few chapters. Anyhow, I watched the movie, and I think it was 99% same as the book, which is to say that I really liked it too.

(Read as an Audiobook)

[MischaS_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

You gotta stop them at the beginning. Like they shoulda stopped Hitler at Munich, they should never let him get away with that, they were just asking for big trouble when they let him get away with that.

You know that you are a Czech person when this is your favourite quote/sentence(s) from the whole book.

I expected many things from this book because let's face it this book is a phenomenon! But, I didn't know what I will get because I never saw the movies and never read anything about the book. Also, this book has impressive power; it took me so long to read it because every time I opened in public someone started to talk to me about it. A policeman at the Prague castle that was searching my bag and watched as I went through the metal detector, at least three workers at the Prague airport, an English gentleman that sat next to on the flight to Istanbul, numerous people in metro...

So, I started. I was flooded with so many characters that I had no idea where my head was. I loved some; I hated some, I wanted to know about many. I thought that some of them deserved their fate or even worse than they were getting.
I could not stand Johnny Fontana, he got everything, and he appreciated nothing.
I was surprised to actually like Jules Segal; he was surprisingly refreshing.

I looked at some reviews and was actually surprised at how many people complain about the women and their role in the story. And I want to ask, what did they expect? A strong heroine that would put battle with the men? Italians, mafia, taking place after World War Two, being published at the time... That is not a set up for a strong heroine. No, it is a recipe for a housewife, mother, wife or daughter. Anything else and you can bet that the character won't be portrait positively or as a strong character. I don't think this should be judged by today's standards. Yeah, Lucy's operation scene was pretty creepy. Even I have to say that.

I won't go into detail much because there is so much a could talk about.

This is a masterpiece!

But I need to say that I don't like Kay. I don't think she and Michael could function together. She is too progressive for a role of a wife that asks nothing, sees nothing and does as she is told. I actually liked Apollonia. Yes, she liked the little powers that Michael gave her, as teaching her how to drive. I actually think that they were more suited for each other.
This brings me to the question, did Kay ever learn about Apollonia? And, in the beginning, I believe Michael liked Kay's progressiveness, but I wonder how he saw it after the time with Apollonia.

And, there is only one man named Clemenza for me. And that is Clemenza Caserta from Hell's Kitchen! I saw him playing Clemenza, and I could not unsee that.

[Georgia Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the film too much to ever read this until recently. But for anyone whose comfort viewing includes The Godfather (mine also includes watching the 2005 film Munich more times than I care to admit), the novel is excellent. It is essentially an American story of an ethnic family trying to achieve that American dream. Then, things go wrong.

[Mike's Book Reviews]

Full video review here: https://youtu.be/GIpzfq87hek

Every bit as good as its reputation (and the movie!). It should be mandatory reading.

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

New Brilliant Future Career Idea: mafia wife.

Think about it - all you have to do is cook, have some babies, and go to Mass once a day. Sure, I might have a hard time learning to never ask questions about anything, but I could always get a hobby to occupy my time with. At the very least, being a mafia wife would give me tons of free time to finish The List.

It's win-win, really.

[Saranya De (s. ia.) · Rating 5 out of 5]

All time favvv!

Reading The Godfather is like getting invited to a family dinner– a really, really messed up family dinner. You're introduced to characters who are simultaneously horrifying and strangely endearing. You'll find yourself rooting for Vito Corleone, a man who... let's be clear... orchestrates murders and controls an empire built on fear.

There are so many morally black and grey characters but Vito Corleone is the real hero here. You will really believe that yk... for a ruthless crime boss, he really does love his family.

There are five underworld families. There are motivations, the betrayals and the unadulterated ruthlessness that makes the Corleone family tick.
Then you get more of Sonny's hot-headed impetuosity, Fredo's tragic ineptitude and Michael's chilling transformation from war hero to ice-cold don. (Trust me I hated Michael in the middle... when he went to Italy leaving Kay behind😭😭😭😭 I repeat I hate Michael... nvm... The world does not revolve around him🥱😌

Oh and Mario Puzo's writing<<<3
It is as smooth as a freshly shined pair of wingtips and as sharp as a stiletto in a dark alley. He paints a vivid picture of the underworld... not with sensationalism... but with a surprising amount of detail on the logistics of illicit businesses. No wonder he received the award for Best Academy Screenplay!<3

[Mary ~Ravager of Tomes~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars

I think this is just what I was in the mood for!

[Saadia B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Godfather had been on my list for a long time. Having watched the movie I was really looking forward to it.

The mafias living in America had their own rules and regulations, which set them apart from one another. They belonged to Italian families who immigrated to America and made it on their own by spreading various businesses and controlling certain areas around the country to sustain their empires.

Don Corleone being one of them was among the powerful, who was attacked by Sollozo and the Tattaglia family, losing his power and eventually his eldest son, Sonny. Micheal, Don’s youngest son took over the family business and made it big by killing all his father’s enemies, making him the most powerful in all families. He also moved from New York to Las Vegas and went into casino business, alongside others.

Don always favoured his family over others and taught the same to his children. He never asked for returns immediately but rather waited for the right time to utilise them.

Though it was a very different book from all that I have read, I found the pace of the narrative slow and dragging. Some of the characters in my opinion were not required either, their presence or absence didn’t make much of a difference.

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[فؤاد · Rating 3 out of 5]

خنده دار است كه تا بيست سال پيش شبه روشنفكران ما، با چه چيزهايى پز مى دادند! با ديدن فيلم بن هور، ئى تى، جنگ ستارگان، فيلم هاى عامه پسند هاليوودى كه مخاطبشان نوجوان هاى پانزده ساله بودند! يعنى به عبارت ديگر، به دليل عقب ماندگى فرهنگى عمومى، هر چيزى كه از زيردست "از ما بهتران" در مى آمده را روى هوا مى قاپيدند به خيال اين كه گوهرى يگانه است.

بايد دسترسى به محصولات فرهنگى غرب گسترش مى يافت تا تحصيلكرده ها كم كم دريابند تفاوتى هست بين جنايت و مكافات با اينديانا جونز، بين داستايوسكى و استيون اسپيلبرگ، بين آثار فاخر با آثار عامه پسند.

الآن كمتر روشنفكرى به ديدن فيلم هاى عامه پسند و تينيجرى همچون سوپرمن و اسپايدرمن مى نازد، و اين پيشرفت بسيار بسيار بزرگى است براى حفظ آبروى طبقه ى روشنفكرى ايران.

[Roman Clodia · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Italians have a little joke, that the world is so hard, that a man must have two fathers to look after him, and that's why they have godfathers."

The film, of course, is iconic but this book is surprisingly complex with some nuanced characterisation - but only in the men! Women are sidelined throughout other than as wives and mothers and punch-bags for their husbands. There's even a weird scene where a woman has vaginal reconstructive surgery and is ever-lastingly grateful to her boyfriend-later-husband who suggests it - yeurgh!

But leaving aside the 1960s gendered attitudes that accept domestic abuse as normal, Puzo can write a mean action scene and there are chapters that are nail-biting with tension. There are also, however, stray chapters that don't link into the story very well at all, and a flashback to Vito Corleone's past that is better placed in the films where it comes into Godfather 2.

What is so interesting to me is that this is written with quite a lot of sympathy for the Corleone family. In a world which is endemically unfair, where justice fails due to corruption and greed and political expediency (the opening scene shows an Italian man watch the young men who assaulted his teenage daughter walk smugly free from court because the judge is a political connection of their fathers), the Family becomes a sort of Robin Hood institution (name-checked in the book) which operates outside of the law but which has a vigilante role in enforcing 'true' justice and also fighting for the 'small' people who have no voice of their own. Vito stands up for widows faced with predatory landlords, for example, and it's no coincidence that the Corleones have deep ties with labour unions.

Nevertheless, the book chooses a time of transition, the ten years after the end of WW2, when the more benevolent patriarchy of the Family is being forced to change. The lures of the narcotics trade are making themselves felt and with such huge sums of money at stake, the business that Vito Corleone refuses as a dirty trade, ends up undermining the Family anyway.

In lots of ways this is a story about generational change and fathers and sons. The old power of men like Vito Corleone who see themselves as responsible for their people, is passing and modernity puts power into the hands of young men who have been brutalised by the combat of WW2 and have no qualms about making their money from drugs: as Vito says to Michael, 'But I'm old fashioned, you're the new modern generation, don't listen to me.'

[Shariful Sadaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing, fast paced read. I liked Puzo's insight into the structure of The Family and the role of the Godfather. It was fascinating to consider the contradictions in the character and the actions of Don Corleone and to read the Family's justification of their actions - often perceived as 'necessary' and 'just'.
I'm sure most of you have heard of the Godfather because of the movies, they're a piece of art but so is this book.
This book!
This is, undoubtedly one of my favourite reads of all time!
I am shook. It was so good. I highly recommend it.