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. Crimes split apart families, forged both likely and unlikely alliances, and one never knew who he could trust. The mafia and everything that went with it was kept secret and separate from family life. Corleone's wife through forty years of marriage was never able to be his equal partner. 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.īeing a mafiosa has its costs, however. 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. 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. 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.Īs 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. Meanwhile, in a time of war, the nation was beginning to view the mafia rather than Cowboys as the great American hero. 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. Puzo's first two novels had not sold well, and he was almost penniless. Ac 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. 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. It tells the story of how Vito Corleone rises to Don and how Sonny Corleone and Tom Hagen enter the family business. In 2012, a prequel, based on an unproduced screenplay by Mario Puzo, titled The Family Corleone was written by Ed Falco. The sequel novels continue the story from Puzo's novel.(but it is for a different author)
A further sequel by Winegardner, The Godfather's Revenge, was released in 2006. In 2004, Random House published a sequel to Puzo's The Godfather, The Godfather Returns, by Mark Winegardner. Chronologically this story sits between Michael's exile to Sicily in 1950 to his return to the USA. Entitled The Sicilian, it chronicles the life of "Giuliano" (Salvatore Giuliano) but the Corleone family is featured heavily throughout, Michael Corleone in particular. Entitled The Sicilian, it chronicles the life of "Giuliano" (Salvatore Giuliano) but t …more In 1983, Puzo's literary sequel to The Godfather was published. Lawand In 1983, Puzo's literary sequel to The Godfather was published. 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. 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 Godfather-the epic tale of crime and betrayal that became a global phenomenon.Īlmost fifty years ago, a classic was born. Almost fifty years ago, a classic was born. The Godfather-the epic tale of crime and betrayal that became a global phenomenon.