WOW! Just finished reading "The Godfather" by Mario Puzo

[Mack_Daddy]

I've watched the movie so many times that I can recite the lines. Also, I've watched over a dozen documentaries about the making of the movie. But, I never sat down and actually read the book - until now.

I've always heard that Mario was a gifted writer. But, like many gifted writers, his books didn't sell well. Anyway, that's what I heard.

The Godfather, to my understanding, was not his best work. But, it sold more copies than any of his other books.

Francis did him a true tribute by keeping true to the book. I, now, have a new appreciation for the title of the movie: Mario Puzo's The Godfather.

Very glad that I sat down and finally read the book. Amazed at the characters Mario created and equally amazed at the dialogue.

 

[LionJim]

If you want to read a good mob book, read George V. Higgins's The Friends of Eddie Coyle.

 

[yeahtoasty]

Just my opinion, but I don't see novel "The Godfather" as being the work of a great writer as much as I see it as the work of a master storyteller. Like Tolkien in a completely different genre, Puzo creates an incredibly rich and colorful world, full of backstory and unforgettable characters -- but the words on the page are often clumsy, and why he chose to devote so much time on a minor character's hoo-haw I'll never know. (Lucy Mancini was the proto-AustinNit's girlfriend.)

Again, just my opinion. Your mileage may vary. I've read Puzo's novel a number of times and enjoy it immensely -- and maybe that IS the mark of a great writer. I'll stick with "great storyteller, average writer" though.

 

[Mack_Daddy]

If you want to read a good mob book, read George V. Higgins's The Friends of Eddie Coyle.

Thanks. I will check it out.

 

[LionJim]

Just my opinion, but I don't see novel "The Godfather" as being the work of a great writer as much as I see it as the work of a master storyteller. Like Tolkien in a completely different genre, Puzo creates an incredibly rich and colorful world, full of backstory and unforgettable characters -- but the words on the page are often clumsy, and why he chose to devote so much time on a minor character's hoo-haw I'll never know. (Lucy Mancini was the proto-AustinNit's girlfriend.)

Again, just my opinion. Your mileage may vary. I've read Puzo's novel a number of times and enjoy it immensely -- and maybe that IS the mark of a great writer. I'll stick with "great storyteller, average writer" though.

ROFLMAO. Perfect.

And, yeah, Puzo was not a literary stylist. Fools Die isn't bad, though. I hope he became rich from the movie, but it took a Coppola to make that.

 

[PSU.:.]

Best mob book I read was "I Heard You Paint Houses"

About Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran

Fantastic book!!

 

[OldTiredLion]

“Leave the gun, take the cannoli.”
― Mario Puzo, The Godfather

 

[ivan brunetti]

I think the difference in quality ratio of the novel to the first two films may be the biggest gap ever. Book is a 1 out of 10, and the first two films are both 10/10s.

 

[ivan brunetti]

If you want to read a good mob book, read George V. Higgins's The Friends of Eddie Coyle.

Great under appreciated film too. Very much like The Sopranos, but from a bottom rung soldiers view.

 

[LionJim]

Great under appreciated film too. Very much like The Sopranos, but from a bottom rung soldiers view.

Yeah, I caught it on TCM a couple of months ago. Robert Mitchum played Eddie perfectly, as if he never expected to get out alive.

 

[ivan brunetti]

Yeah, I caught it on TCM a couple of months ago. Robert Mitchum played Eddie perfectly, as if he never expected to get out alive.

Boston was such a dump back in the early 70's. But at least it was affordable...

 

[kijana]

I've watched the movie so many times that I can recite the lines. Also, I've watched over a dozen documentaries about the making of the movie. But, I never sat down and actually read the book - until now.

I've always heard that Mario was a gifted writer. But, like many gifted writers, his books didn't sell well. Anyway, that's what I heard.

The Godfather, to my understanding, was not his best work. But, it sold more copies than any of his other books.

Francis did him a true tribute by keeping true to the book. I, now, have a new appreciation for the title of the movie: Mario Puzo's The Godfather.

Very glad that I sat down and finally read the book. Amazed at the characters Mario created and equally amazed at the dialogue.

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Haven't read the novel in years but remembered it was a little on the pornographic side. Also remembered the novel went into much more detail about several of the side characters than the movie did.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

Speaking of The Godfather (III in this case), I just used Pacino's classic "just when I thought I was out ... they pulled me back in!" line at work yesterday. That line works in so many different contexts

 

[Abro1975]

Donnie Brasco is a terrific mob movie. Based on a true story. Pacino plays the passed over lower level mobster and Johnny Depp the FBI detective who goes deep undercover and befriends the Pacino character Donnie Brasco.
Not sure if there is a book that came out first.

 

[91Joe95]

Mario Puzo? He's the guy who wrote Superman.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

I recalled that I read a great article about the making of the movie in Vanity Fair several years ago. I found the article -- you can read at THIS LINK.