The Godfather

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 resonated with millions of readers across the world—and became the definitive novel of the virile, violent subculture that remains steeped in intrigue, in controversy, and in our collective consciousness.

Mario Puzo was born on Manhattan’s West Side in the neighborhood known as Hell’s Kitchen. His first books, The Fortunate Pilgrim (“a minor classic” New York Times) and Dark Arena, brought him critical acclaim, but it was the publication of The Godfather in March 1969 that catapulted him into the front ranks of American authors. Reviewers hailed the book as “a staggering triumph” (Saturday Review), “big, turbulent, highly entertaining” (Newsweek), “remarkable” (Look), and “a voyeur’s dream, a skillful fantasy of violent personal power” (New York Times). Winning readers by the millions, it stayed at or near the top of the New York Times bestseller lists for sixty-nine weeks. His follow-up novel, Fools Die (1978), was hailed as the publishing event of the decade. Puzo’s last novel, Omerta, was finished shortly before his death in 1999.
Peter Bart, editor-in-chief of Variety and Daily Variety, has been a reporter for The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. He has played key roles in developing and supervising such films as Rosemary’s Baby, True Grit, The Godfather, Paper Moon, and Harold and Maude. He served as vice president for production at Paramount, senior vice president at MGM, and president of Lorimar Films. He is the author of several books, including Who Killed Hollywood? and Fade Out.