I must be the only person in America who actually first read Mario Puzo's classic book as late as 1990, and this was still before I had seen the movie. I found this to be an incredible book that I keep coming back and rereading every few years. Even without the movie, these characters would still be a part of American culture. The book is just that good. It truly straddles the fine line between great art and popular entertainment like almost no books, and only a few movies ever seems to manage.

"The Godfather" tells the story of what is the strongest Mafia family in the United States, the Corleone family. Although it doesn't start there chronologically, we see Don Vito Corleone's rise to power from the time he first arrived in this country, up until after his son, Michael, takes over the reins of power. For those who love paranoid conspiracy theories, we see a world where those who aren't hampered by morals in business can accomplish enough to be a master puppeteer. I saw the book cover and movie poster for years and never understood it until finishing reading the book. The cover is of the words 'The Godfather' strung up like a puppet. But this isn't the truth, for what is really happening in the world of the book is that one person, or one family, is pulling all the strings, and the world is its puppet.

It should also be noted that even though the book is titled "the Godfather", he is not really the main character in the story. It is not Vito, but his son Michael, who is the person we really watch and follow throughout his life. We witness Michael's change of character, for although thought to be the prodigal son by his father, he wants no part of the family business, and wants to be a part of the 'legal' society. He even is ready to marry outside of the Italian community, to a wealthy WASP schoolteacher, which is a big sin in a culture where just marrying an Italian is enough. He is supposed to only marry a Sicilian.

He is drawn into the family business when a rival Mafia family starts a war that almost kills his father. Michael realizes that nothing is more important than family, and most of his later actions are all a result from that thinking. "Never take sides against the family." is a mantra often repeated. It is his awakening to the family's way of life while he is spent in Sicily that we understand exactly why the Godfather is exactly the way that he is. Even if we don't like what the Corleone's do, we understand them.

We are introduced to dozens of characters, many of which are not part of the Corleone family. A crooked cop is made fully real with just a few pages of text. We see a loyal cop mistreated because of his rage, and brought into the family where he receives the respect he wants in the criminal world. A Hollywood producer thinks he is untouchable, but discovers that he just isn't 'Sicilian' enough. Sonny Corleone is the type of hothead that I'm sure we all know one way or another. Johnny Fontane, the blatant Frank Sinatra type character, may not be someone we know, but we fully come to understand and feel for throughout his large portion of the story. And then there is Luca Brazi, who's end was the first time our society heard the term 'sleeps with the fishes'.

There is actually a lot to learn from this book. It may seem like the characters are untrusting of everyone else, and that it is okay to cheat in business, but there is a lot more detail to its claims. Vito tries to teach his children to never talk in front of outsiders, and to take advice but to always keep his own counsel. These aren't just paranoid whims, or immoral business practices. These are rules to live by if you want to protect yourself. Because the book succeeds at almost making us a part of the Corleone family, we cannot help but to take its side in a conflict, even when it involves something illegal.

I also found it very interesting that the Godfather will not commit any crime. He feels that liquor, gambling, vice and politics are all 'victimless crimes' that people accept as a necessity in the world. He does not want any of his people supporting, selling, or using drugs. What is genius is that Puzo doesn't have Vito be against it for moral reasons, but instead because it would be bad for business. He feels that drugs are not a victimless crime that all the judges and politicians in his pocket would ignore. He would lose their support and respect if he were supplying drugs. And, the twenty year sentences being handed down for minor drug offenses would certainly test most of his men's loyalty. At a mob summit, it is agreed that all drug dealing would be limited to the black neighborhoods. Although first published in 1969, I found it strange how possibly this meeting may have been, since it all seemed to come to pass about a decade later.

The writing style is wonderful in the way it gives you so much detail and insight while still remaining 'available' to those looking for light reading. My favorite chapter is the one so good that while not included in the first movie, became a major part of the 2nd. This is the chapter describing Vito Corleone's rise to power. I remember finishing this chapter for the first time and feeling sad that there couldn't have been more to read.

As detailed as it is, so many scenes and people are as real in my head as many people in the real world. I was truly happy to be reading this book, while I was reading it, and almost no piece of literature has ever done that for me. The book is so well paced that it never seems long enough to satisfy me.




Recommended: Yes