The Godfather

Author	Mario Puzo
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre(s)	Thriller, Crime novel
Publisher	G. P. Putnam's Sons
Publication date	10 March 1969
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback) & Audio Book
Pages	448 pp (Paperback edition)
ISBN	ISBN 0-7493-2468-6 (Hardback edition) & ISBN 0-399-10342-2 & ISBN 0-451-16771-6 (Paperback editions)
Followed by	The Sicilian

The Godfather is a novel written by American author Mario Puzo originally published in 1969 by G. P. Putnam's Sons. It details the story of a fictitious Sicilian Mafia family based in New York City (and Long Beach, NY) and headed by Don Vito Corleone, who became synonymous with the Italian Mafia. The novel covers the years 1945 to 1955, and also provides the backstory of Vito Corleone from early childhood to adulthood. The book introduced Italian criminal terms like consiglieri, caporegime, Cosa Nostra, and omertà to an English-speaking audience. Image File history File links Lower resolution cover image of The Godfather (novel), for use in that article. ... Mario Gianluigi Puzo (October 15, 1920 – July 2, 1999) was an American author known for his novels about the Mafia, especially The Godfather (1969). ... For other uses, see Country (disambiguation). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The thriller is a broad genre of literature, film, and television. ... Sherlock Holmes, pipe-puffing hero of crime fiction, confers with his colleague Dr. Watson; together these characters popularized the genre. ... A publisher is a person or entity which engages in the act of publishing. ... G. P. Putnams Sons was a major United States book publisher based in New York City, New York. ... March 10 is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... Hardcover books A hardcover (or hardback or hardbound) is a book bound with rigid protective covers (typically of cardboard covered with cloth, heavy paper, or sometimes leather). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Cassette recording of Patrick OBrians The Mauritius Command An audio book is a recording of the contents of a book read aloud. ... “ISBN” redirects here. ... The Sicilian is a novel written by American author Mario Puzo and published in 1984 by Random House Publishing Group (ISBN 0-671-43564-7). ... Mario Gianluigi Puzo (October 15, 1920 – July 2, 1999) was an American author known for his novels about the Mafia, especially The Godfather (1969). ... Also: 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... G. P. Putnams Sons was a major United States book publisher based in New York City, New York. ... Sicily ( in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ... This article is about the criminal society. ... Vito Corleone (December 7, 1891 – June 25, 1955), born Vito Andolini, aka The Godfather or The Don, is a character in Mario Puzos novel The Godfather, as well as Francis Ford Coppolas trilogy of films based on it. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A caporegime (sometimes shortened to capo) is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking member of a crime family who heads a crew (or group) of soldiers. ... Charles Lucky Luciano, one of the most famous American bosses (La) Cosa Nostra (our thing or this thing of ours in Italian) is a worldwide alliance of criminals, linked through both familial and conspiratorial ties, that is dedicated to pursuing crime and protecting its members. ... Omertà is a popular attitude, common in areas of southern Italy, such as Sicily, Calabria and Campania, where the criminal organizations like the Mafia, Ndrangheta, and Camorra are strong. ...

Titling

Much controversy surrounds the title of the book and its underworld implications. Although it is widely reported that Puzo was inspired to use "Godfather" as a designator for a Mafia leader from his experience as a reporter, the term "The Godfather" was first used in connection with the Mafia during Joe Valachi's testimony during the 1963 Congressional Hearing on Organized Crime.^{[citation needed]} Joseph Valachi Joseph Joe Cargo Valachi (September 22, 1903 – April 3, 1971) was the first Mafia member to publicly acknowledge the existence of the Mafia. ...

Main characters

The Corleone family patriarch is Vito Corleone (The Don), whose surname recalls the town of Corleone, Sicily. Similarly, the maiden name of Corleone's mother is Corigliano, named after the town of Corigliano Calabro, Calabria; an area well known for 'Ndrangheta activity. Vito has four children: Santino "Sonny" Corleone, Fredo Corleone, Michael "Mike" Corleone, and Connie Corleone. He had an illegitimate son named Ashley Phelpsiano who had connections in the UK. He also has an informally adopted son, Tom Hagen, who became the Corleones' consigliere. Vito Corleone is also the godfather of a famous singer and movie star Johnny Fontane. The Godfather referred to in the title is generally taken to be Vito. However, the story's central character is actually Michael, and a central theme of the novel is that it is Michael's destiny, despite his determination to the contrary, to replace his father as the family head. Vito Corleone (December 7, 1891 – June 25, 1955), born Vito Andolini, aka The Godfather or The Don, is a character in Mario Puzos novel The Godfather, as well as Francis Ford Coppolas trilogy of films based on it. ... Corleone is a small town of approximately 12,000 inhabitants in the province of Palermo in Sicily, Italy. ... Sicily ( in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and appeal to a wider international audience, this article may require cleanup. ... Corigliano Calabro is a comune and town located in the province of Cosenza, in Calabria, southern Italy. ... For other uses, see Calabria (disambiguation). ... The Calabrian Ndrangheta (from the Greek word andragathía for heroism and virtue — The Honoured Society), IPA: , are one of the most powerful and ruthless organized crime organizations in Italy. ... Santino Sonny Corleone (December 31 1916 - August 7, 1948) is a fictional character in Mario Puzos 1969 novel The Godfather and its 1972 film adaptation. ... Frederico Fredo Corleone is a fictional character in Mario Puzos novel The Godfather. ... Information Gender Male Date of birth September 9, 1920 Date of death December 29, 1997 Family Corleone family Relationships Apollonia Vitelli-Corleone Kay Adams Children Mary Corleone, Anthony Corleone Relatives Vito Corleone (father) Carmella Corleone Portrayed by Al Pacino Created by Mario Puzo Michael Corleone (September 9, 1920 – December 29... Constanzia Connie Corleone Rizzi (1927–2001) is a fictional character from The Godfather by Mario Puzo. ... Thomas Tom Feargal Hagen is a fictional character in the Godfather books and films. ... ... Look up godfather in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... A movie star or film star is a celebrity who is a person known for his or her roles in motion pictures. ... Johnny Fontane (April 2, 1913-September 17, 1989) is an Academy Award winning fictional character in Mario Puzos novel The Godfather, as well the series of movies based upon it. ...

The Families

The Five New York City Families are: The Straccis, The Tattaglias, The Corleones, The Cuneos, and The Barzinis.
There is also the Bocchicchio Clan of New York, which does not get involved in any violent dealings or illegal operations but rather serve as peacekeepers amongst the Five Families. There are also ten other Mafia Families from across the nation:
The Tramonti Family - Florida
The Zaluchi Family - Detroit
The Falcone Family - Los Angeles
The Molinari Family - San Francisco
The Panza Family - Boston
The Forlenza Family - Cleveland
The Capone Family - Chicago
The Phelpsiano Family - Birmingham
Three of the ten families are not mentioned by name.

Film adaptation

Main article: The Godfather

In 1972, a film adaptation of the novel was released, starring Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone, Al Pacino as Michael Corleone, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Mario Puzo assisted with writing the screenplay and with other production tasks. The film grossed approximately $134 million and won various awards, including three Academy Awards, five Golden Globes and a Grammy and is considered to be one of the greatest films of all time. The sequel, The Godfather, Part II won 6 Oscars, and became the first sequel to win the Oscar for Best Picture. This article is about the 1972 film. ... // Top grossing films The Godfather Fiddler on the Roof Diamonds Are Forever Whats Up, Doc?, starring Barbra Streisand and Ryan ONeal Dirty Harry The Last Picture Show A Clockwork Orange Cabaret, starring Liza Minnelli The Hospital Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex Academy Awards Best Picture... Marlon Brando, Jr. ... Alfredo James Pacino (born April 25, 1940) is an Academy, Golden Globe, Tony, BAFTA, Emmy, and SAG award winning American actor who is best known for playing the roles of Tony Montana in the 1983 film Scarface and Michael Corleone in The Godfather Trilogy . ... Francis Ford Coppola (born April 7, 1939) is a five-time Academy Award winning American film director, producer, and screenwriter. ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and television programs, given out each year during a formal dinner. ... Grammy Award statuette The Grammy Awards, presented by the Recording Academy (an association of Americans professionally involved in the recorded music industry) for outstanding achievements in the recording industry, is one of four major music awards shows held annually in the United States (the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music... Al Pacino as Don Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part II The Godfather, Part II is the 1974 sequel to The Godfather. ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ...

The film is similar in most places, but leaves out some details, such as extended back stories for some characters. Some of these details were actually filmed, and were included in later versions such as The Godfather Saga. A subplot involving Johnny Fontaine in Hollywood was not filmed. The biggest difference was that the novel included a more upbeat ending than the film, in which Kay Corleone found a peaceful acceptance of Michael's decision to take over his father's business. The film, in contrast, ended sharply with Kay's dreadful realization of what Michael had done.

Other adaptations

Main article: The Godfather: The Game

The video game company Electronic Arts released a video game adaptation of The Godfather on March 21, 2006. The player assumes the role of a "soldier" in the Corleone family. Prior to his death, Marlon Brando provided some voice work for Vito, which was eventually deemed unusable and was dubbed over by a Brando impersonator. Francis Ford Coppola said in April 2005 that he was not informed of Paramount's decision to allow the game to be made and he did not approve of it.^[1] Al Pacino also did not participate, and his likeness was replaced with a different depiction of Michael Corleone. Electronic Arts (EA) (NASDAQ: ERTS) is an American developer, marketer, publisher, and distributor of computer and video games. ... Computer and video games redirects here. ... Marlon Brando, Jr. ... Vito Corleone (December 7, 1891 – June 25, 1955), born Vito Andolini, aka The Godfather or The Don, is a character in Mario Puzos novel The Godfather, as well as Francis Ford Coppolas trilogy of films based on it. ... Francis Ford Coppola (born April 7, 1939) is a five-time Academy Award winning American film director, producer, and screenwriter. ... April 2005 : ← - January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December - → Hamas and Islamic Jihad have declared, in principle, their intention to join the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO). ... Alfredo James Pacino (born April 25, 1940) is an Academy, Golden Globe, Tony, BAFTA, Emmy, and SAG award winning American actor who is best known for playing the roles of Tony Montana in the 1983 film Scarface and Michael Corleone in The Godfather Trilogy . ... Michael Corleone (December 25, 1920 – December 29, 1997) is a fictional character in Mario Puzos novels, The Godfather and The Sicilian. ...

A board game based on the movie was also produced. A board game is a game played with counters or pieces that are placed on, removed from, or moved across a board (a premarked surface, usually specific to that game). ...

Sequels

In 2004, Random House published a sequel to Puzo's The Godfather, The Godfather Returns, by Mark Winegardner. A further sequel by Winegardner, The Godfather's Revenge, was released in 2006. The sequel novels continue the story from Puzo's novel. They do not contradict the events of the film sequels, and can be read independently, or be seen as supplemental, to the films. // Random House is a publishing house based in New York City. ... The Godfather Returns is a novel written by author Mark Winegardner, published in 2004. ... Image:Mark Winegardner - photo by Michael Belk. ... The Godfathers Revenge is a novel written by author Mark Winegardner. ...

The Godfather Returns picks up the story immediately after the end of Puzo's The Godfather. It covers the years 1955 to 1962, as well as providing significant backstory for Michael Corleone's character prior to the events of the first novel. The events of the film The Godfather Part II all take place within the time frame of this novel, but are only mentioned in the background. The novel contains an appendix that attempts to correlate the events of the novels with the events of the films. The novels and films dovetail in a curious fashion. The Godfather Part II is a 1974 motion picture directed by Francis Ford Coppola from a script he co-wrote with Mario Puzo. ...

The Godfather's Revenge covers the years 1963 to 1964.

Continuing Puzo's habit, as seen in The Godfather, of featuring characters who are close analogues of real life events and public figures (as Johnny Fontane is an analogue of Frank Sinatra), Winegardner features in his two Godfather novels analogues of Joseph, John F., and Robert F. Kennedy (the Shea family, in the novels) as well as an analogue for alleged organized crime figure Carlos Marcello. (Carlo Tramonti). In The Godfather Returns, Winegardner also dramatizes the sweep of organized crime arrests that took place in Apalachin, New York in 1957. “Sinatra” redirects here. ... Robert Francis Bobby Kennedy (November 20, 1925 – June 6, 1968), also called RFK, was one of two younger brothers of U.S. President John F. Kennedy and served as United States Attorney General from 1961 to 1964. ... Carlos Marcello (born Calogero Minacore Tunis 6 February 1910 – Metairie 3 March 1993) was born to Sicilian parents in Tunis. ... The Godfather Returns is a novel written by author Mark Winegardner, published in 2004. ...

Winegardner uses all of the characters from the Puzo novels, and created a few of his own, most notably Nick Geraci, a Corleone soldier whose role in the two sequel novels is as important as those of the Puzo-created characters. Winegardner further develops Puzo characters like Fredo Corleone, Tom Hagen, and Johnny Fontane. Fausto Dominic Nick Geraci Jnr (informally known as Ace Geraci) pronounced Jair-ah-chee is a central character in the Mark Winegardner novels The Godfather Returns and The Godfathers Revenge. ...

The Sicilian

Another Puzo novel featuring Michael Corleone as a minor character, The Sicilian, was published in 1984. The novel was set at the end of Michael's two-year exile in Sicily, and the plot is based on the story of the real-life bandit Salvatore Giuliano. The Sicilian is a novel written by American author Mario Puzo and published in 1984 by Random House Publishing Group (ISBN 0-671-43564-7). ... Salvatore Giuliano (November 16, 1922 – July 5/6, 1950) was a Sicilian hero, killed by the alliance of politics and mafia, that governs Italy since its Unification. ...

See also

• Mafia
• Crime
• Godparent

This article is about the criminal society. ... A godparent, in many denominations of Christianity, is someone who sponsors a childs baptism. ...

Notes and References

1. ^ Godfather film director whacks Godfather game - by Tor Thorsen, GameSpot, April 8, 2005, retrieved April 8, 2005.

GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. ...

External links

• Amazon.com's Product Page for The Godfather
• Barnes & Noble.com's Product Page for The Godfather
• The Official Mario Puzo's Library entry for The Godfather
• GodfatherFilms.com's entry for The Godfather
• 20th-Century American Bestsellers's Entry for The Godfather
• Mark Winegardner
• The Godfather Returns