Tyrant, blackmailer, racketeer, murder, his influence reaches every level of American society. Meet Don Corleone, a friendly man, a just man, a reasonable man. The deadliest lord of the Cosa Nostra. The Godfather.
A modern masterpiece, The Godfather is the epic story of organised crime in the 1940s. It is also the intimate story of the Corleone family, at once drawn together and ripped apart by its unique position at the core of the American Mafia. Still shocking more than a quarter-century after it was first published, this compelling tale of blackmail, murder and family values is a true classic.
Godfather Part 2
The writing is superb and the voice is genuine. I read the whole book as though an old Italian don himself was reading it to me. Its impossible not to, the voice of a don is unmistakable and immediately identifiable. The mystery behind Michael Corleone is what keeps this story moving, but some of the more interesting minor characters include Mama Corleone, Johnny Fontane, Nino Valenti and Connie and Carlo Rizzi. I do have to say that this book requires concentration, or at the very least, a brain that is good at untangling things if you are to truly understand the complexities of the mafia and of the Corleone family. Reviewed by 55st
QBD the bookshop, 31/07/2014
Godfather Part 1
Awesome. Absolutely amazing book. I expected not to like this book at all, because I wasn't a huge fan of the movies, but seeing them in a literary sense brings a new life to the artistry of the story telling and the intelligence of organized crime, immoral as it is. The Don seems like a regular Italian man, until the story starts to unravel. Woven in amongst legitimate business ventures are shady criminal enterprises of far-reaching influence and variety. He has three sons Santino, Fredo and Michael as well as a daughter Connie. He can't tell which of his sons will become his heir apparent. Santino shows the most interest, Fredo is a womanizing no-hoper and Michael is doing everything he can to shun his Italian-ness.Then fate intervenes and everything begins to fall apart, only to give way to the Corleones eventual reclamation of the throne of the New York underworld. Reviewed by 55st
QBD the bookshop, 31/07/2014
The Godfather
"Nothing is more important to a man than his family.." This book is excellent and spawned great movies and a great video game. A must read for anyone who is intrigued by the old time gangsters. "These men, they cry out, 'shoot me, shoot me', these are the men you have to worry about".
Greg, 18/11/2009
