American journalist, screenwriter, and author Mario Francis Puzo. He is known for his crime books about the Italian-American Mafia and Sicilian Mafia, most remarkably The Back up parent
The Godfather, written by Mario Puzo, became the fastest-selling book of its time as soon as it came out in 1969.
When the movie starring Francis Ford Coppola was released in 1972, the film's enormous popularity skyrocketed. The film received several Academy Awards, one of which was given to Coppola and Puzo's script for adapting his novel.
It is frequently cited by critics as one of the greatest American films ever made and ranks among the highest-grossing films of all time. It has resulted in two highly regarded sequels, both of which Puzo co-wrote.
The novel has consistently stayed in print and has sold over 21 million copies worldwide.
Vito Corleone, a leader of organized crime in the 1940s, is the focus of the narrative. He is a man who rules quietly, demanding loyalty from those who want favors from him and treating those who cross him mercilessly.
When other criminals try to involve his organization in the drug trade, Corleone resists and the shield of power that he has built around his family is threatened. The aged crime lord must defend his family and pass control of his empire to one of his three sons.
This book framed the aspects of greed and violence that are inherent in the underworld with an emphasis on family, respect, and honor, helping to define how the world views organized crime in America.
The Godfather, Vito Corleone, has been compared to Huckleberry Finn and Holden Caulfield as an archetype. He has a personality that is so representative of the American experience that even though he is fictional, everyone can relate to him.
The Godfather is far more than just another crime novel; it tells the stories of immigrant families trying, over generations, to fit into the mainstream of American life.