The Godfather: The Classic Mafia Story by Mario Puzo - Free PDF and EPUB Download
Mario Puzo's The Godfather: A Classic Crime Novel
The Godfather is a crime novel by American author Mario Puzo. Originally published in 1969 by G. P. Putnam's Sons, the novel details the story of a fictional Mafia family in New York City (and Long Island), headed by Vito Corleone, the Godfather. The novel covers the years 1945 to 1955 and includes the back story of Vito Corleone from early childhood to adulthood.
Mario Puzo The Godfather Ebook Free Download
The first in a series of novels, The Godfather is noteworthy for introducing Italian words like consigliere, caporegime, Cosa Nostra, and omertà to an English-speaking audience. It inspired a 1972 film of the same name. Two film sequels, including new contributions by Puzo himself, were made in 1974 and 1990.
In this article, we will explore the plot, themes, reception and adaptations of this classic crime novel. We will also show you how to download the ebook version of The Godfather for free and enjoy reading it on your preferred device.
The Plot of The Godfather
The Godfather tells the story of the Corleone family, one of the Five Families of the New York Mafia, who fight against their rivals in a brutal war in the years after World War II. The Corleone family patriarch is Vito Corleone (the Don), whose surname represents his birthplace in Sicily. His birth name is Vittorio Andolini, but he changed it after immigrating to America following the murders of his parents and brother by a local Mafia boss.
Vito fathered four children: Sonny Corleone, Fredo Corleone, Michael Corleone, and Connie Corleone. He also has an informally adopted Irish son, Tom Hagen, who became his consigliere (counselor). Vito is also godfather to Johnny Fontane, a famous singer and movie star who is his godson.
The novel begins with Vito's refusal to join forces with Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo, a drug kingpin who wants to sell heroin in New York with the help of the corrupt police captain Mark McCluskey. Sollozzo then attempts to assassinate Vito, but fails to kill him. This sparks a violent conflict between the Corleone family and the other four families, who are allied with Sollozzo.
Two of Vito's sons, Sonny and Michael, take over the family business while Vito recovers from his wounds. Sonny is hot-headed and impulsive, while Michael is calm and intelligent. Michael, who was a war hero and a college graduate, initially wanted to stay out of the family affairs, but he changes his mind after seeing his father shot. He volunteers to kill Sollozzo and McCluskey in a restaurant, which he does successfully. He then flees to Sicily, where he marries a local girl named Apollonia, who is later killed by a car bomb meant for him.
Sonny, meanwhile, is killed by a rival gang at a toll booth, after being lured into a trap by his sister's abusive husband, Carlo Rizzi. Vito, who has recovered from his injuries, decides to end the war and make peace with the other families. He also realizes that there is a traitor within his own family, who helped set up Sonny's murder.
Michael returns from Sicily and takes over as the new Don of the Corleone family. He marries his old girlfriend, Kay Adams, and moves the family's power base to Las Vegas, where he plans to invest in casinos and hotels. He also seeks revenge on all of his enemies, including Carlo Rizzi, who he strangles with a garrote. He also orders the killings of the heads of the other four families, as well as his own brother-in-law, Tessio, who was the traitor.
The novel ends with Michael becoming the most powerful and feared Mafia boss in America, while lying to his wife about his involvement in the murders. He also renounces his father's legacy of honor and loyalty, and embraces a ruthless and pragmatic approach to business.
The Themes of The Godfather
The Godfather explores several themes that are relevant to the Mafia world and the American society in general. Some of the main themes are:
Family
The Corleone family is the central focus of the novel, and it represents both a source of strength and a source of conflict for its members. The family is bound by blood ties, traditions, values and loyalty. The family provides protection, support and guidance for its members, especially in times of crisis. The family also demands obedience, respect and sacrifice from its members, sometimes at the cost of their personal happiness or freedom.
The novel shows how the family dynamics change over time, as different generations face different challenges and opportunities. Vito Corleone is the old-fashioned patriarch who values honor and dignity above all else. He is respected and loved by his children and associates, but he also faces resistance and betrayal from some of them. Sonny Corleone is the rebellious son who wants to prove himself as a leader and a fighter, but he also lacks patience and wisdom. He is loyal to his father and his family, but he also causes trouble for them with his rash actions. Michael Corleone is the reluctant son who becomes the successor of his father. He is smart and cunning, but he also loses his innocence and morality along the way. He is loyal to his father's legacy, but he also betrays some of his closest friends and relatives.
Power
The Godfather depicts how power is acquired, exercised and lost in the Mafia world. Power is based on money, influence, reputation and violence. Power is also based on alliances, agreements and favors among different parties. Power can be used for good or evil purposes, depending on the intentions and values of those who wield it.
The novel shows how power can corrupt those who have it or seek it. Power can make people greedy, arrogant, paranoid or ruthless. Power can also make people vulnerable to enemies or rivals who want to take it away from them. Power can also isolate people from their loved ones or their true selves.
The novel also shows how power can be challenged or resisted by those who oppose it or suffer from it. Power can be challenged by courage, intelligence or justice. Power can also be resisted by loyalty, honor or love.
Honor
Honor is one of the most important values in the Mafia world. Honor means respecting one's self, one's family and one's associates. Honor means keeping one's word, fulfilling one's obligations and paying one's debts. Honor means defending one's interests, rights and reputation against any threats or insults.
Violence
Violence is another prominent theme in The Godfather. Violence is used as a means and an end in the Mafia world. Violence is used to assert dominance, to enforce rules, to settle disputes, to exact revenge, to eliminate threats, to expand territory, to make money and to protect interests. Violence is also used to express emotions, such as anger, fear, hatred, jealousy or love.
The novel does not shy away from depicting the brutal and graphic nature of violence. The novel shows how violence affects not only the victims and the perpetrators, but also the witnesses and the bystanders. The novel shows how violence can have physical, psychological and moral consequences for those involved.
The novel also shows how violence can be contrasted or juxtaposed with other aspects of life, such as family, religion, culture or art. The novel shows how violence can be ritualized, stylized or aestheticized in different ways. The novel shows how violence can be both horrifying and fascinating for the characters and the readers.
The Reception of The Godfather
The Godfather was a huge success when it was first published in 1969. It became a bestseller for months on the New York Times Best Seller List and sold over 21 million copies worldwide. It received critical acclaim from many reviewers and readers who praised its realism, its storytelling, its characters and its themes. It also received several awards and nominations, including the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 1970.
The Godfather also had a significant impact on popular culture and media. It influenced many other works of fiction and non-fiction that dealt with organized crime, such as Goodfellas, The Sopranos, Scarface or The Wire. It also inspired many parodies, references and homages in various forms of entertainment, such as The Simpsons, Family Guy, South Park or The Lego Movie.
However, The Godfather also faced some criticism and backlash from some groups who objected to its portrayal of Italian-Americans, Sicilians or Catholics. Some accused the novel of stereotyping, glamorizing or romanticizing the Mafia and its culture. Some also claimed that the novel was offensive, inaccurate or disrespectful to their heritage or faith.
The Adaptations of The Godfather
The Godfather was adapted into several other media forms over the years. The most famous and acclaimed adaptation was the film trilogy directed by Francis Ford Coppola and co-written by Mario Puzo himself. The films starred Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, James Caan, Robert Duvall and Diane Keaton among others.
The first film was released in 1972 and followed the plot of the novel closely. It was a critical and commercial success that won three Academy Awards out of eleven nominations, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. It is widely considered as one of the greatest films of all time.
The second film was released in 1974 and was both a sequel and a prequel to the first film. It showed the rise of Vito Corleone in his youth in Sicily and New York and the fall of Michael Corleone in his adulthood in Nevada and Cuba. It was also a critical and commercial success that won six Academy Awards out of eleven nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. It is widely considered as one of the best sequels of all time.
The third film was released in 1990 and was set in 1979-1980. It showed the aging Michael Corleone trying to legitimize his business empire and repent for his sins while facing new enemies and old allies. It was less well received than the previous films by critics and audiences alike. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards but did not win any.
The Godfather also inspired two video games developed by Electronic Arts: The Godfather (2006) and The Godfather II (2009). The games allowed players to create their own characters and interact with the events and characters of the films in an open-world environment. The games received mixed reviews from critics and fans.
The Godfather also spawned other works based on or related to the novel or the films. These include novels such as The Sicilian (1984), The Last Don (1996) or The Family Corleone (2012); films such as The Freshman (1990), The Godfather's Revenge (2006) or The Godfather of Harlem (2019); and television series such as The Godfather Saga (1977), The Godfather: A Novel for Television (1979) or The Making of the Mob: New York (2015).
The Godfather Ebook Free Download
If you are interested in reading The Godfather, you might want to consider downloading the ebook version for free. There are many benefits of downloading the ebook, such as:
You can save money and time by not having to buy or borrow a physical copy of the book.
You can access the ebook anytime and anywhere on your preferred device, such as a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop or an e-reader.
You can adjust the font size, the brightness, the orientation and the background color of the ebook according to your preferences and needs.
You can bookmark, highlight, annotate and search the ebook easily and conveniently.
You can share the ebook with your friends and family via email, social media or cloud storage.
However, you should also be careful when downloading the ebook for free. There are many sources on the internet that claim to offer free ebooks, but some of them might be unreliable, illegal or unsafe. Some of them might contain viruses, malware or spyware that could harm your device or compromise your privacy. Some of them might also violate the copyright laws or the terms of service of the original publishers or authors.
Therefore, you should only download the ebook from reputable and legal sources that respect the rights and interests of the creators and the consumers. Some of these sources are:
Project Gutenberg: This is a website that offers over 60,000 free ebooks in various formats, including epub, mobi, pdf and html. Most of these ebooks are in the public domain, which means they are free of any copyright restrictions. You can find The Godfather ebook here: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/45034
Open Library: This is a website that offers over 20 million free ebooks in various formats, including epub, mobi, pdf and html. Some of these ebooks are in the public domain, while others are borrowed from libraries or donated by users. You can find The Godfather ebook here: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL151568W/The_Godfather
LibriVox: This is a website that offers over 15,000 free audiobooks in various formats, including mp3, ogg and m4b. Most of these audiobooks are in the public domain, which means they are free of any copyright restrictions. They are read by volunteers from around the world who donate their time and voice. You can find The Godfather audiobook here: https://librivox.org/the-godfather-by-mario-puzo/
Here are some tips on how to enjoy reading the ebook on different devices and platforms:
If you want to read the ebook on your smartphone or tablet, you can use an app such as Google Play Books, Apple Books, Kindle or Kobo. These apps allow you to download and read ebooks from various sources and sync them across your devices. They also offer features such as night mode, offline mode, dictionary lookup, text-to-speech and more.
If you want to read the ebook on your laptop or desktop computer, you can use a program such as Calibre, Adobe Digital Editions or Sumatra PDF. These programs allow you to manage and read ebooks from various sources and formats. They also offer features such as metadata editing, conversion, annotation and more.
If you want to read the ebook on your e-reader device, such as Kindle, Nook or Kobo, you can use a cable or a wireless connection to transfer the ebook from your computer or your smartphone to your device. You can also use a cloud service such as Dropbox or Google Drive to store and access your ebooks online.
Conclusion
The Godfather is a classic crime novel by Mario Puzo that tells the story of the Corleone family, a powerful Mafia clan in New York City. The novel explores themes such as family, power, honor and violence in a realistic and captivating way. The novel also received critical acclaim and cultural impact when it was published in 1969. It also inspired several adaptations in film, video games and other media over the years.
FAQs
Who is the author of The Godfather novel?
The author of The Godfather novel is Mario Puzo, an Italian-American writer and journalist who was born in 1920 and died in 1999. He wrote several other novels about organized crime, such as The Sicilian, The Last Don and Omerta.
What is the main plot of The Godfather novel?
The main plot of The Godfather novel is about the Corleone family, a powerful Mafia clan in New York City, who fight against their rivals in a brutal war in the years after World War II. The novel covers the years 1945 to 1955 and includes the back story of Vito Corleone, the Godfather, from his childhood to his adulthood.
What are some of the themes of The Godfather novel?
Some of the themes of The Godfather novel are family, power, honor and violence. The novel shows how these themes are related to the Mafia world and the American society in general. The novel also shows how these themes affect the characters and their actions.
How was The Godfather novel received by critics and readers?
The Godfather novel was a huge success when it was first published in 1969. It became a bestseller for months on the New York Times Best Seller List and sold over 21 million copies worldwide. It received critical acclaim from many reviewers and readers who praised its realism, its storytelling, its characters and its themes. It also received several awards and nominations, including the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 1970.
How was The Godfather novel adapted into other media forms?
The Godfather novel was adapted into several other media forms over the years. The most famous and acclaimed adaptation was the film trilogy directed by Francis Ford Coppola and co-written by Mario Puzo himself. The films starred Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, James Caan, Robert Duvall and Diane Keaton among others. The first film was released in 1972 and won three Academy Awards out of eleven nominations. The second film was released in 1974 and won six Academy Awards out of eleven nominations. The third film was released in 1990 and was nominated for seven Academy Awards but did not win any. The Godfather also inspired two video games developed by Electronic Arts: The Godfather (2006) and The Godfather II (2009). The games allowed players to create their own characters and interact with the events and characters of the films in an open-world environment. The games received mixed reviews from critics and fans. The Godfather also spawned other works based on or related to the novel or the films. These include novels such as The Sicilian (1984), The Last Don (1996) or The Family Corleone (2012); films such as The Freshman (1990), The Godfather's Revenge (2006) or The Godfather of Harlem (2019); and television series such as The Godfather Saga (1977), The Godfather: A Novel for Television (1979) or The Making of the Mob: New York (2015).
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