El padrino / The Godfather

The publication of The Godfather in 1969 rocked the literary world. For the first time a novel starring by the Mafia was portrayed from the inside. Mario Puzo presented it not as a mere association of villains, but as a complex society with its own culture and hierarchy accepted even beyond the circles of crime. The Godfather tells the story of a man: Vito Corleone, the most respected capo in New York. Benevolent despot, ruthless with his rivals, intelligent and faithful to the principles of honor and friendship, Don Corleone runs an empire that covers fraud and extortion, gambling and control of unions. The live and businesses of Don Corleone, as well as his son and heir, Michael, form the heart of this magisterial work. With The Godfather, Mario Puzo managed to create a genre.