The Godfather

Author : Mario Puzo

The Godfather  is a crime novel written by American author Mario Puzo 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 back story of Vito Corleone from early childhood to adulthood.

The book introduced Italian criminal terms like consigliere, caporegime, Cosa Nostra, and omertà to an English-speaking audience.

It formed the basis for a 1972 film The Godfather. Two film sequels The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III including new contributions by Puzo himself, were made in 1974 and 1990.

The Godfather received Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay, and has been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. In addition, it is ranked as the second greatest film in American cinematic history, behind Citizen Kane, on the AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) list by the American Film Institute, and is voted the second best movie of all time according to users at the Internet Movie Database.