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O Último dos Padrinhos
Don Domenico Clericuzio, um padrinho da Máfia está a ficar velho. Antes de morrer, pretende legitimar os negócios da sua Família e fazê-la integrar-se na sociedade americana. Vinte e cinco anos mais tarde, o seu neto Dante e o sobrinho-neto Cross, assumem a liderança e o velho Clericuzio, agora com oitenta anos, está afastado das lides. Cross, que detém um casino em Las Vegas, é tido como o homem forte da família. Porém, quando se recusa a compactuar com o homicídio de um velho amigo, é afastado pelo seu primo Dante, um homem ambicioso e sem escrúpulos, que não olhará a meios para alcançar o poder absoluto.
O único obstáculo para se tornar tão forte como o velho Clericuzio é Cross, que rapidamente se torna um alvo a abater. Contudo, este antecipa-se ao primo e mata-o. Disposto a aceitar a vingança do velho padrinho pelo assassinato do seu neto, Cross fica bastante surpreendido quando percebe que Clericuzio decidiu poupar-lhe a vida...
O único obstáculo para se tornar tão forte como o velho Clericuzio é Cross, que rapidamente se torna um alvo a abater. Contudo, este antecipa-se ao primo e mata-o. Disposto a aceitar a vingança do velho padrinho pelo assassinato do seu neto, Cross fica bastante surpreendido quando percebe que Clericuzio decidiu poupar-lhe a vida...
688 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
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About the author
Mario Puzo
124 books4,817 followersPuzo was born in a poor family of Neapolitan immigrants living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York. Many of his books draw heavily on this heritage. After graduating from the City College of New York, he joined the United States Army Air Forces in World War II. Due to his poor eyesight, the military did not let him undertake combat duties but made him a public relations officer stationed in Germany. In 1950, his first short story, The Last Christmas, was published in American Vanguard. After the war, he wrote his first book, The Dark Arena, which was published in 1955.
At periods in the 1950s and early 1960s, Puzo worked as a writer/editor for publisher Martin Goodman's Magazine Management Company. Puzo, along with other writers like Bruce Jay Friedman, worked for the company line of men's magazines, pulp titles like Male, True Action, and Swank. Under the pseudonym Mario Cleri, Puzo wrote World War II adventure features for True Action.
Puzo's most famous work, The Godfather, was first published in 1969 after he had heard anecdotes about Mafia organizations during his time in pulp journalism. He later said in an interview with Larry King that his principal motivation was to make money. He had already, after all, written two books that had received great reviews, yet had not amounted to much. As a government clerk with five children, he was looking to write something that would appeal to the masses. With a number one bestseller for months on the New York Times Best Seller List, Mario Puzo had found his target audience. The book was later developed into the film The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The movie received 11 Academy Award nominations, winning three, including an Oscar for Puzo for Best Adapted Screenplay. Coppola and Puzo collaborated then to work on sequels to the original film, The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III.
Puzo wrote the first draft of the script for the 1974 disaster film Earthquake, which he was unable to continue working on due to his commitment to The Godfather Part II. Puzo also co-wrote Richard Donner's Superman and the original draft for Superman II. He also collaborated on the stories for the 1982 film A Time to Die and the 1984 Francis Ford Coppola film The Cotton Club.
Puzo never saw the publication of his penultimate book, Omertà, but the manuscript was finished before his death, as was the manuscript for The Family. However, in a review originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle, Jules Siegel, who had worked closely with Puzo at Magazine Management Company, speculated that Omertà may have been completed by "some talentless hack." Siegel also acknowledges the temptation to "rationalize avoiding what is probably the correct analysis -- that [Puzo] wrote it and it is terrible."
Puzo died of heart failure on July 2, 1999 at his home in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York. His family now lives in East Islip, New York.
At periods in the 1950s and early 1960s, Puzo worked as a writer/editor for publisher Martin Goodman's Magazine Management Company. Puzo, along with other writers like Bruce Jay Friedman, worked for the company line of men's magazines, pulp titles like Male, True Action, and Swank. Under the pseudonym Mario Cleri, Puzo wrote World War II adventure features for True Action.
Puzo's most famous work, The Godfather, was first published in 1969 after he had heard anecdotes about Mafia organizations during his time in pulp journalism. He later said in an interview with Larry King that his principal motivation was to make money. He had already, after all, written two books that had received great reviews, yet had not amounted to much. As a government clerk with five children, he was looking to write something that would appeal to the masses. With a number one bestseller for months on the New York Times Best Seller List, Mario Puzo had found his target audience. The book was later developed into the film The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The movie received 11 Academy Award nominations, winning three, including an Oscar for Puzo for Best Adapted Screenplay. Coppola and Puzo collaborated then to work on sequels to the original film, The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III.
Puzo wrote the first draft of the script for the 1974 disaster film Earthquake, which he was unable to continue working on due to his commitment to The Godfather Part II. Puzo also co-wrote Richard Donner's Superman and the original draft for Superman II. He also collaborated on the stories for the 1982 film A Time to Die and the 1984 Francis Ford Coppola film The Cotton Club.
Puzo never saw the publication of his penultimate book, Omertà, but the manuscript was finished before his death, as was the manuscript for The Family. However, in a review originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle, Jules Siegel, who had worked closely with Puzo at Magazine Management Company, speculated that Omertà may have been completed by "some talentless hack." Siegel also acknowledges the temptation to "rationalize avoiding what is probably the correct analysis -- that [Puzo] wrote it and it is terrible."
Puzo died of heart failure on July 2, 1999 at his home in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York. His family now lives in East Islip, New York.
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December 22, 2021
استاد ماریو پوزو در کتاب آخرین پدر خوانده دنیای مطلوب خود را ترسیم کرده : این جا نه مانند پدر خوانده خبری از جنگ های درون فامیل مافیا هست و نه خبری از پول های خرد وناچیز ، نه مانند پدر خوانده 2 وقت خاندان در دادگاه برای اثبات بی گناهی خود می گذرد . در کتاب آخرین پدر خوانده ، خاندان کلریکوزیو آن قدر قوی شده اند که دیگر در کارهای مافیایی دخالت نمی کنند ، درگیر با دیگر خاندان ها هم نمی شوند، هیچ کاری هم به تجارت روغن زیتون ندارند ، ققط جایی که لازم هست بین خانواده ها میانجی گری می کنند . در دنیای آخرین پدر خوانده دیگر نیازی به مذاکره برای گرفتن یک نقش در فیلم نیست ، اینجا اگر خان اراده کند کل استودیو فیلمسازی را می خرد .
خان صاحب لوکس ترین کازینو در لاس وگاس است و از این راه می تواند پول شویی کند و پول تمیز برای همه کار داشته باشد . در کازینو و سویت های مجلل آن است که فرماندارها ، سناتورها و نماینده های کنگره خریده می شوند ، و قدرت خان به جایی می رسد که می تواند قمار را در سراسر کشور قانونی کند اما داستان کتاب بیشتر مربوط به اعضای خانواده یک کلانتر پر نفوذ خاندان است ، مثله پیتر کلمانزا در پدر خوانده . او که دو فرزند دارد در حالی که دارد پسر خود (کراس ) را آماده ورود به خانواده می کند اما با دختر خود (کلادیا ) که فیلم نامه نویس در هالیوود است رابطه ای ندارد . خواننده از طریق کراس با دنیای پرزرق و برق قمار وشرط بندی در لاس وگاس آشنا شده ( فیلم کازینو به کارکردانی مارتین اسکورسیزی نمونه کاملی از این دنیاست ) و از طریق کلادیا با استودیوهای پرقدرت فیلم سازی و دنیای زیرزمینی آن ، روابط کارگردان ها با بازیگرها ، این که چگونه بازیگرها (البته نه تمامی آنها) با برقراری رابطه جنسی نقش خود را به دست می آورند ( مانند هاروی واینستین تهیه کننده پرقدرت در هالیوود ) . و چگونه هر زمان لازم شود هالیوود از مافیا کمک می گیرد و البته با سخاوت سهم خود را می پردازد .
جرم هایی که در این کتاب می خوانیم بیشتر از جنس آمریکایی هستند ، از خلاء هایی که در قانون وجود دارد ، از ضعفی که در سیستم قضایی آمریکا وجود دارد ، از افراد هیات منصفه که به راحتی خریده می شوند ، پلیس های فاسد ، شهادت های دروغین . شخصیت های داستان بیشتر ایتالیایی – آمریکایی هستند و در حال فراموش کردن قوانین اصیل سیسیل ، مانند امرتا ، برای همین خان به آنها اعتماد ندارد و سربازان خود را از سیسیل وارد می کند . البته آقای پوزو از طریق اصطلاحات ناب سیسیلی خواننده را کمی با فرهنگ سیسیل آشنا کرده است : مثلا همین که منقارم کمی خیس بشه کافیه ، یعنی سهم کمی از این کار کفایت میکنه .
در ادای دین کاملی به پدر خوانده ، خان کلریکوزیو هم به مانند خان کورلئونه سه پسر دارد (یکی را قبلا از دست داده است ) و یک دختر که آن هم مانند کانی در پدرخوانده اندکی خُل وزن است . فرزند او ، دانته ، نوه خان کسی ایست که خاندان را به چالش می کشد (ژن نامرغوب ) . دانته به وسیله عوامل خود کلانتر خان را در لاس وگاس می کشد و این کار خان را مجبور به دخالت می کند ، خان که تمام امید خود را به دانته برای رهبری خاندان بسته از دانته حمایت میکند . کراس هم پدر خود را از دست داده و هم حمایت خانواده را ، به گونه ای از خاندان متنفر می شود . ( مانند هنری هیل در فیلم رفقای خوب ، زمانی که از خاندان طرد می شود میداند که دیگر راه گریزی ندارد ،یا باید با خانواده بجنگد یا خود را به پلیس تسلیم کند ). کراس باید دانته را بکشد ، قبل از این که دانته او را بکشد ، کراس زودتر عمل می کند و دانته و تیمش را نابود می کند ، او که امید و آینده خانواده را نابود کرده حال باید با عواقب کار خود روبرو شود.
در دنیای استاد پوزو هیچ گریزی از اشتباه نیست ، هیچ شخصیتی حتی خان هم کامل نیست ، چه خان کورلئونه که با فردو ضعیف بیرون می رود و تیر می خورد ، چه خان کلریکوزیو که آینده خاندان خود را روی فرد نامناسب بنا کرده است . آقای پوزو دنیای ایده آل خان ها را به خوبی شرح می دهد : دنیایی که در آن فساد و خلاف قانونی و نهادینه شده باشد ، دنیایی که در آن مردان قانون ابزار گانگسترها باشند و برای اجرای دستورات آن ها عمل کنند.
دنیایی که شاید بی شباهت با دنیای فعلی ما نباشد .
July 3, 2025
Centered around the Clericuzio family, the novel masterfully explores the tension between tradition and change as the mafia attempts to go legitimate.
September 28, 2020
Jar of Death Pick #37
4.5 Stars!
I discovered The Last Don before I had ever even heard of The Godfather. When I was a kid I watched The Last Don on I believe CBS as a Movie of the Week(fellow old people do you remember those?) and I really liked it. I told my mom about it and she mentioned The Godfather, she said I should watch it, so we went to Blockbuster ( God! I'm old) and I rented all 3 Godfather movies. I obviously loved the first two and I no longer acknowledge Part III. I then went to Borders(I should live in a nursing home) and bought The Godfather and The Last Don in book form.
The Godfather I read and liked at the time but as I've aged I've grown to love it more and more. The Last Don novel I didn't like at all. I thought it was boring and until now I had never picked it up again. So imagine my surprise when on a second reading of this I loved this book! It is a lot slower paced than The Godfather but I could appreciate that more as an adult.
The Last Don is about.... The Mafia and Hollywood and Las Vegas. Instead of following the Corleone family this time we follow the Clericuzio family. While there were obvious parallels between the two I felt like they were two completely different families. The Last Don despite the title is less about The Don and more about the younger less criminally inclined generation. I liked the push and pull between the criminal side and the legal side. The Last Don is less violent then The Godfather but its still a brutal read.
I don't need to recommend a Mario Puzo novel because either you're into Mafia novels or you're not. But I loved it!
4.5 Stars!
I discovered The Last Don before I had ever even heard of The Godfather. When I was a kid I watched The Last Don on I believe CBS as a Movie of the Week(fellow old people do you remember those?) and I really liked it. I told my mom about it and she mentioned The Godfather, she said I should watch it, so we went to Blockbuster ( God! I'm old) and I rented all 3 Godfather movies. I obviously loved the first two and I no longer acknowledge Part III. I then went to Borders(I should live in a nursing home) and bought The Godfather and The Last Don in book form.
The Godfather I read and liked at the time but as I've aged I've grown to love it more and more. The Last Don novel I didn't like at all. I thought it was boring and until now I had never picked it up again. So imagine my surprise when on a second reading of this I loved this book! It is a lot slower paced than The Godfather but I could appreciate that more as an adult.
The Last Don is about.... The Mafia and Hollywood and Las Vegas. Instead of following the Corleone family this time we follow the Clericuzio family. While there were obvious parallels between the two I felt like they were two completely different families. The Last Don despite the title is less about The Don and more about the younger less criminally inclined generation. I liked the push and pull between the criminal side and the legal side. The Last Don is less violent then The Godfather but its still a brutal read.
I don't need to recommend a Mario Puzo novel because either you're into Mafia novels or you're not. But I loved it!
September 27, 2020
Review for the Chinese translation of this book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
...and this badass Don who has ran a crime family for decades actually means what he said, guys.
...and this, is my most favorite line from this book.
(Link: https://giphy.com/gifs/movie-godfathe...)
Strange that I was clueless about what Don Clericuzio actually meant when he causally commented (usually in the middle of his business meetings with his sons and trusted nephew, etc) 'let them/him/her swim to the bottom of the ocean'; the true meaning of these words had totally escaped me, but once I realized its true meaning, I was thrilled!
Okay, back to the story itself. At the beginning of the book, we see Don Clericuzio ( who is at the height of his power) made plan for his loved ones: the Family would withdraw itself (mostly) from illegal dealings, his three sons would go into different legal (but money-making) businesses; as to his trusted nephew Joseph 'Pippi' Le Dena, while the man would continue his job as the Family's number one hitman, still the Don arranged for him to move to Las Vegas to look after the Family's gamble business.
Pippi was one of the few people whom the Don trusted the most, but he had done one thing which weakened his position within the Family: he had married a beautiful wife who could hardly fit into the Family, even worse, the poor woman had no idea who her husband really was.
With the Don's blessing, Pippi's newborn son Cross, and the Don's own grandson Dante (son of the Don's widowed daughter) were christened at the very same day. The Don wished for these two infants to grow up and one day move on to the 'society', yet he could not foresee the fiery rivalry between Cross and Dante after they grew up, and the conflicts within the Family could easily disturb the future of the Clericuzio clan.
The Clericuzio clan is...you guessed it....is quite a copy of the Corleone Family from The Godfather: one badass Don as the family's leader, three sons, one widowed daughter, one adopted son/nephew, a wife who only slowly comes to realize her husband's secrets, blah blah blah. The similarities in the character's setting and the story's structure are undeniable.
However, in The Last Don we see a lot more about how the members of the third generation of a powerful crime family would turn up to be: we get the story of Cross and Dante, as they represent two different future for the Family.
As a main character, Cross has better development and internal struggles than Dante--the latter is painted as a violent, unlikable jerk throughout the book. We see the 20 years old Cross entered the 'family's business' as a young adult, slowly building up his reputation through the years, facing difficult missions and setbacks, and struggling between loyalty for his father (Pippi) and/or the Family and his goodwill.
I also like how we can see how a crime family operates, how these people run their business and how they 'deal' with traitors and enemies (all written in a down-to-earth, matter-of-fact manner) through the storylines of Cross and his father.
PS: Pippi's story really reminds me of a Chinese slang:
This time I'm glad to see in this story, women actually act as their own free agents instead of just voiceless, obedient wives, mothers and daughters like they did in The Godfather! Therefore female characters such as Claudia (Cross's younger sister) and Athena (well...the love interest) having their own storylines is quite refreshing (a lesbian director also plays a small part).
However! I really don't like all those plot lines and in-jokes about the showbiz in Hollywood and how people run business in the La la Land!
(Link: https://giphy.com/gifs/movie-godfathe...)
I know, Mario Puzo had been a script writer for Hollywood for years therefore he naturally knew a lot of insider's information; and he didn't shy away from making jokes about how script-writers and novelists were treated like third-class citizens in the showbiz. But! As light-hearted and delightful those Hollywood characters can be, all these lengthy Hollywood-plots still weights the whole story down!!!!
(Link: https://giphy.com/gifs/movie-godfathe...)
Yet, the ending part really does make up for the shortcoming of this novel.
Did I mention that this book isn't quite up-there with The Godfather? I mean.........nothing beats The Godfather, anyway. XD
I think the main reason why The Last Don fails to outperform The Godfather is that the sense of urgency in the story and my own emotional investment with the characters is both weaker this time. In The Godfather, the Corleone Family is at great risk when we meet them: Don Vito Corleone was injured and his son Mike must recuse his father and siblings, who wouldn't be touched by the loyalty and sadness he displays?
In the case of the Clericuzio Family, they are already secured in their power when we meet them and there isn't much of a crisis to be spoken of (until the ending part, that is). As to the romance(s)...let's face it, despite Mr. Puzo's mastery at crafting his world of outlaws and organized crime, he just wasn't as great when he was writing about the romantic relationships between men and women.
Review for The Godfather: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Let them swim to the bottom of the ocean. -Don Domenico Clericuzio
...and this badass Don who has ran a crime family for decades actually means what he said, guys.
...and this, is my most favorite line from this book.
(Link: https://giphy.com/gifs/movie-godfathe...)
Strange that I was clueless about what Don Clericuzio actually meant when he causally commented (usually in the middle of his business meetings with his sons and trusted nephew, etc) 'let them/him/her swim to the bottom of the ocean'; the true meaning of these words had totally escaped me, but once I realized its true meaning, I was thrilled!
Okay, back to the story itself. At the beginning of the book, we see Don Clericuzio ( who is at the height of his power) made plan for his loved ones: the Family would withdraw itself (mostly) from illegal dealings, his three sons would go into different legal (but money-making) businesses; as to his trusted nephew Joseph 'Pippi' Le Dena, while the man would continue his job as the Family's number one hitman, still the Don arranged for him to move to Las Vegas to look after the Family's gamble business.
Pippi was one of the few people whom the Don trusted the most, but he had done one thing which weakened his position within the Family: he had married a beautiful wife who could hardly fit into the Family, even worse, the poor woman had no idea who her husband really was.
With the Don's blessing, Pippi's newborn son Cross, and the Don's own grandson Dante (son of the Don's widowed daughter) were christened at the very same day. The Don wished for these two infants to grow up and one day move on to the 'society', yet he could not foresee the fiery rivalry between Cross and Dante after they grew up, and the conflicts within the Family could easily disturb the future of the Clericuzio clan.
The Clericuzio clan is...you guessed it....is quite a copy of the Corleone Family from The Godfather: one badass Don as the family's leader, three sons, one widowed daughter, one adopted son/nephew, a wife who only slowly comes to realize her husband's secrets, blah blah blah. The similarities in the character's setting and the story's structure are undeniable.
However, in The Last Don we see a lot more about how the members of the third generation of a powerful crime family would turn up to be: we get the story of Cross and Dante, as they represent two different future for the Family.
As a main character, Cross has better development and internal struggles than Dante--the latter is painted as a violent, unlikable jerk throughout the book. We see the 20 years old Cross entered the 'family's business' as a young adult, slowly building up his reputation through the years, facing difficult missions and setbacks, and struggling between loyalty for his father (Pippi) and/or the Family and his goodwill.
I also like how we can see how a crime family operates, how these people run their business and how they 'deal' with traitors and enemies (all written in a down-to-earth, matter-of-fact manner) through the storylines of Cross and his father.
PS: Pippi's story really reminds me of a Chinese slang:
This time I'm glad to see in this story, women actually act as their own free agents instead of just voiceless, obedient wives, mothers and daughters like they did in The Godfather! Therefore female characters such as Claudia (Cross's younger sister) and Athena (well...the love interest) having their own storylines is quite refreshing (a lesbian director also plays a small part).
However! I really don't like all those plot lines and in-jokes about the showbiz in Hollywood and how people run business in the La la Land!
(Link: https://giphy.com/gifs/movie-godfathe...)
I know, Mario Puzo had been a script writer for Hollywood for years therefore he naturally knew a lot of insider's information; and he didn't shy away from making jokes about how script-writers and novelists were treated like third-class citizens in the showbiz. But! As light-hearted and delightful those Hollywood characters can be, all these lengthy Hollywood-plots still weights the whole story down!!!!
(Link: https://giphy.com/gifs/movie-godfathe...)
Yet, the ending part really does make up for the shortcoming of this novel.
Did I mention that this book isn't quite up-there with The Godfather? I mean.........nothing beats The Godfather, anyway. XD
I think the main reason why The Last Don fails to outperform The Godfather is that the sense of urgency in the story and my own emotional investment with the characters is both weaker this time. In The Godfather, the Corleone Family is at great risk when we meet them: Don Vito Corleone was injured and his son Mike must recuse his father and siblings, who wouldn't be touched by the loyalty and sadness he displays?
In the case of the Clericuzio Family, they are already secured in their power when we meet them and there isn't much of a crisis to be spoken of (until the ending part, that is). As to the romance(s)...let's face it, despite Mr. Puzo's mastery at crafting his world of outlaws and organized crime, he just wasn't as great when he was writing about the romantic relationships between men and women.
Review for The Godfather: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
November 5, 2020
I have now finished reading the swedish translation of Mario Puzo`s "The Last Don" which is another crime mystery thriller that takes you into the powerful empire of the Clericuzios.Like many other readers,i couldn`t help but compare this novel to the classic favourite "The Godfather".Puzo have a way of writing i have never experienced before in other novels.He writes in a way that gives me goosebumps and knows how to draw you into his world and make me care about his characters,good or evil.Domenico Clericuzio is the Don in this tale of destruction and betrayal and is obsessed with the dream of making his family business legal one day in the future for the sake of his grandchildren.But the past war against the other Mafia clan Santiados has left a terrible secret that threatens to destroy everything he holds dear.
I loved reading this novel,especially the parts with the Clericuzios who intrigued me with their Anti-hero characteristics but had great honor and loyalty towards each other.Their clans greatest assasin was Don`s nephew Joseph "Pippi" De Lena who was a mix in between Michael and Sonny Corleone which made him a very strong character in my eyes.His son who is actually the main-character in this novel Cross De Lena was another favourite character of mine since he represented much more humanity than the other Clericuzios since he often questioned their morals in life.I feel kinda bad for saying this,but i disliked all the female characters in this story despite their feminist view of the world and were women who had backbones in front of the Clericuzio clan.To me they were never ahead in front of the Clericuzio men,but garn damn how they sounded stupid every time they tried to outflank them.One scene for an example is when Pippi`s wife Nalene refused to share the custody of their son and daughter when they agreed to divorce.That scene made me want to slap her,especially since she did it with such great disrespect when she knew what a dangerous man Pippi actually was if he was to become your enemy.I also disliked Cross love-interest,the actress Athena.She was made for the readers to sympathize with her,but i found her so incredibly boring and stupid.For once i wished for Cross to not end up with her boring ass.Then we have Cross sister Claudia Clericuzio who becomes a script writer in Hollywood-gosh every scene with her made me cringe!Then we have the lifestyle of Hollywood and their disgusting non-morals and hypocrisy.That`s a world i want to have no part of since the famous people there can`t ever figure out how to be happy.
I do not regret reading "The Last Don",its a work of art and i loved following the Clericuzio clan.Don Clericuzio is a complex but very ruthless Don,who is more feared than loved.He allowed no mistakes in operations or plans but still had a forgiving streak when it came to his family.He tried to give his growing psychopath of a grandchild a chance while growing up,but that one betrayal destroyed every chances.I did not expect that Don had seen so far ahead of the consequences of that one betrayal,and my respect for him only strengthened after that.
I loved reading this novel,especially the parts with the Clericuzios who intrigued me with their Anti-hero characteristics but had great honor and loyalty towards each other.Their clans greatest assasin was Don`s nephew Joseph "Pippi" De Lena who was a mix in between Michael and Sonny Corleone which made him a very strong character in my eyes.His son who is actually the main-character in this novel Cross De Lena was another favourite character of mine since he represented much more humanity than the other Clericuzios since he often questioned their morals in life.I feel kinda bad for saying this,but i disliked all the female characters in this story despite their feminist view of the world and were women who had backbones in front of the Clericuzio clan.To me they were never ahead in front of the Clericuzio men,but garn damn how they sounded stupid every time they tried to outflank them.One scene for an example is when Pippi`s wife Nalene refused to share the custody of their son and daughter when they agreed to divorce.That scene made me want to slap her,especially since she did it with such great disrespect when she knew what a dangerous man Pippi actually was if he was to become your enemy.I also disliked Cross love-interest,the actress Athena.She was made for the readers to sympathize with her,but i found her so incredibly boring and stupid.For once i wished for Cross to not end up with her boring ass.Then we have Cross sister Claudia Clericuzio who becomes a script writer in Hollywood-gosh every scene with her made me cringe!Then we have the lifestyle of Hollywood and their disgusting non-morals and hypocrisy.That`s a world i want to have no part of since the famous people there can`t ever figure out how to be happy.
I do not regret reading "The Last Don",its a work of art and i loved following the Clericuzio clan.Don Clericuzio is a complex but very ruthless Don,who is more feared than loved.He allowed no mistakes in operations or plans but still had a forgiving streak when it came to his family.He tried to give his growing psychopath of a grandchild a chance while growing up,but that one betrayal destroyed every chances.I did not expect that Don had seen so far ahead of the consequences of that one betrayal,and my respect for him only strengthened after that.
January 29, 2024
A return to familiar territory for Puzo, with a tale of the mafia, Vegas and Hollywood. Written before the #MeToo revelations, the treatment of women and sex in early-90s Hollywood is uncomfortable - proof that this sort of behaviour was an open secret. Expertly plotted and skipping along at a decent pace, this is an old fashioned, entertaining look at the seedy underworld of the glamour and glitz, where morals and codes of honour result in violence and destruction. Compulsive reading.
March 1, 2018
Don Domenico Clericuzio is one sly devil. This book was brilliant. Enough said.
Let them swim at the bottom of the ocean.
Let them swim at the bottom of the ocean.
July 25, 2021
امتیاز 4/5
ماریو پوزو بی شک باید در اولین فرصت توسط پلیس فدرال آمریکا تحت تعقیب قرار میگرفت.
پیش زمینه
سال های 965 تا 1072 میلادی، بیش از 100 سال جزیره سیسیل و برخی دیگر از شهرهای جنوب ایتالیا تحت سلطه و کنترل اعراب بوده است. ساختار خانواده محور و استوار بر روابط بین اعضاء گروه های مافیای سیسیلی را به جا مانده از ساختار عشیره ای اعراب میدانند. همچنین برخی از ارزشهای مافیایی مانند وفای به عهد، جوانمردی، رازداری و پرهیز از خیانت، و خانواده دوستی را به جا مانده از دوران هرچند کوتاه سلطه ی مسلمانها بر جنوب ایتالیا میدانند. حدود 100 سال پیش با فشار بی حد و حصر حکومت فاشیستی ایتالیا به گروه هایی مافیای جنوب ایتالیا، فوج فوج از افراد این گروه ها برای زنده ماندن به آمریکای جوان مهاجرت میکردند. به کشوری که درگیر کار و صنعت و ارزشهای آزادی خواهانه است. تنها چیزی که این مهاجرین را میتوانست در این کشور جدید زنده نگه دارد خانواده بود. سیسیلی ها اول از همه گرد هم جمع میشدند و گروه هایی برای کمک به هم ایجاد میکردند و آرام آرام در مقابل ارزشهای جامعه ی آمریکا از شیوه هایی مانند رشوه، تهدید، قتل و کلاهبرداری استفاده کردند تا خود را به عنوان یک قدرت تاثیر گذار مطرح کنند.
آنها واردات انجام میدادند، موارد میفروختند، هتل میخریدند و قمارخانه راه می انداختند تا آدمهای مشهور را به دام بیاندازند، ستاره های مورد نظرشان را در فیلمها میچپاندند، با رشوه به سیاست مدارها قوانین مورد نظرشان را تصویب میرساندند، با تطمیع عوامل پلیس از قانون فرار میکردند و قاضیهای دادگاهها هم برای زنده ماندن مجبور بودند احکامشان را کمی بچرخانند.
و اما کتاب
ذکر اینهمه جزییات هیجان انگیز از فرهنگ و رفتار و عملکرد و جنایات مافیای سیسیل و آمریکا تنها از کسی بر میآید که خودش سالها عضوی مورد اعتماد از مافیا بوده باشد. چنان ارتباطات در این کتاب با دقت ظرافت طرح ریزی شده که میتوان ماریو پوزو را با شکمی بر آمده میان رفت آمد نوهها و بچهها تصور کرد که روی یک صندلی چوبی نشسته و سیگار برگش را دود میکند و گاهی هم شکمش را میخاراند. نویسنده برخی قوانین و خرده فرهنگهای مافیایی را برای ما شرح میدهد.اصطلاحات هیجان انگیزی مثل:
کامونیون: قتل انجام میشود و طوری برنامهریزی میشود تا مخالفین یا بازماندگان متوجه شوند که قتل توسط ما انجام شده است و اینگونه پیغام ارسال میشود.
کانفرمیشن: قتل مخالف در شرایطی که نخواهیم پیغامی برای مخالفین یا بازمانده مخابره شود به صورتی ناشناس انجام شده یا جسد مفقود میشود.
قانون اُمرتا: هیچ عضوی از مافیا حق ندارد با پلیس همکاری کند حتا اگر مافیا پدر و برادرش را به قتل رسانده باشد. این اصطلاح در فرهنگ مافیای سیسیلی مترادف مردانگی و جوانمردی قرار داده شده. شبیه همان قانونی که در دوران تحصیل هنگام تعطیل کردن کلاسها برخی آن را میشکستند که مشخصا مستوجب مرگی سخت و عبرت آموز بود.
روایت کتاب در جزییات روابط مافیایی به نظرم از کتاب پدرخوانده هم تکمیلتر است. فوقالعاده جذاب. در حین خواندن، زمان و مکان از دست میرود، از بس که ماجرا پشت ماجرا برایتان ردیف میشود.
نکتهی متمایز این کتاب نسبت به سایر آثار آمریکایی، پرداخت دقیق به دنیای هالیوود است. نقش تعیین کننده روابط جنسی تهیه کننده و کارگردان و عوامل اصلی یک کمپانی فیلمسازی با بازیگران زیباروی زن در انتخاب بازیگر یا ستاره شدن یک نوآموز. دوز و کلکی که آنها برای بیرون کشیدن حق یک بازیگر یا سرمایهگزار از حلقومش سوار میکنند. بده بستانهای پیچیده حقوقی و نقش وکلا در این بازی.
حالا ببینید اگر این دو طایفهی بیرحم - گروههای مافیایی و دنیای فیلمسازی هالیوود- به هم برسند و بر سر طعمهای سرشاخ شوند چه بلوایی به پا میشود.
ماریو پوزو اهل تحلیلهای طولانیِ درون ذهنی نیست. هر چه هست عینی است. صحنهها با طراحی عالی، موقعیتها با توصیفات کامل و شخصیتهای جا افتاده، در جای جای روایت کار گذاشته شدهاند که حاصل یک کتاب خواندنی در آمده که وقتی میخوانیدش انگار فیلم سینمایی را با تمام خدم و حشمش دیدهاید.
غیر از برخی از اتفاقات هندی بقیه کتاب عالی و فراموش نشدنی بود.
پینوشت: ای کاش فیلمی هم بر اساس این کتاب ساخته میشد
پینوشت دو: یک مینی سریال در سه قسمت گویا ساخته شده
خلاص
ماریو پوزو بی شک باید در اولین فرصت توسط پلیس فدرال آمریکا تحت تعقیب قرار میگرفت.
پیش زمینه
سال های 965 تا 1072 میلادی، بیش از 100 سال جزیره سیسیل و برخی دیگر از شهرهای جنوب ایتالیا تحت سلطه و کنترل اعراب بوده است. ساختار خانواده محور و استوار بر روابط بین اعضاء گروه های مافیای سیسیلی را به جا مانده از ساختار عشیره ای اعراب میدانند. همچنین برخی از ارزشهای مافیایی مانند وفای به عهد، جوانمردی، رازداری و پرهیز از خیانت، و خانواده دوستی را به جا مانده از دوران هرچند کوتاه سلطه ی مسلمانها بر جنوب ایتالیا میدانند. حدود 100 سال پیش با فشار بی حد و حصر حکومت فاشیستی ایتالیا به گروه هایی مافیای جنوب ایتالیا، فوج فوج از افراد این گروه ها برای زنده ماندن به آمریکای جوان مهاجرت میکردند. به کشوری که درگیر کار و صنعت و ارزشهای آزادی خواهانه است. تنها چیزی که این مهاجرین را میتوانست در این کشور جدید زنده نگه دارد خانواده بود. سیسیلی ها اول از همه گرد هم جمع میشدند و گروه هایی برای کمک به هم ایجاد میکردند و آرام آرام در مقابل ارزشهای جامعه ی آمریکا از شیوه هایی مانند رشوه، تهدید، قتل و کلاهبرداری استفاده کردند تا خود را به عنوان یک قدرت تاثیر گذار مطرح کنند.
آنها واردات انجام میدادند، موارد میفروختند، هتل میخریدند و قمارخانه راه می انداختند تا آدمهای مشهور را به دام بیاندازند، ستاره های مورد نظرشان را در فیلمها میچپاندند، با رشوه به سیاست مدارها قوانین مورد نظرشان را تصویب میرساندند، با تطمیع عوامل پلیس از قانون فرار میکردند و قاضیهای دادگاهها هم برای زنده ماندن مجبور بودند احکامشان را کمی بچرخانند.
و اما کتاب
ذکر اینهمه جزییات هیجان انگیز از فرهنگ و رفتار و عملکرد و جنایات مافیای سیسیل و آمریکا تنها از کسی بر میآید که خودش سالها عضوی مورد اعتماد از مافیا بوده باشد. چنان ارتباطات در این کتاب با دقت ظرافت طرح ریزی شده که میتوان ماریو پوزو را با شکمی بر آمده میان رفت آمد نوهها و بچهها تصور کرد که روی یک صندلی چوبی نشسته و سیگار برگش را دود میکند و گاهی هم شکمش را میخاراند. نویسنده برخی قوانین و خرده فرهنگهای مافیایی را برای ما شرح میدهد.اصطلاحات هیجان انگیزی مثل:
کامونیون: قتل انجام میشود و طوری برنامهریزی میشود تا مخالفین یا بازماندگان متوجه شوند که قتل توسط ما انجام شده است و اینگونه پیغام ارسال میشود.
کانفرمیشن: قتل مخالف در شرایطی که نخواهیم پیغامی برای مخالفین یا بازمانده مخابره شود به صورتی ناشناس انجام شده یا جسد مفقود میشود.
قانون اُمرتا: هیچ عضوی از مافیا حق ندارد با پلیس همکاری کند حتا اگر مافیا پدر و برادرش را به قتل رسانده باشد. این اصطلاح در فرهنگ مافیای سیسیلی مترادف مردانگی و جوانمردی قرار داده شده. شبیه همان قانونی که در دوران تحصیل هنگام تعطیل کردن کلاسها برخی آن را میشکستند که مشخصا مستوجب مرگی سخت و عبرت آموز بود.
روایت کتاب در جزییات روابط مافیایی به نظرم از کتاب پدرخوانده هم تکمیلتر است. فوقالعاده جذاب. در حین خواندن، زمان و مکان از دست میرود، از بس که ماجرا پشت ماجرا برایتان ردیف میشود.
نکتهی متمایز این کتاب نسبت به سایر آثار آمریکایی، پرداخت دقیق به دنیای هالیوود است. نقش تعیین کننده روابط جنسی تهیه کننده و کارگردان و عوامل اصلی یک کمپانی فیلمسازی با بازیگران زیباروی زن در انتخاب بازیگر یا ستاره شدن یک نوآموز. دوز و کلکی که آنها برای بیرون کشیدن حق یک بازیگر یا سرمایهگزار از حلقومش سوار میکنند. بده بستانهای پیچیده حقوقی و نقش وکلا در این بازی.
حالا ببینید اگر این دو طایفهی بیرحم - گروههای مافیایی و دنیای فیلمسازی هالیوود- به هم برسند و بر سر طعمهای سرشاخ شوند چه بلوایی به پا میشود.
ماریو پوزو اهل تحلیلهای طولانیِ درون ذهنی نیست. هر چه هست عینی است. صحنهها با طراحی عالی، موقعیتها با توصیفات کامل و شخصیتهای جا افتاده، در جای جای روایت کار گذاشته شدهاند که حاصل یک کتاب خواندنی در آمده که وقتی میخوانیدش انگار فیلم سینمایی را با تمام خدم و حشمش دیدهاید.
غیر از برخی از اتفاقات هندی بقیه کتاب عالی و فراموش نشدنی بود.
پینوشت: ای کاش فیلمی هم بر اساس این کتاب ساخته میشد
پینوشت دو: یک مینی سریال در سه قسمت گویا ساخته شده
خلاص
July 24, 2024
Although The Godfather is still my favorite, I like this one too. The last Don brings the authentic writing syle of Mario Puzo. Dramatic and chilling. I love how he build each character, develop each of the character and with dramatic bangs colliding them into a climax.
January 18, 2019
در پشت هر ثروتی جنایتی نهفته است، جنایتی كه فراموش شده و از نظرها پنهان گشته، به این علت که ظاهر آن خوب جلوه داده شده و از راه قانونی انجام گرفته است انوره دو بالزاک
خواندن کتاب را با این تصور شروع کردم که آخرین پدرخوانده، همان داستانی ست که فرانسیس فورد کاپولا سه گانه پدرخوانده را با اقتباس از آن به روی پرده سینما برده است، اما آخرین پدرخوانده داستانی دیگر را روایت می کند. کوچ مافیای ایتالیا به آمریکا در اثر فشار فاشیسم و سازگار شدن با جامعه مدرن آمریکا در عین حفظ ارزش های سنتی خانواده. نویسنده به طور ضمنی، به نقد جامعه آمریکا و آرمان های مدرن آن می پردازد، جامعه ای که در آن با پول می توان دست به هر کاری زد. پول و قدرتی که به بهانه حفظ خانواده بدست می آید و در نهایت خود سبب نابودی آن نیز خواهد شد. ارزش های آمریکایی در کتاب به خوبی تصویر می شوند و نویسنده درمقام دانای کل در توصیف و موشکافی شخصیت ها به قدری موفق عمل می کند که مخاطب بعد از خواندن نیمی از کتاب، می تواند براحتی آن ها را قضاوت کند.
هر فصل از کتاب به ماجرای عضوی از خانواده در گوشه ای از آمریکا می پردازد تا اینکه در گره گشایی نهایی، افراد مذکور در دایره ی سرخ قرار گرفته و و سرنوشت هرکدام روشن می شود. اگر فیلم پدرخوانده را دیده و از آن لذت برده اید، خواندن این کتاب را هم توصیه می کنم
June 21, 2010
BETTER THAN THE GODFATHER IN EVERY ASPECT!
This is Mario Puzo at his finest! The characters are beautifully well drawn, the pace is carefully controlled and the climax breath taking!
If only Coppola could turn this into a movie instead of that silly cheap TV cash in, we'd have Mafia GOLD on our hands! Cross De Lena, about the coolest character this side of Michael Corleone! Cooler in fact!
This is Mario Puzo at his finest! The characters are beautifully well drawn, the pace is carefully controlled and the climax breath taking!
If only Coppola could turn this into a movie instead of that silly cheap TV cash in, we'd have Mafia GOLD on our hands! Cross De Lena, about the coolest character this side of Michael Corleone! Cooler in fact!
February 7, 2025
A great read. Much better than expected. I think if a reader is a fan of the Godfather he/she would very likely enjoy this novel. I love the suspense, thriller, intrigue elements of the main storyline. Cross & Athena were two of the main characters that I love rooting for. Their subplots were very interesting to read. The ending was much more satisfying than the author’ other mafia novel, The Sicilian… Overall, this was a very enjoyable book & I would recommend it.
October 7, 2020
A clever Puzo mafia tale, looking at how the 'Last Don' manipulates all and sundry to covertly push the 'family' into legitimate business. An interesting approach that creates an entertaining story. 6 out of 12
June 30, 2021
"There was no doubt about it, people who pursued money rather than art had longer careers, got more pleasure in life, were much better and more socially valuable people than those artists who tried to show the divine spark in human beings. Too bad you couldn't make a movie about that. That money was more healing than art and love. But the public would never buy it." (41)
But, oh, how they have! Just see: Goodfellas, The Departed, Scarface, and yes, the goddaddy of them all, The Godfather. I began The Last Don because I craved a swift fun summer read. A beach book. And remembering the infinite pleasure I derived from Puzo's masterpiece, I decided to recreate some semblance of that experience. And yeah, I got it!
Obvi, this is not as good. Obviously! But the prose, so fast and almost clumsy, sort of repetitive in its money and power examples, of events in history and farflung mobster fantasy, of power and money starving folks and the ugly deeds and their awful dispositions and scary characters...
Anyway, this one is more Hollywood and sags a bit in the middle, with its producer and will-they-wont-they-make-THE-movie? plot, its absolutely lesser than its ingenious predecessor. The first major murder occurs around this point, too. Not that Godfather was a bloodbath--no. But the themes in Don are obviously the ones that worked and gave Puzo accolades (as well as two Oscars for screenplay!). The writer is intuitive because he knows what works: unfortunately, he's already shown that magic the first time around...
But, oh, how they have! Just see: Goodfellas, The Departed, Scarface, and yes, the goddaddy of them all, The Godfather. I began The Last Don because I craved a swift fun summer read. A beach book. And remembering the infinite pleasure I derived from Puzo's masterpiece, I decided to recreate some semblance of that experience. And yeah, I got it!
Obvi, this is not as good. Obviously! But the prose, so fast and almost clumsy, sort of repetitive in its money and power examples, of events in history and farflung mobster fantasy, of power and money starving folks and the ugly deeds and their awful dispositions and scary characters...
Anyway, this one is more Hollywood and sags a bit in the middle, with its producer and will-they-wont-they-make-THE-movie? plot, its absolutely lesser than its ingenious predecessor. The first major murder occurs around this point, too. Not that Godfather was a bloodbath--no. But the themes in Don are obviously the ones that worked and gave Puzo accolades (as well as two Oscars for screenplay!). The writer is intuitive because he knows what works: unfortunately, he's already shown that magic the first time around...
February 12, 2018
Mario Puzo's The Last Don translation in simplified Chinese......well to tell the truth the translation itself is...........messy, the translator clearly didn't get many of the English/American slang and some of the words simply got translated WRONGLY, so it's very off putting.
Plus, to make matter worse, there is one rape scene in the novel and due to the shitty books censorship in mainland China (which I hate), this scene got cut out in a really clumsy manner, readers most likely won't know what is going on in this scene because the whole paragraphs got cut up so badly. That's so insulting to the readers, it feels like the fools within the Chinese government believes readers cannot handle reading about one rape scene when there has already been people getting murdered, their corpses gotten sank into the sea and all this violence shit in the story.
*sighs* At least I borrowed this book from the library and reading in Chinese took a lot less effort and energy than the original English version.
Last but not least, although I'm glad in this novel women are treated as people who rightfully have their own desires, careers and stuff but it is still icky when Mr. Puzo talked about Hollywood actresses have to use sex in exchange for leading roles and stuff. Completely icky.
Plus, to make matter worse, there is one rape scene in the novel and due to the shitty books censorship in mainland China (which I hate), this scene got cut out in a really clumsy manner, readers most likely won't know what is going on in this scene because the whole paragraphs got cut up so badly. That's so insulting to the readers, it feels like the fools within the Chinese government believes readers cannot handle reading about one rape scene when there has already been people getting murdered, their corpses gotten sank into the sea and all this violence shit in the story.
*sighs* At least I borrowed this book from the library and reading in Chinese took a lot less effort and energy than the original English version.
Last but not least, although I'm glad in this novel women are treated as people who rightfully have their own desires, careers and stuff but it is still icky when Mr. Puzo talked about Hollywood actresses have to use sex in exchange for leading roles and stuff. Completely icky.
April 20, 2019
بسیار عالی و دلچسب، حتی شاید بتواند گفت بهتر از پدرخوانده... با ترجمه ای روان و خوب
November 27, 2015
Last book by the last don himself.
Very very well written
Full of surprises.
Loved it, excellent form.
Very very well written
Full of surprises.
Loved it, excellent form.
September 27, 2020
Longer English review for the book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I'm re-reading The Last Don in Chinese in order to refresh my memory and get inspiration for my fanfics.
In this re-read, I do realize the characters aren't as reliable and refreshing as those in The Godfather, it isn't easy to rely to the MC Cross and his struggle, but I do like how Mr. Puzo described the innerworkings of the Mafia, the casino business and the Hollywood film business.
Although it's a bit strange to read about Mr. Puzo described the Hollywood in all her glory whilst currently in 2020, Hollywood and the movie business are both suffering the blow of economical downturn and CCPVirus epidemic.
I'm re-reading The Last Don in Chinese in order to refresh my memory and get inspiration for my fanfics.
In this re-read, I do realize the characters aren't as reliable and refreshing as those in The Godfather, it isn't easy to rely to the MC Cross and his struggle, but I do like how Mr. Puzo described the innerworkings of the Mafia, the casino business and the Hollywood film business.
Although it's a bit strange to read about Mr. Puzo described the Hollywood in all her glory whilst currently in 2020, Hollywood and the movie business are both suffering the blow of economical downturn and CCPVirus epidemic.
June 4, 2020
Mediocre 2.7 estrelas (em bom português: lê-se)
Este é um daqueles livros que nem é bom nem é mau, chega até a irritar tanta mediocridade (digo-o no sentido literal do termo). Não acrescenta nada de novo e é bastante previsivél.
Decidi lê-lo porque está classificado com um tema que eu gosto: máfia. Contudo, acaba mais por ser um drama com algumas aproximações ao mundo da máfia do que outra coisa. Existem obras sobre este tema muito mais interessantes e excitantes (o próprio Puzo tem livros bem mais interessantes sobre este tópico).
Há contudo uma coisa que tenho mesmo de frisar, é o 3° livro que leio editado pela "1117" (penso que só editam livros de bolso) e tenho a dizer que foi provavelmente a última vez. Em termos de tradução são razoáveis (médianos, dado o preço), mas esta edição conseguiu superar o cúmulo do ridículo. Pela primeira vez na vida encontrei uma contra capa que conta o final da história (Porquê 1117?!? Porquê?). A meio do livro começamos a desconfiar que a contra capa pode conter o final, a 2/3 do livro temos a certeza e quando chegamos ao fim, desanimamos por completo porque nem aqui pudemos sentir o gosto do suspense. Provavelmente o fim poderia ser a única coisa que despertaria a nossa curiosidade, mas a 1117 faz-nos o favor de que nesta edição, nem isto tenhamos. Enfim...
Por outro lado, é fácil de ler sendo uma boa opção caso queiramos articular com a leitura de obras exigentes. Mas mesmo nesta categoria das obras fáceis de ler e "para descansar o cérebro" existe literatura bem melhor.
Este é um daqueles livros que nem é bom nem é mau, chega até a irritar tanta mediocridade (digo-o no sentido literal do termo). Não acrescenta nada de novo e é bastante previsivél.
Decidi lê-lo porque está classificado com um tema que eu gosto: máfia. Contudo, acaba mais por ser um drama com algumas aproximações ao mundo da máfia do que outra coisa. Existem obras sobre este tema muito mais interessantes e excitantes (o próprio Puzo tem livros bem mais interessantes sobre este tópico).
Há contudo uma coisa que tenho mesmo de frisar, é o 3° livro que leio editado pela "1117" (penso que só editam livros de bolso) e tenho a dizer que foi provavelmente a última vez. Em termos de tradução são razoáveis (médianos, dado o preço), mas esta edição conseguiu superar o cúmulo do ridículo. Pela primeira vez na vida encontrei uma contra capa que conta o final da história (Porquê 1117?!? Porquê?). A meio do livro começamos a desconfiar que a contra capa pode conter o final, a 2/3 do livro temos a certeza e quando chegamos ao fim, desanimamos por completo porque nem aqui pudemos sentir o gosto do suspense. Provavelmente o fim poderia ser a única coisa que despertaria a nossa curiosidade, mas a 1117 faz-nos o favor de que nesta edição, nem isto tenhamos. Enfim...
Por outro lado, é fácil de ler sendo uma boa opção caso queiramos articular com a leitura de obras exigentes. Mas mesmo nesta categoria das obras fáceis de ler e "para descansar o cérebro" existe literatura bem melhor.
October 23, 2014
Similar to The Godfather in many ways, it didn't seem to be as tight of a story, but it's been years since I last read it, so I can't say for certain. It wasn't bad, but I didn't like any of the characters as much nor was there as much violence. All in all, it was a west coast version mostly set few decades later, an imitation.
I did get a kick out of the writer character. Quite a bit of time is spent on Hollywood studios screwing everyone on contracts, especially the writers. Net points are dreams of money & never pay out due to creative accounting, as this writer finds out the hard way. Then the studio goes on to make millions on sequels & doesn't have to pay the author because they bought the characters, too. I wonder how much autobiographical info is in this story?
Not bad, but I'm glad I just borrowed the audio book from the library & didn't pay for it.
I did get a kick out of the writer character. Quite a bit of time is spent on Hollywood studios screwing everyone on contracts, especially the writers. Net points are dreams of money & never pay out due to creative accounting, as this writer finds out the hard way. Then the studio goes on to make millions on sequels & doesn't have to pay the author because they bought the characters, too. I wonder how much autobiographical info is in this story?
Not bad, but I'm glad I just borrowed the audio book from the library & didn't pay for it.
October 17, 2020
I got this from Audible on a Sale item and glad I did. I was expecting a fairly lightweight 'boy book' which would be a distraction from Covid/Brexit and Trump. It was far more than that, giving a lucid explanation of the Sicilian system of warlords offering governance in return for tribal loyalty and economic control.
The description of Mob methods sounded completely authentic and tied in with Norman Lewis' account of post war Italian history.
Mario Puzo certainly knew how to plot and pace a novel. He made the serious point that many mobsters, like everyone else, would like a settled family life but their way of earning a crust makes that highly unlikely.
The 'might is right' and disregard for civilised norms themes in the novel reminded me of Trump and his admiration for hard men like Putin, so my efforts at escapism were not entirely successful.
The description of Mob methods sounded completely authentic and tied in with Norman Lewis' account of post war Italian history.
Mario Puzo certainly knew how to plot and pace a novel. He made the serious point that many mobsters, like everyone else, would like a settled family life but their way of earning a crust makes that highly unlikely.
The 'might is right' and disregard for civilised norms themes in the novel reminded me of Trump and his admiration for hard men like Putin, so my efforts at escapism were not entirely successful.
September 12, 2012
Like most of the others who have reviewed this book, I thought it was much too long. My favorite review so far was simply "too many chapters." But Puzo's problem in this book extends beyond excessive chapters, or length; it's that he tried to write two different stories in one, with too many characters and too little tension. The story about the Clericuzio family is actually quite interesting and well crafted, but Puzo drags out the set-up for 300 pages, finally puts together some genuine plot movement, then rushes the ending, at just under 500 pages, making both the journey and the payoff frustrating and unsatisfying. I was thrilled to finally be done with the book, but I also put it down yearning for more of the good stuff. Many of the Hollywood characters are so forgettable, I struggled to understand why they were a part of the story at all. Cross, Pippi and The Don are far and away the most compelling element of the story. I would have skipped the first 300 pages of movie industry garbage and gotten right to the heart of the Clericuzio struggles. I loved The Godfather, and I do love Puzo's storytelling--he is a very talented writer. But he needed to pick between indulging in his bitter Hollywood rant, or nailing another intriguing mob thriller.
March 12, 2007
really not sure why this wasn't made into a movie as well.
classic puzo, one of his best books. if you have any interest in the mafia, the godfather, the sopranos, etc, grab this book.
classic puzo, one of his best books. if you have any interest in the mafia, the godfather, the sopranos, etc, grab this book.
September 14, 2017
What is past is past. never go back. Not for excuses. Not for justification, not for happiness. You are what you are, the world is what it is.
February 6, 2017
But,oh,what a wicked world it was that drove a man to sin.
April 26, 2022
Much admired by William Burroughs, this crime thriller is far better than THE GODFATHER or anything else Mario Puzo ever wrote. (But not the last. That would be the posthumously published and justly forgotten OMERTA.) Puzo pursues his "it's not personal, only business" philosophy in telling the tale of two cousins from the same crime family who battle each other from Hollywood to Las Vegas; one in search of vengeance for a deed committed decades earlier by the family Don (trust me, it's both horrific and brilliant) and the other to stop him while building his own mini-empire of crime. The title character watches all this more with bemusement than fear. A true page-turner that you may want to read at one sitting.
August 17, 2018
One of those books that I found are difficult to read but touch a nerve.
I have read this more than three times if I rememeber, and once in Urdu. Having read the God Father, I just loved this one. Mario's books (All of the two I have read) have a capability to make you restless with the sheer amount of violence. Not recommended for faint-hearted.
I have read this more than three times if I rememeber, and once in Urdu. Having read the God Father, I just loved this one. Mario's books (All of the two I have read) have a capability to make you restless with the sheer amount of violence. Not recommended for faint-hearted.
October 1, 2021
راستش حتی نمیدونم که چرا بهش پنج ستاره نمیدم چون خیلی خوب بود. ولی همچنان خود کتاب پدرخوانده یه چیز دیگهست و خیلی پختهتر بود. خیلی برام جالبه که تو ۶۴۰ صفحه بتونی این همه هیجان رو یه سره نگه داری و تو هر نقطهای که هستی، کتاب برات ۴-۵ ستاره باشه.
June 9, 2012
Weak and long-winded. I understand that ever Puzo's book will be compared to Godfather and judged by its standard, but this book is weak even without that comaprisson.
The premise of the book is that Don Clericuzio wants to retire from mafia business and "go legit" and how he does that. In book's opening he announces this intention to the family, wishing that his children, and nephew will start legitimate businesses and their children reap the benefits.
So far so good but then the story splits into several subplots. One is Cross' business (he is the son of Don's nephew) in vagas, running a casino. Instead of showing how such business, being important piece of mafia's work, is done we get to see almost nothing of it. Some links to organised crime are there, but overall this is mostly a dead end.
Another subplot is Hollywood business, behind-the-scenes workings of studio. This story takes most of the book but is pointless and could easily be trimmed down to 10% of its entire size. It has only limited connection to alledged main story, mostly through Cross' sister, who is not involved in mafia business. I kept expecting how worlds will finally meet, collide and how each side's inner workings will be pitted against each other, but that happens only toward the end and briefly.
Even "going legit" plan is touched only briefly, Don's sons are there but reduced to supporting characters, popping up from time to time but playing little part in overall progress of the story.
Then there is Santadio war. We learn it was this that allowed Clericuzio family to dominate, Don lost his son in it and Cross' father played an important role in it. Beyond that nobody in the family wants to talk about and Cross' questions are repeatedly left unanswered. I understand this was before the internet and Google but are we supposed to believe family was Cross only potential source of information? What prevented him from walking in nearest library and looking through newspaper archives? In the end when entire story is finally revealed it's anticlimatic after all that buil up.
In the end one can wonder what did Puzo attempt to write about? This is clearly not a book about mafia family "going legit" because we see little of those attempts. It's not a story about influence of organised crime in Vegas because we see little of that either. It's not a story about influence of organised crime in Hollywood because that subplot has weak links to main protagonists. And whole Santadio war subplot is handled badly, in the end resolution feels rushed and forced, simply mechanical closing of open ends.
Bad book and waste of time.
The premise of the book is that Don Clericuzio wants to retire from mafia business and "go legit" and how he does that. In book's opening he announces this intention to the family, wishing that his children, and nephew will start legitimate businesses and their children reap the benefits.
So far so good but then the story splits into several subplots. One is Cross' business (he is the son of Don's nephew) in vagas, running a casino. Instead of showing how such business, being important piece of mafia's work, is done we get to see almost nothing of it. Some links to organised crime are there, but overall this is mostly a dead end.
Another subplot is Hollywood business, behind-the-scenes workings of studio. This story takes most of the book but is pointless and could easily be trimmed down to 10% of its entire size. It has only limited connection to alledged main story, mostly through Cross' sister, who is not involved in mafia business. I kept expecting how worlds will finally meet, collide and how each side's inner workings will be pitted against each other, but that happens only toward the end and briefly.
Even "going legit" plan is touched only briefly, Don's sons are there but reduced to supporting characters, popping up from time to time but playing little part in overall progress of the story.
Then there is Santadio war. We learn it was this that allowed Clericuzio family to dominate, Don lost his son in it and Cross' father played an important role in it. Beyond that nobody in the family wants to talk about and Cross' questions are repeatedly left unanswered. I understand this was before the internet and Google but are we supposed to believe family was Cross only potential source of information? What prevented him from walking in nearest library and looking through newspaper archives? In the end when entire story is finally revealed it's anticlimatic after all that buil up.
In the end one can wonder what did Puzo attempt to write about? This is clearly not a book about mafia family "going legit" because we see little of those attempts. It's not a story about influence of organised crime in Vegas because we see little of that either. It's not a story about influence of organised crime in Hollywood because that subplot has weak links to main protagonists. And whole Santadio war subplot is handled badly, in the end resolution feels rushed and forced, simply mechanical closing of open ends.
Bad book and waste of time.
June 1, 2017
فوق العاده تاثیر گذار ، داستان قوی و پایان بندی عالی
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