Mario Puzo Quotes

“Forgive. Forget. Life is full of misfortunes.”
― Mario Puzo, The Godfather

“Behind every great fortune there is a crime.”
― Mario Puzo, The Godfather

“In this world there comes a time when the most humble of men, if he keeps his eyes open, can take his revenge on the most powerful.”
― Mario Puzo, The Godfather

“Do not count on the gratitude of deeds done for people in the past,you must make them grateful for things you will do for them in the future.”
― Mario Puzo, Omerta

“Ah, men understand friendship more than we woman.”
― Mario Puzo, The Godfather

“The world is what it is, and you are what you are.”
― Mario Puzo, The Last Don

“Italians have a little joke, that the world is so hard a man must have two fathers to look after him, and that's why they have godfathers. Since Johnny's father died, Mr. Corleone feels his responsibility even more deeply. As for trying you again, Mr. Corleone is much too sensitive. He never asks a second favor where he has been refused the first.”
― Mario Puzo, The Godfather

“Genius had its rewards.”
― Mario Puzo, The Godfather

“Pope Alexander smiled. He seemed more amused with the story than horrified. "The Baglioni are true believers," he said. "They believe in paradise. Such a great gift. How otherwise can man bear this moral life? Unfortunately, such a belief also gives evil men the courage to commit great crimes in the name of good and God.”
― Mario Puzo, The Family

“People change, they have faulty memories, gratitude for past generosities fades.”
― Mario Puzo, The Last Don

“But della Rovere frowned and said, "Heed my warning, Guido Feltra. He's full of the devil, this son of the church.”
― Mario Puzo, The Family

“A man's primary duty in life is to earn his own living, but to what purpose if he did not have a wife and children?”
― Mario Puzo, The Last Don

“I was young myself once, and believe me, in love the truth is of no importance.”
― Mario Puzo, Omerta

“He had asked Hagen one final question. "Does this man have real balls?"

Hagen translated the question properly in his mind. Did Jack Woltz have the balls to risk everything, to run the chance of losing all on a matter of principle, on a matter of honor; for revenge?”
― Mario Puzo, The Godfather

“He wanted the world to believe that he was a horse rider. So let him ride his horses at the bottom of the ocean.”
― Mario Puzo, The Last Don

“A life is sacred or it isn't. We can't adjust what we believe just because it causes us pain.”
― Mario Puzo, Omerta

“Don Corleone had promised his godson he would get the part and Don Corleone had never, to Hagen's knowledge, broken his word in such matters.”
― Mario Puzo, The Godfather

“Behind every great fortune there is a crime”
― Balzac