Mario Puzo Lives On
Mario Puzo was born on October 15, 1920, in New York City, USA, to Italian immigrant parents. He grew up in a predominantly Italian-American neighborhood, which would later influence his writing.
While working as a civil servant, he started his career as a writer in the 1950s, initially penning pulp fiction short stories for men’s magazines. In 1955 he wrote The Dark Arena which pain him three-thousand dollars. His second book, The Fortunate Pilgrim, brought him thirty-five hundred dollars.
However, it was his 1969 novel, The Godfather, that catapulted him to fame and helped him get out of debt. Puzo was a struggling writer up to this point. The book, inspired by his own Italian heritage and the stories of organized crime, became a bestseller and remains one of the most iconic works of American literature.
In 1972, “The Godfather” was adapted into a highly successful film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, starring Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone and Al Pacino as Michael Corleone. The film won several Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Puzo continued to explore themes of crime, power, and the American Dream in other novels such as The Sicilian, The Last Don, Omerta, Fools Die and The Family. He also co-wrote screenplays for other films, including “Superman” (1978) and its sequels.
Mario Puzo’s work often delved into the complexities of loyalty, family, and the allure of power, especially within the context of the Mafia. His storytelling talent and ability to bring his characters to life made him a celebrated author in the crime fiction genre.
Mario Puzo passed away on July 2, 1999, at 78 of heart failure. His books will live on for many years to come and any writer can learn a great deal from the works of Mr. Puzo.
If you like this blog then you will love the book, Secrets of the Mob. You can find it here:https://www.secretsofthemob.com/book-secrets-of-the
mob and my first novel Angels of Death:Killers for Hire
https://www.secretsofthemob.com/book-angels-of-death-killers-for-hire.
