Book Talk: Ed Falco, ‘Family Corleone’

Mario Puzo’s “The Godfather” was published in 1969. Sometime between then and the release of Francis Ford Coppola’s movie adaptation in 1972, I read the book. I loved both, which is unusual for me because I am nearly always disappointed by film versions of best-sellers. And, although “The Godfather” remains one of my favorite movies, I actually like “Godfather Part II” more. Puzo worked on screen writing both (see below). 

I won’t comment on the Part III movie, also referred to as “Godfather Coda,” which should have been burned rather than shown. Puzo had nothing to do with that one. However, before Puzo died, he and Coppola had discussed another treatment, set during the 1930s. Later, Ed Falco, working in cooperation with the Puzo estate, produced a novel, “The Family Corleone” (2013, 525 pages in paperback format). But I only recently discovered this rare gem.

Before buying the book, I read several book reviews because I’m always suspicious of follow-up books written by someone other than the original author. For example, I enjoyed “M*A*S*H,” the novel by Richard Hooker, the movie starring Donald Sutherland, and the TV series, starring Alan Alda. But the novel was followed by a dozen (count ‘em, 12) sequels, all bore Hooker’s name although they were really written by Richard Butterfield, who is cited as co-author. I read them all, and they were collectively terrible.