Mario Puzo’s The Godfather topped the charts for 67 consecutive weeks on the Times bestseller list. Over the years, more than 21 million copies were sold. The book was made into a film of the same name and won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1972. Another remake of this film with the same name won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1974. He wrote the screenplay for both the films. He made violence in real life synonymous with the real one and sex a legitimate subject for the coming generation of American writers to take inspiration from.
Son of an illiterate, schizophrenic railroad trackman, his life could be a runaway synopsis of the Great American Dream. His military duty during World War II and working as an apprentice writer creating pulp tales for men’s magazines, writing wonderful fiction as well as non-fiction pieces, could well be remembered for their commercial success. He loved playing tennis and gambling during his free hours. As a spirited tennis player, he served and volleyed his works as a ball, which most times responded with truckloads of money and rave reviews from die-hard critics. At times, his work went unrecognized even as he pinned high hopes on them. Thus, life itself was a gamble for him – who lost when readers were not convinced and won two Oscars and a nomination for a third while winning. Heller, an eyewitness at Puzo’s deathbed quotes him, "I never knew dying could be such a social occasion." Such will be the story emanating from the pages ahead that Mario played all his life.
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