"The narrative bowls along... to keep readers turning pages all the way to an explosive showdown." (Daily Mail)"As for fiction, there can only be one choice - The Godfather." (The Times)"The Godfather, one of the most entertaining and absorbing popular novels of the postwar period... Puzo's masterpiece." (Observer)"A splendid and distinguished blood saga of the Cosa Nostra, the American Mafia, and of the whirl created by five families of mafiosi at war in New York." (Sunday Times)"A splendid and distinguished blood saga of the Cosa Nostra, the American Mafia, and of the whirl created by five families of mafiosi at war in New York." (New York Post)**With an exclusive introduction by Francis Ford Coppola**Tyrant, blackmailer, racketeer, murderer ? his influence reaches every level of American society. Meet Don Corleone, a friendly man, a just man, a reasonable man. The deadliest lord of the Cosa Nostra. The Godfather.A modern masterpiece, The Godfather is a searing portrait of the 1940s criminal underworld. It is also the intimate story of the Corleone family, at once drawn together and ripped apart by its unique position at the core of the American Mafia. Mario Puzo?s compelling tale of blackmail, murder and family values is a true classic, and remains just as shocking fifty years after it was first published.This special anniversary edition is a must-have for admirers of the novel and essential reading for fans of the timeless film adaptations.