Puzo, Mario

"Don" Vito Corleone is the head of a New York mafia 'family.' His beloved son Michael has just come home from the war, but does not intend to become part of his father's business. Not given a choice, the business of the family is just like the head of the family, kind and benevolent to those who give respect, but gives in to ruthless violence whenever anything stands against the good of the family. An up and coming rival of the Corleone family wants to start selling drugs in New York, and needs the Don's influence to further his plan. A clash of old world values and the new ways will exact a terrible price, especially from Michael.

The Corleone family struggles with the deception, greed, and death brought about by its activities as part of the Italian Mafia.

Mafia leader Vito Corleone uses his power to influence all aspects of his Long Island society and will stop at nothing to see that his twisted vision of justice is carried out.

The Corleone family nearly falls from power in America, but the organized crime family prevails and power passes from father to son.

Mafia leader Vito Corleone uses his power to influence all aspects of his Long Island society and will stop at nothing to see that his twisted vision of justice is carried out.

Don Raymonde Aprile, retired after a long career of organized crime, is assassinated by a pair of hit men who believe there is no one left to seek revenge, but they did not count on the Don's adopted "nephew" from Sicily, a child raised unlike Aprile's own three children to take over the crime family.

Lucia Santa and her six children living in New York's Hell's Kitchen at the beginning of the Great Depression make choices about their assimilation into American culture, including the choice of her oldest son to join the Mafia.