Download or read book Mario Puzo An American Writer s Quest written by M. J. Moore and published by Heliotrope Books LLC. This book was released on 2019-03-08 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Los Angeles Times said it best: "Puzo [was] a man who . . . remained in the shadows throughout his long career as a novelist and screenwriter, only rarely speaking to the press." That may not seem like such an oddity until one is reminded that during the mid-1970s The Godfather sold more copies per year than any other book except the Bible...Puzo was also a writer who struggled for decades before any success occurred; and only after age 50 was he an author whose success was so prodigious that it affected, tainted, defined, and pigeonholed the artist who, out of economic desperation and romantic imagination (plus will power and the ability to follow through), created the single most recognizable of American protagonists. In the life of Puzo, all roads led to The Godfather. No other writer of his generation created such an internationally embraced, mythic, beloved tale. . . . Although Mario Puzo had received major critical praise for his first two novels (1955's The Dark Arena and 1965's The Fortunate Pilgrim), sales were all but flat. Then: Badly indebted, with five children, pushing 50 and plagued by stress, he vowed to write a best-seller. His third novel was The Godfather. "Backed up by hard facts and filled with behind-the-scenes stories, M. J. Moore's book is a definititive guide for all fans of Mario Puzo who want to know more about his life, work, and personal achievements." --Carol Gino, author of The Nurse's Story, Rusty's Story, and Me & Mario "Puzo's fans will appreciate this warm portrait." --Kirkus Reviews "Moore begins by recounting Puzo's Hell's Kitchen upbringing, his Army service as a clerk during and after WWII, his persistent money troubles ... and his investigation by the FBI for selling draft deferments. Moore is at his best when using these details ..." --Publishers Weekly
Download or read book For Paris with Love Squalor written by Mj Moore and published by . This book was released on 2017-10-17 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Floating in time between 2015 and 1944, this novel both celebrates and laments exalted hopes and broken dreams. The narrator is a sentient, unique, dying woman in hospice who "talks out" her memories via the cassette tapes that her favorite caregiver loyally provides. The heart of her tale revolves around being in the Women's Army Corps (the WACs) between 1943-1945, when she had two life-transforming encounters with a soldier named Jerry. They're both products of their time, in love with MGM musicals and the great Swing Bands, and also much influenced by the best writers of their epoch. We know "Jerry," of course, as J. D. Salinger. But in this novel, we're presented with a wartime, uniformed, pre-fame, pre-"Catcher" G. I. Salinger. And from their chance meeting in the fall of 1943 (when they witness a final stateside performance by Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Band in New York) to a brief reunion in Liberated Paris in the waning days of August 1944 (where an older, exhausted Hemingway blesses the young, aspiring Salinger), our narrator conjures up the echoes of an era. With her own life winding down during one season in hospice, the war years (and so much more) are always on her mind. This narrative is her testimonial, on behalf of her generation. "We share not only the narrator's memories, but also her passion for literature, for music, and for film; plus her insightful zest for life that leads to a love affair with one of the great authors of the 20th century. A smart and poignant journey through a life well-lived...at once lighthearted and bittersweet." --Kenneth Slawenski, International bestselling author of J. D. Salinger: A Life "The plucky heroine of this inventive novel may be paralyzed and dying, but her vibrant mind is a treasury of her generation's politics and culture, especially its popular music. I found myself singing along with her on every page." --Hilma Wolitzer, New York Times bestselling author of An Available Man, Summer Reading, The Doctor's Daughter, In the Flesh, and other novels "M. J. Moore proves that not all compelling, worthwhile stories about WWII have yet been told or imagined..."--Erica Heller, author of Yossarian Slept Here: When Joseph Heller Was Dad, The Apthorp was Home, and Life Was a Catch-22
Download or read book Me and Mario written by Carol Gino and published by aaha! Books. This book was released on 2018-10-15 with total page 379 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New York Times, bestselling author Carol Gino, offers an intimate memoir about her love, partnership, and collaboration-spanning two decades-with acclaimed writer, Mario Puzo, author of The Godfather. Often funny, sometimes raw and always true, Carol invites us into the politics of publishing, Hollywood parties, the glamour of Cannes and a slaughter in Sicily, revealing the appetites and excesses in the life of the celebrity author, screenwriter and one of America's great storytellers. Filled with Puzo's tips on "how to tell a great truth," fellow authors and aspiring writers will love this inside-look into the mind and art of the legendary author and the woman he chose as his last love.
Download or read book The Family written by Mario Puzo and published by Random House. This book was released on 2011-01-18 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: _____________________________________ From the legendary author of THE GODFATHER comes a novel of the original Italian crime family Fifteenth-century Italy. The Renaissance is in full swing, heralding a new golden age for Europe. But where there is gold – and power – there are those who are willing to do anything to get their hands on them. Enter the Borgias. Headed by Rodrigo Borgia, better known as Pope Alexander VI, this tight-knit family is fighting to keep its iron grip on Italy – but theirs is a lethal game, and the cost of failure is surely death. Scheming and plotting for their own ends are his children: Giovanni, the much-favoured golden boy; his younger brother Cesare, jealous and vicious; and Lucrezia, cunning, calculating and passionate. The Borgias face immense opposition from all quarters of Italy, but their deadliest foes may be far closer to home. _____________________________________ A tale of brutality and betrayal that crowns Mario Puzo's remarkable career _____________________________________ 'We are a family,' Alexander told his children. 'And the loyalty of the family must come before everything and everyone else. We must learn from each other, protect each other, and be bound first and foremost to each other. For if we honour that commitment, we will never be vanquished – but if we falter in that loyalty, we will all be condemned...'
Download or read book Leave the Gun Take the Cannoli written by Mark Seal and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2021-10-19 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This “wickedly pacey page-turner” (Total Film) unfurls the behind-the-scenes story of the making of The Godfather, fifty years after the classic film’s original release. The story of how The Godfather was made is as dramatic, operatic, and entertaining as the film itself. Over the years, many versions of various aspects of the movie’s fiery creation have been told—sometimes conflicting, but always compelling. Mark Seal sifts through the evidence, has extensive new conversations with director Francis Ford Coppola and several heretofore silent sources, and complements them with colorful interviews with key players including actors Al Pacino, James Caan, Talia Shire, and others to write “the definitive look at the making of an American classic” (Library Journal, starred review). On top of the usual complications of filmmaking, the creators of The Godfather had to contend with the real-life members of its subject matter: the Mob. During production of the movie, location permits were inexplicably revoked, author Mario Puzo got into a public brawl with an irate Frank Sinatra, producer Al Ruddy’s car was found riddled with bullets, men with “connections” vied to be in the cast, and some were given film roles. As Seal notes, this is the tale of a “movie that revolutionized filmmaking, saved Paramount Pictures, minted a new generation of movie stars, made its struggling author Mario Puzo rich and famous, and sparked a war between two of the mightiest powers in America: the sharks of Hollywood and the highest echelons of the Mob.” “For fans of books about moviemaking, this is a definite must-read” (Booklist).
Download or read book American Writers written by Jay Parini and published by Charles Scribners Sons/Reference. This book was released on 2004-10 with total page 630 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Contains biographical and critical essays on the work of important American writers. Presents scholar-signed essays prepared by experts in the field.
Download or read book In Praise of Nepotism written by Adam Bellow and published by Anchor. This book was released on 2004-07-13 with total page 580 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A wide-ranging, surprising, and eloquently argued book that offers a pragmatic and erudite look at the innate human inclination toward nepotism—from ancient Chinese clans to families like the Gores, Kennedys, and Bushes. • “Fascinating and well-researched.” —Walter Isaacson, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Code Breaker and Steve Jobs Nepotism is one of those social habits we all claim to deplore in America; it offends our sense of fair play and our pride in living in a meritocracy. But somehow nepotism prevails; we all want to help our own and a quick glance around reveals any number of successful families whose sons and daughters have gone on to accomplish objectively great things, even if they got a little help from their parents. Bellow explores how nepotism has produced both positive and negative effects throughout history. As he argues, nepotism practiced badly or haphazardly is an embarrassment to all (including the incompetent beneficiary), but nepotism practiced well can satisfy a deep biological urge to provide for our children and even benefit society as a whole. In Praise of Nepotism is a judicious look at a controversial but timeless subject that has never been explored with such depth or candor, and a fascinating natural history of how families work.
Download or read book American Writers written by Leonard Unger and published by Charles Scribner's Sons. This book was released on 2003 with total page 664 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The four volume set consists of ninety-seven of the pamphlets originally published as the University of Minnesota pamphlets on American writers. Some have been revised and updated.
Download or read book Just One Catch written by Tracy Daugherty and published by St. Martin's Press. This book was released on 2011-08-02 with total page 561 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The New York Times bestselling writer Tracy Daugherty illuminates his most vital subject yet in this first biography of the Catch-22 author Joseph Heller Joseph Heller was a Coney Island kid, the son of Russian immigrants, who went on to great fame and fortune. His most memorable novel took its inspiration from a mission he flew over France in WWII (his plane was filled with so much shrapnel it was a wonder it stayed in the air). Heller wrote seven novels, all of which remain in print. Something Happened and Good as Gold, to name two, are still considered the epitome of satire. His life was filled with women and romantic indiscretions, but he was perhaps more famous for his friendships—he counted Mel Brooks, Zero Mostel, Carl Reiner, Kurt Vonnegut, Norman Mailer, Mario Puzo, Dustin Hoffman, Woody Allen, and many others among his confidantes. In 1981 Heller was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a debilitating syndrome that could have cost him his life. Miraculously, he recovered. When he passed away in 1999 from natural causes, he left behind a body of work that continues to sell hundreds of thousands of copies a year. Just One Catch is the first biography of Yossarian's creator.
Download or read book Rusty s Story written by Carol Gino and published by aaha! Books. This book was released on 2010-10-12 with total page 405 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Why do they keep locking me up?” Rusty’s Story is Carol Gino’s account of the extraordinary life of the woman she undertook to help – the woman who ended up teaching her an invaluable lesson about the will to live, the strength of hope… Rusty used to wonder if she would make it through the day, seeing danger in everyday living. Rusty has epilepsy. She was twenty when Carol Gino met her and learned of her past ordeals: the stigma of mental illness, the drugs that took away her self-control, the treatments that only worsened her symptoms. Carol and Rusty set out to prove that illness can be overcome, and that there is no substitute for love and care. From Library Journal While many advancements have been made in understanding and treating epilepsy, the disease is still surrounded by an aura of dread. Rusty was a teenager when she was stricken with epilepsy. Misdiagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, for years she suffered more from inappropriate medical treatment than from her condition. The reader is mesmerized as Gino passionately relates Rusty’s plight. Despite repeated incarcerations in a frightful state mental institution and the toxic effects of drugs, she never lost her sense of humanity or her strong desire to help others. Gino’s deep distrust of the medical establishment, her fervent attachment to nursing, and her conviction that the patient knows best are themes that are interwoven into the emotional story of Rusty’s fight for a normal life. – Carol R. Glatt, Helene Fuld Medical Center Lib., Trenton, N.J
Download or read book The Consigliere a Novel A Mafia Lawyer s Quest to Choose Love Over Revenge written by Donna Masotto and published by Balboa Press. This book was released on 2020-07-27 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a most personal and riveting work, Novelist, Donna Masotto presents, "The Consigliere".A middle-aged mafia lawyer, Declan Quinn, realizes his life is meaningless after the tragic drowning of his eight-year-old daughter. At a crossroad between misery and the longing for peace, he shuns his duties as the Consigliere and embarks on a search to find the sister he abandoned when he joined the mob thirty years ago. But first, he must confront his mafia Don and face the truth of his past.Setting off to reclaim his destiny, Declan never expects his grandfather and son to assist him on this journey, but they become key figures when scheming against the mafia Don. At different stops, Declan reunites with friends he knew before joining the mob, beginning at the Lower East Side and Brooklyn. He treks through uncharted lands to unveil a mystery hidden for twenty years. Declan uses the tools of love, forgiveness, and courage, as he tries to overcome life's inevitable challenges and the past that haunts him--or hunts him down. This work is inspired by the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo, The Godfather and provides the complete backstory of "The Consigliere".This work is so much more than just another book about the mafia, it's a story of boyhood decisions and the effect they have on the man for his entire life. Ms. Masotto's themes show that change is possible even when life's battles pull you down.
Download or read book The Nurse s Story written by Carol Gino and published by aaha! Books. This book was released on 2010-10-12 with total page 438 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With uncompromising honesty, Carol Gino strips the TV image to reveal the gritty truths of a nurse's life.
Download or read book Popular Contemporary Writers written by and published by Marshall Cavendish. This book was released on 2006 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ninety-six alphabetically arranged author profiles include biographical information, critical commentary, and illustrations.
Download or read book Official Mario Puzo Library written by and published by . This book was released on with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents information about the life and works of American writer Mario Puzo (1920-1999), compiled by J. Geoff Malta. Notes that Mario's best known novel was "The Godfather," which was made into a motion picture. Contains a bibliography, filmography, interviews, a message board, and ordering information.
Download or read book Leaving Little Italy written by Fred L. Gardaphé and published by State University of New York Press. This book was released on 2012-02-01 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Leaving Little Italy explores the various forces that have shaped and continue to mold Italian American culture. Early chapters offer a historical survey of major developments in Italian American culture, from the early mass immigration period to the present day, situating these developments within the larger framework of American culture as a whole. Subsequent chapters examine particular works of Italian American literature and film from a variety of perspectives, including literary history, gender, social class, autobiography, and race. Paying particular attention to how the individual artist's personality has intersected with community in the shaping of Italian American culture, the book reveals how and why Italian America was invented and why Little Italys must ultimately disappear.
Download or read book Beyond the Margin written by Paolo Giordano and published by Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press. This book was released on 1998 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The editors' goal in this book is to give a critical overview of where Italian/American literary and cultural studies are today. To this end, Beyond the Margin includes three types of essays: the characteristics of Italian/American literature and culture in a general sense; specific writers; and film.
Download or read book When Television Was Young written by Ed McMahon and published by Thomas Nelson. This book was released on 2007-09-09 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When television was young . . . Legendary movie producer Darryl Zanuck declared, "People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night. Before 5:30, there were only test patterns. Howdy Doody was the first show of the day. CBS agreed to put I Love Lucy on film only if Desi and Lucy paid part of the production fee. In return, CBS gave them ownership of the shows, including the right to rerun it forever. Kukla, Fran, and Ollie was the first network show broadcast in color. 50,000 fans showed up in a New Orleans department store to meet Hopalong Cassidy. Movie studios would not let motion icture stars appear on television for fear that if people saw the stars on TV, they wouldn't go to the movies. Filled with fascinating stories, When Television Was Young is a hilarious, entertaining, behind-the-scenes look at the world of the small screen.
