Puzo's source for the Godfather (not a flame)

[Jules Siegel]

At 01:58 PM 05/15/97 -0400, Peter Giordano <Peter.Giordano at williams.edu> wrote:

>In his preface to a new edition of THE FORTUNATE PILGRIM Mario Puzo says
that he began writing the novel THE GODFATHER almost immediately after
finishing FP and it took him 4 years to write it - He also says that the
inspiration for The Godfather was a character in FP - Some chronology: FP
was published in 1964 - That means he finished THE GODFATHER in 1968

This chronology in no way deviates from the scenario that I presented. I
reviewed The Fortunate Pilgrim for the Village Voice and I worked at
Magazine Management Company in 1964 and 1965. As far as Mario's comments
about his mother, he knows best where his characters come from.

I never said that my father inspired Don Vito Corleone, but that he inspired
certain aspects of his character -- specifically his intelligence,
sensitivity and snse of justice. These are shadings in his character but
they are important. Mario's mother was a wonderful woman, I'm sure, and the
portrait he draws of her in Fortunate Pilgrim is one of my favorite
character renderings in modern literature. She was not a criminal, however.
My father was, and he did share certain important traits with Don Vito
Corleone with one very important exception: he failed in everything he did
except being the greatest father that anyone could ever have.

>I will not draw and conclusions from my work on Puzo so far except to say
that the evidence indicates that Puzo's inspirations were his own
experiences - I still have some other materials to collect

Please get a copy of The Honored Society by Norman Lewis and see how it
compares with The Godfather. I am going to contact Mario myself and ask him
what he has to say on the subject. When I hear from him, I will post his
reply to the list. He may deny that my father influenced his treatment of
Don Vito Corleone. If so that's his right. If he denies that I gave him
those early research materials and set the sale of the idea as a book in
motion, then he will be an absolute liar, and there are other people who
were involved at the time who will tell him so.

>This is not meant as a flame or an insult or a vendeta (sp)

Vendetta.

>I think that it is a useful contribution to Pynchon scholarship - If the
veracity of some specific claims can be demonstrated then other claims
become more valuable.

I think your motives are transparent. You want to find any hole you can in
my credibility and drive a tank through it. You have your work cut out for
yourself.

Now here's a very direct and clear warning: Be very careful about what you
say and how you say it. I think it would be very wise for you to check any
staement you make with a competent lawyer before publishing it. If you libel
me and I can prove it, I will sue you, even if it's only to collect a
symbolic award. I think that you are engaged in a malicious campaign to
damage my reputation. Your previous postings are very important evidence of
your malice and all of this will be used in court against you.

I will also sue the institution where you work, as you are using their
facilities to mount this attack against me. I am going to contact them today
and inform them of what you are doing and ask them to discuss the matter
with you.

I have never sued anyone in my life. Don't be the first exception. Other
than that, I will have nothing further to say on this subject until I hear
from Mario, and I think you would be well-advised to take the same precaution.

I want to apologize to the subscribers of pynchon-l for having to make this
kind of statement in a literary forum, but I'm sure that you can understand
why I have to do it.


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