The Godfather
by Mario Puzo
Mentioned 2 times across 2 shows · first heard Jun 2026 on The Ezra Klein Show.
The general take
Chris Hayes says The Godfather novel is genuinely incredible and helped him appreciate why the movie is a masterpiece, though he found the book contains really weird and deeply misogynistic material. He was struck by how faithful the film adaptation stayed to the source material, despite the book's problematic elements.
About
50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION—WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA Mario Puzo’s classic saga of an American crime family that became a global phenomenon — nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read . With its brilliant and brutal portrayal of the Corleone family, The Godfather burned its way into our national consciousness. This unforgettable saga of crime and corruption, passion and loyalty continues to stand the test of time, as the definitive novel of the Mafia underworld. A #1 New York Times bestseller in 1969, Mario Puzo’s epic was turned into the incomparable film of the same name, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. It is the original classic that has been often imitated, but never matched.
Who said what
Tony Hinchcliffe👍 Recommends
…discussion of mob movies that influenced Tony growing up
“And even then I was obsessed with Goodfellas and a Bronx Tale and a Godfather. Cause it's like, it's just what you're taught is humanity. Like that's life.”
The Joe Rogan Experience — #2522 - Tony Hinchcliffeat 34:00
Chris Hayes👍 Recommends
…book recommendation from chris hayes at end of episode
“I recently read and I can't believe I had never read this book, but I read The Godfather, the original novel by Mario Puso. It's a combination of some really weird and truly awfully misogynistic stuff. But it is incredible how good that book is in some ways. And also it kind of makes you understand why the movie is a masterpiece. Like I didn't quite realize how faithful the movie was to the original source material.”
The Ezra Klein Show — Graham Platner, Jon Ossoff and the New Rules of Political Attentionat 19:50
Listener reviews
Bought The Godfather after hearing about it? Tell everyone how it went.
