Mario Puzo

Mario Puzo (1920–1999) grew up in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, the son of illiterate Italian immigrants. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, studied at the New School for Social Research and Columbia University, and worked as a government clerk while writing fiction on the side. His early novels, The Dark Arena and The Fortunate Pilgrim, earned critical praise but little money. Deeply in debt and supporting a large family, he set out to write a bestseller—and succeeded beyond anyone's imagination with The Godfather. This author hub collects 1 work in the Canon Compass ranking, led by The Godfather.