The Godfather (Unabridged‪)‬

It’s hard to talk about this book without talking about the film version of it. The film is very faithful to the book and I’m sure many people don’t see why anything needs to be said at all. But it’s been 44 years since the book was published and 41 years since the film was released, it seems like time to say something, since there’s 2 generations of people for whom this book and movie must seem like the book and movie of “Gone With The Wind” does to mine.
What you get in the book that you don’t get in the film is a better feel for the characters - why they are the way they are, their thoughts and history. This makes the book rather easier to follow IMO. Maybe it’s just me, but as many times as I’ve seen the movie, it always seems like I’m wondering what the frig is going on. Not that the book belabors alot of dull history, it just comes as part of good storytelling.. The film is painted with a much broader brush that puts emphasis on the action/violence aspects of the story..
The book also includes the whole megillah on Johnny Fantane, this to the point where “The Godfather” is essentially 2 stories that switch back and forth between each other.. I thought this slowed the book down and I think the filmmakers were absolutely right to cut almost all of it out. The Fantaine story is sort of a counterpoint to the Vito Corleone story, done in celebrity sleaze. I hated it, but then I’m not into celebrity sleaze, just overhearing entertainment gossip makes me want to take a shower, the fact that Johnny Fantane is a fictional celeb made no difference at all to me. I think most other people might find i the Johnny Fantane story as morbidly interesting as the Corleone story though.
One thing that has nothing to do with the Godfather story itself, is that it’s super interesting to see how the filmmakers edited material and altered subtle details of the story to get such a high-impact and faithful film version of the book. That makes it a must read for anyone intersted in screen writing.
Joe Mantegna narrates this audiobook with his usual fine talent - he can’t resist doing a slight Marlon Brando impersonation as Vito, which is great. (I kept thinking it was too bad they couldn’t have used the music from the movie as well)
So what’s better? The book or the film? I say they’re equals in different media, do both, it’s sort of a 3-D experience.
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The movie is one of my favorite movies of all time. An instant classic. The book is just as good. The narrator was spectacular in narrating the story as well as adding his own inflections and voices to different characters so you can easily keep track of them all just by the tone of the narrator’s voice. Some parts (like the chapters about Lucy and her doctor boyfriend) feel a bit pointless and unnecessary but if you are a fan of the movie, this is a no brainer. If you love mafia and gangster stories, this is an instant buy. Can’t recommend the audiobook version enough.

Amazing just like the movies only better!!