The Godfather by Mario Puzo

Ahh, family. I love stories that examine families, their inner dynamics, their quests for individuality and togetherness... and when you throw in bloody mob wars, backstabbing, sex, and murder, well, so much the better.

The story traces the rise and fall and second rise and fall of Don Vito Corleone, a man who refused to play by society's rules. A poor Sicilian who rose from less than nothing to the ultimate power. His crime family is legendary, and the entire city of New York knows he is not a man to be trifled with. The Don has worked his entire life to establish a peace among the families so that they may run their businesses with minimal interference. The Don, a "legitimate businessman" with an olive oil company, has his hand in any number of gambling rings, drinking, and racketeering to name a few of his auxiliary businesses. But, post WWII, a new financial avenue is being paved across America: drugs. The Don, an old-fashioned sort, wants nothing to do with this plague, but the wheels of time stop for no one. The other families make a decision: Don Corleone must follow or get out of the way. When he refuses, all hell breaks loose.

A gang war leaves his family decimated, struggling to stay alive and not be swallowed by the larger family trusts in NYC. The Don's sons fight to save the family business, some reluctantly, others with too much bravado. Corleone's sons Michael and Sonny soon become the front runners to take over the family, but the road to the top won't bean easy one. And once the issue of leadership is settled, there's always the question of revenge...

The Godfather is a true classic. Pulpy without being too blunt, literate without being flowery. Puzo creates a world that is irresistibly intriguing, one with a myriad of issues floating on the surface that belie the true depths of the story.