Mario Puzo

Mario Puzo was an American author and screenwriter best known for writing The Godfather (1969), a crime novel about the Italian-American Mafia that became one of the most successful novels ever, selling approximately 21 million copies worldwide. Born to Neapolitan immigrant parents in Hell's Kitchen, New York, Puzo drew heavily on his Italian-American heritage and experiences in his works, which explored themes of organized crime, the immigrant experience, and power. He also co-adapted The Godfather into a critically and financially successful film trilogy with director Francis Ford Coppola and wrote numerous other notable novels including The Sicilian, The Fourth K, and The Last Don.