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Summary: Mama holds it together
Review: A great tale of an Italian family living in poverty and how they struggled through. Sometimes we do what we have to no matter whether it is right or wrong or good or bad, but just because we have to do it to survive. In an age of five TVs in every room, it is hard to comprehend stealing ice to bring home 50 cents to your family, or saving for years only to have it wiped out by the Depression -- well, maybe not so hard with the Enron mess. A good tale of family stife and love and sacrifice and pain.
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Summary: A Novel like none other
Review: AFter being introduced to the work of the late Mario Puzo by "The Godfather," I was eager to read to another of his works. I had high expectations but did not believe another novel could surpass his most notable and popular book."The Fortunate Pilgrim" will forever be the book I think of when I hear and think of Mario Puzo. Just like the quote on the book states, it seems as though he labored over each and every sentence. The story unfolds with each hardship faced by the Angeluzzi-Corbo family, and the strength of it's leader Lucia Santa. I recommend this book to anyone. The unlikely heroine will forever be engrained in the reader's memory and leave one with a surprising new respect for their own mother as well as Mario Puzo's.
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Summary: A Mothers Strength
Review: After reading The Fortunate Pilgrim for one of our book club books, I was surprised to see how much I enjoyed the book. At first I was hesitant to start because I thought it would be all about the Mafia and how they survived in America. Lucia Santa character as a mother showed me the strength and determination you need as a woman to be the heart and soul of a family. How you must treat each of your children in certain ways expecting not always the same thing from each of them. The heartaches she felt it this book made me feel as if I to were going through them. I would suggest this book as a good read.
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Summary: The Fortunate Pilgrim
Review: Although this book started off somewhat slow, there was just something there that made me want to continue reading. The author, Mario Puzo used a style of writing that was difficult to understand at times, but for the most part, it gave me a better understanding of the Italian culture, like for example their different customs. It also showed the hard times the family faced, being a lower class in the slums of New York. The events were set up in such a way, which helped the book unfold. I thought the author also used great characterization. The reader was able to see how each character in the family led a different life. I recommend that people read this novel by such a well-known author.
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Summary: A Mothers Strength
Review: As written in the preface by Mario Puzo, this book was his all time favourite. Even though it didn't sell as well as his other blockbusters, readers would sense how personal it was to Mario Puzo. It was written with grace & eloquence and for once, it only briefly touched upon mafioso. Rather, the book emphasised upon the mother of a family, Santa Lucia who went against all odds in a distant land to bring up her family. Through the years, her life was struck by tragedies and yet, she clinged on & persevered through the hard times, including the Great Depression and subsequently, World War 2. Suffice to say that nothing is far fetched in America and your life is what you made it to be. It is still as pertinent today as it was many years ago. Highly recommended.
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Summary: Such a beautiful book
Review: As written in the preface by Mario Puzo, this book was his all time favourite. Even though it didn't sell as well as his other blockbusters, readers would sense how personal it was to Mario Puzo. It was written with grace & eloquence and for once, it only briefly touched upon mafioso. Rather, the book emphasised upon the mother of a family, Santa Lucia who went against all odds in a distant land to bring up her family. Through the years, her life was struck by tragedies and yet, she clinged on & persevered through the hard times, including the Great Depression and subsequently, World War 2. Suffice to say that nothing is far fetched in America and your life is what you made it to be. It is still as pertinent today as it was many years ago. Highly recommended.
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Summary: Puzo is a prized writer!
Review: Great book. His characterazations are so vivid I feel like I'm on 10th Avenue right with his people. Puzo is such a great writer and his life seems so colorful, why is there no biography of him?
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Summary: Best Novel about living in a Italian Life Style.
Review: Great... Can not compare. This book to any other book about Italian Life Style. i like the book so much, Not because i am Half, it is because, It has a very creative story. Creative Names. About the life of Lucia Santa, moving from southern Italy to new York City to live a better life, and she finds out it is not as she thought it would be.
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Summary: A Little Confused.
Review: I am a little confused by the plot. On the crazy night, Frank has winked at his son-Gino. And undoutedly it shows that he was pretending to be crazy. But it winds up that Frank is dead out of insanity. I don't know why. And the book hasn't explained it clearly. Can anyone explain it to me? By the way, it is a good piece overall.
Rating:
Summary: The Fortunate Pilgrim
Review: I started reading Puzo's books for his mafia stories and loved them, but I was surprised by The Fortunate Pilgrim. It turned out to be my favorite of Puzo's books. The characters and imagery are very real. It's a must-read for Puzo fans.
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