The Family [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

Mario Puzo (Author), Philip Bosco (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2, 2001

What is a family?

Mario Puzo first answered that question in his landmark bestseller The Godfather, with the creation of the Corleones. Now, thirty years later, Puzo enriches us all with his ultimate vision of the subject: the story of the greatest crime family in Italian history -- the Borgias.

In The Family, this singular novelist transports his readers back to fifteenth-century Rome, and reveals to us the extravagance and intrigue of the Vatican as surely as he once revealed the secrets of the Mafia. At the story's center is Rodrigo Borgia, Pope Alexander VI, a man whose lustful appetites were matched only by his consuming love of family. Surrounding him are his extraordinary children: simple, unloved Jofre; irascible, heartless Juan; beautiful, strong-willed Lucrezia; and passionate warrior Cesare, Machiavelli's friend and inspiration. Their stories constitute a symphony of human emotion and behavior, from pride to romance to jealousy to betrayal and murderous rage.

A labor of love two decades in the making, The Family marks the final triumph of one of the greatest storytellers of our time.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Before his death in [1999], Puzo (The Last Don) had begun work on a novel featuring the 15th-century Borgias, whom he regarded as "the original crime family." There are obvious parallels between the Borgias and the Corleone clan immortalized in The Godfather, but the resemblances are mostly superficial, at least as they are presented in this limp historical romance. The story opens with Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia manipulating papal elections in 1492 to become the new Pope Alexander. Determined to establish a family dynasty, he appoints his son Cesare cardinal in his stead and, after a strategically engineered episode of incest between siblings Cesare and Lucrezia, begins ruthlessly eliminating rivals and marrying his children into alliances with the offspring of noble families of France and Spain. But Cesare would rather be a soldier, and Lucrezia would rather marry for love; these conflicted desires contribute as much as risky political power plays to undoing the Borgias in a single generation. Though Gino (Puzo's companion, author of Then an Angel Came) is credited for the posthumous completion, Puzo's true collaborator is history, and it proves a difficult partner. Obligated not to deviate from known facts, the narrative whizzes methodically through highlights of the Renaissance, embellishing events with snatches of imagined dialogue, purple prose ("For love can steal free will using no weapons but itself") and cameos by Machiavelli, Michelangelo and da Vinci. Overwhelmed by the vast pageant of events, the characters never achieve dramatic stature. Puzo's diehard fans will surely put the novel on their summer hit list, but they may feel, in Sonny Corleone's words, that "this isn't personal, it's business." Major ad/promo; simultaneous HarperAudio and Large Print edition.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Much will probably be made of this last novel by the celebrated author of The Godfather and a slew of other gangster novels. After Puzo's death in [1999], this historical fiction was completed by Carol Gino, his companion. The subject is the misunderstood family Borgia, who were sometimes malevolent, always maligned, and mostly political part Clintons, part Kennedys, part Sopranos. Spaniard Rodrigo Borgia becomes Pope Alexander VI and moves into the Vatican with his mistresses and children. Alexander deeply loves yet still controls his offspring, including the ambitious and handsome warrior Cesare, who wants to shed his cardinal robes to lead the papal army in conquest of central Italy; the sweet but flawed Lucretia, whose incestuous relationship with Cesare raises eyebrows; and lusty Juan, who carries on with the wife of little brother Jofre, who in turn becomes murderously jealous. Most of the melodramatic murder and mayhem comes straight out of the history books, but the characters lack depth, with their motivations only mildly explored. This late 15th-century family's story is more soap opera than serious treatment of the troubled dynasty that influenced the Renaissance.
- David Nudo, formerly with "Library Journal"
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: HarperAudio; Abridged edition (October 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0694526444
• ISBN-13: 978-0694526444
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (68 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,171,043 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An Extra Star For Honesty, January 3, 2002

By 

taking a rest - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Family: A Novel (Hardcover)

"The Family", is a three star read, however a fourth star for honesty is valid. This book was not finished prior to Mario Puzo's death, and so was finished by Carol Gino. This fact is stated on the front of the dust jacket. The reason I make such an issue of this is that other authors who have left uncompleted work still have books published after their death that they did not finish, and no mention is made. Carol Gino also includes an Afterword that explains the origins of the novel, the reason it was not written prior to other of his works, and her own trepidation in regard to completing the book.

Mr. Puzo was evidently fascinated by the time period covered in this book, and specifically with the Borgia Family. He had traveled to The Vatican prior to his death, which continued to keep this novel alive, if not a first priority. The reason for the book not being his most urgent task is also explained, and I believe readers will find the causes interesting.

Carl Gino was with Mario Puzo for 20 years, so it is reasonable to accept she knew him and his work very well. She is also an author in her own right, so again she was qualified as anyone to attempt to complete what Mr. Puzo left undone. I always have thought that completing another author's work is basically an impossible task. "The Family", will not rank as the best work ever to carry Mr. Puzo's name, however the book clearly was his creation.

The issue I had was that the book went on longer than the story required, so it read as though Carol Gino was trying not to leave anything out, as opposed to editing the tale so that it had a brisk cadence, a nice sharp pace that would have been consistent with all the intrigue of the story and the style of Mr. Puzo's other work. The book contains 4 main story lines and several secondary tales as well. The Borgia Pope and his 4 children take center stage, and the quest to unite Italy is the book's theme. The battles that span most of Italy and even the Island of Elba should read at the pace of military battles and the campaign they entail. The cadence is just not there, and this is most evident when Cesare conquers Elba in a matter of a few hours and a handful of pages in the book.

Mr. Puzo clearly loved this topic as he had feelings about all the Borgia Family members, "Lucrezia was a good girl, Cesare was a patriot, and Alexander a doting father". Mr. Puzo felt the Renaissance Popes were the first, "Dons", and that Pope Alexander Borgia was the greatest Don of all.

The time period is a fascinating one, and if you adjust your expectations, the read is still very worthwhile and better than many offered at local bookstores. Carol Gino clearly gave a valiant effort to complete this work and she should be commended for the result. Trying to follow in the path of a writer of Mr. Puzo's stature has got to be a daunting task, I am glad she accepted the challenge.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Puzo novel that wasn't about the Mafia? Cool..., August 30, 2005

By 

Kevin Bold "I must be doing something right, ... (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Family (Mass Market Paperback)

I'll never forget the night I saw this book for the first time at my local bookstore.

"The man just couldn't stop writing Mafia novels," I snickered to myself as I picked it up and began to peruse it.

Well, I was only half-right. The book was about the notorious Italian Renaissance family, the Borgias. Since I've always been interested in that part of history, and wanting to know more about the Borgias (having read about them before, but not having come across a book dedicated to them), I promptly bought it.

Until I'd read _The Family_, I'd always thought Puzo modelled the Corleones, at least in part, after Joe Bonanno and his son Bill. Again, I was only partially correct. Although there are some parallels between the Corleones and the Bonanos, Puzo's real inspiration was _la famiglia Borgia_.

Like Vito Corleone, Rodrigo Borgia, who became Pope Alexander VI, was a ruthless, powerful man with three sons and a daughter. None of them had any qualms about murdering their enemies "to protect the family."

Michael Corleone and Cesare Borgia, whom Rodrigo elevated to cardinal, were both successful in the military.

Like Michael and Fredo, Jofre Borgia had his own brother Juan (aka Giovanni) murdered.

Cesare died in a hail of arrows, just as Sonny Corleone died in a hail of gunfire.

Lucrezia Borgia reportedly preferred to poison her enemies, reminiscent of the way Connie Corleone killed Don Altobello with a lethal canoli in _The Godfather Part III_.

And, like Michael and Connie, Cesare and Lucrezia were very, very close. Only Michael and Connie didn't have an affair with each other, let alone begin it under their father's approving eyes.

Finally, if it looks like Puzo is glorifying people who do not deserve admiration, it's because, like in _The Godfather_, he's telling the story from the protagonist's viewpoint. _The Family_ is a wonderful book for anyone, and a "must-have" for historical fiction fans.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, June 1, 2004

By 

E.J.L. "CapricaSix" (Anytown, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Family (Mass Market Paperback)

This book was an OK read. The writing was stiff, but the story was interesting, if somewhat historically inaccurate. It was good bedtime reading and maybe something I would take with me on a vacation when I want to read something but I don't want to think about it too hard. Lots of gore and weird sex and who doesn't enjoy that?

However, if you want the real story, there are tons of well written, colourful and accurate biographies.