Corleone

Although film fans may be more familiar with the name Corleone from The Godfather, in 1897, F. Marion Crawford was already writing about a criminal Sicilian family who operated under the name. As a sequel to the Saracinesca series and the fourth book in the Roman tetralogy series, Corleone: A Tale of Sicily is often hailed as the world’s first novel about the Mafia. And as a born storyteller, Crawford sets a high standard. Although an American writer, Crawford has a familiarity with Italian culture and an instinctive sensitivity to the nation’s character that is evident on every page. The author made his home in Italy, and his love for the country is apparent.

Although he was one of the most famous authors in the English-speaking world upon his death, Crawford is now largely forgotten. This is a shame because, as each reader introduced to Corleone: A Tale of Sicily for the first time will discover, he writes in an extremely engaging and engrossing manner. He immerses the reader in the Sicilian culture of the Mafia and creates characters who are plausible, colorful, and will live long in the memory after the last page has been read.