The Fortunate Pilgrim

By: Mario Puzo

Narrated by: John Kenneth

Before The Godfather and The Last Don, Mario Puzo wrote The Fortunate Pilgrim, a novel many believe to be one of the classics of Italian-American fiction. In this special edition, Mario Puzo's legions of fans will discover a different side of this legendary author, writing for the first time about an Italian family in which a woman holds the power.

Lucia Santa has traveled 3,000 miles of dark ocean, from the mountain farms of Italy to the streets of New York, hoping for a better life. Instead, she finds herself in Hell's Kitchen, in a bad marriage, raising six children on her own. As Lucia struggles to hold her family together, her daughter confronts the adult world of work and romance while her eldest son is drawn into the Mafia. Meanwhile, her youngest son aspires to American pursuits she cannot understand.©2004 Mario Puzo (P)2009 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Puzo has called this 1965 pre- Godfather novel his personal favorite of his oeuvre.....This 'very colorful and perceptive novel' remains 'highly readable' for today's audience." ( Library Journal)

excellent book & more so for the narrator

this book is just amazing, funny & truly charming..i listen to a great deal of audio & i can not imagine this book read by another narrator.

must read

Mario Puzo's hidden jewel. must read. the story is timeless and much more relatable in today's world

Good

Good but not great. It was like listening to your grandparents tell stories of when they were young. I did enjoy it.

A wonderful depiction of many Italian immigrants lives.

I loved this book. In some way it touched my soul. From this book I now understand my grandmother.

The Pre-quel to "The Godfather"

The Fortunate Pilgrim by Mario Puzo, a the pre-quel to "The Godfather" sets the stage for a look at the lives of Italian immigrants in New York, their story of survival amidst discrimination, their cultural cohesion, the social and economic struggles from the American Depression through the beginning of Word War 1.

Excellently written and vastly entertaining

Not as well-known as the blockbuster Godfather series but memorable well-written well developed characters that speak to the immigrant experience. I saw and felt my own Italian immigrant story in this book. Highly recommended.

Puzo's best

His most moving and human work. Though his least popular book,this story of his mother's inmigration and life chasing an american dream is truely a masterpiece

Teeming with Life and Spirit

This is a story of growing up in an Italian community of New York City in the 1920s and 30s. It is an intensely personal story, written by a master storyteller. Author Mario Puzo claims (in his introduction) that it is his favorite book of all, and I can see why. This book is full of life, family, community, heartache, and love. There is no real plot. People are born and die, fall in and out of love, become wise or unwise, do good and bad things. Warmly narrated with a heart for the humanity of Puzo's tale.

Authentic depiction of poor immigrant lives

Where does The Fortunate Pilgrim rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I place it near the top. I was very emotionally moved by the stories of Lucia Santa and her family. I could relate so many stories of my own mother's family to the character's lives.

What about John Kenneth’s performance did you like?

He captured the inflection of the Italian immigrants perfectly.

Who was the most memorable character of The Fortunate Pilgrim and why?

I liked Octavia a lot. She reminded me of my mother the most. Her intellect but also her lack of opportunity. She went to high school but she was capable of so much more.

Any additional comments?

The women in the book were the guardians of morals and the true masters of their families. Reminded me of my grandmother.

So can relate!

being of italian decent, I could pick out characters in my family. you could see the old world thinking. I enjoyed the story.