Fools Die by Mario Puzo

pure class

[Shak]

"Percentages never lie. We built all these hotels on percentages. We stay rich on the percentage. You can lose faith in everything, religion and God, women and love, good and evil, war and peace. You name it.

But the percentage will always stand fast."

what an interesting book, and well worth a read...

Shak

[bakedjake]

I'm actually reading The Fourth K right now by Puzo.

The parallels between events in the book and current world events is shocking at times.

[lawman]

Shak, I know nothing about Mr. Puzo. Based on your snippet, he seems to be a master at stating the obvious. :)

lawman

[rogerd]

Not a Godfather fan, lawman? :)

[lawman]

Oh, that Mario Puzo. I saw the Godfather when it came out.

My wife can get me to the movies maybe once a year - and that's only if it's something cool like Starship Troopers or Spiderman. ;)

lawman

[tbear]

Hey Lawman, are you a Heinlein fan tooż

Ooops, sorry, that's way off the subject of this thread ;)

[digitalghost]

Knowing Puzo's penchant for romanticizing all things about La Cosa Nostra it doesn't suprise me that he glossed over the facts a bit.

Since I haven't read the book I have to assume he's talking about Vegas, which is maintained on the percentages, but was built on drug money, racketeering and blood. It was the need to launder the dirty money that built Vegas.

[mil2k]

I saw the Godfather when it came out.

There is a different excitement in reading books. The moving Godfather was sooo boring. I read the book and it was so fast paced! I am biased towards Books ;) BTW

[NorthernStudio]

I heard an interview with Puzo. He said when wrote the screenplay for his Godfather book, he just winged it. When asked to write his next, he thought he should learn something about screenplay writing. When he sat down to read the book he bought, it told him to buy the screenplay for Mario Puzo's Godfather to use as an example.

Wayne

[bunltd]

I've always been a book fan first. Some stuff just doens't quite make the jump from the page.

Ooooh - tbear, did you say Heinlein? I miss his writing... I've read everything he's done - wish there was more. Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series has a similar flavor... but I've read all those too... Hmm, the Honor Harrington universe by David Weber is good too, more technical, but I've run through those too.

I know this isn't about Mario Puzo, (whose genre is outside my usual perusal)... ;)

LisaB

[bakedjake]

So, I finished the Fourth K by Puzo (go read it!) and picked up Fools Die.

This book is incredible. I'm about halfway through, and its easily one of the best books I've ever read.

Thanks Shak!

[Shak]

Jake,

almost makes you want to move out there for good :)

Shak

[vitaplease]

"Percentages never lie. We built all these hotels on percentages. We stay rich on the percentage. You can lose faith in everything, religion and God, women and love, good and evil, war and peace. You name it.
But the percentage will always stand fast."

The university professor on his bicycle, comes across his long time no see ex- class-mate and school-drop-out driving in a Rolls-Royce cabriolet, and asks him how he makes his living:

"I buy goods for 10 and sell them for 12, and from that 2 percent, I make a decent living".

[Chndru]

and from that 2 percent

2 %? math anyone?

[vitaplease]

Chndru, I'm no good at telling jokes.

2 %? math anyone?

That's the point, often the drop-outs, those who do not understand math or percentages can still be good business men.

"The percentage will always stand fast - even if you do not understand it" ;)

[MonkeeSage]

Whenever I see comments like Mr. Puzo's the armchair-philosopher in me has to ponder...if all else has failed but the percentage stands, what is it standing on? DoV moi pou stw, kai kinw thn ghn -- 'Give me a place to stand, and [I] will move the Earth'... ;)

Jordan