The Godfather
By Mario Puzo
 
First UK edition, first impression, published by William Heinemann in 1969. Originally published in the US earlier in the same year.
 
Original black cloth with lettering to spine in gilt. The book opens a little wide at the title page, but is otherwise near fine and clean internally.
 
The original and unclipped dust jacket has a couple of very small chips to bottom corners, small abraded areas to spine ends and moderate toning to verso in places, otherwise very good or better.
 
First published in the United States in March 1969, The Godfather rapidly became a cultural phenomenon, spending over a year on the bestseller lists and selling millions of copies worldwide. The novel formed the basis of Francis Ford Coppola’s landmark 1972 film adaptation, widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, as well as its Academy Award–winning sequels.
 
The UK edition—issued by Heinemann later the same year—is significantly scarcer in collectible condition than the US counterpart. The white jacket is notoriously prone to soiling and wear; copies remaining clean and complete, such as this example, are increasingly difficult to obtain.