It's interesting (and a bit strange) re-reading the novel after all these years.

When I first read it, the movie had not come out. Actually, they had not even cast it or started production on it in any way at all. So, I was like a blank slate. I had no preconceived notions about it whatsoever.

Now, after having seen the films many times, it is hard (if not downright impossible) to read the book without visualizing the actors, locations, etc. that were in the movies.

It also makes me acutely aware how much was omitted from the film - and how some characters were quite different in the film (think Mama Corleone, for one). Truthfully, I really didn't miss a lot of the Johnny Fontane/Lucy/Nino/Dr. Whatsisname stuff, but knowing more of the "backstories" of some of the more familiar characters (Al Neri, particularly) made me wish that just a little more of it could have found its way into the film. Yeah, I know, the film would have ended up running four hours - but think how happy we would have been when all that footage would eventually end up "restored" for TV or DVD.

Signor V.