I've often heard stories of how Puzo intended to do a re-write of the GF novel, but his publisher (or was it agent?) sent off the pre-re-write version, and that version was the one that was published and we know and love today.

But I wonder what the novel would have been like had Puzo got that re-write, (even though I think the novel is great). But has Puzo ever said what he was going to do in this re-write? What would have been changed to the plot, for example?

What do you think folks? Anything you would have liked to see Mario Puzo re-write in the novel? Or is the novel a classic best left untouched?

Well, I believe that things happen for a reason. The irony of his story being published when he wanted to go change it was proof that he was right the first time as we as people often go back and second guess ourselves. Personally, from knowing the movie as well as i do and reading the book, I would say that the Godfather movie is a direct reflection of what the rewrite would consist of. He and Coppola wrote the screenplays for the Godfather films. Granted had it actually been in novel form, some of the stuff that's not included in the movie would have probably been changed, but for the most part I'd say Puzo did his "re-write" in the movie's screenplay.

Actually, Puzo never much cared for 'The Godfather' book. He wrote it out of desparation, he was broke. In one of his other novels, I believe it was 'The Fortunate Pilgrim', there was a minor story about the mafia. His publisher said he should've added more about the mafia to his book. Puzo then began a rough outline of 'The Godfather' and got the publishers interested. 'The Fortunate Pilgrim' wasn't much of a success so Puzo was desparate.
So it wasn't so much that Puzo wanted to re-write 'The Godfather', he always said he wished he could've written it better.

Good authors know what to change in stories they write. Thats why they took out all the extra stuff in the movie, i.e. Jules Segal, Lucy, Nino

I agree with all here. One of my astute co-workers noted, at the time the book came out, that "it reads like a first draft." Lively, interesting, terrific, but very rough around the edges. And, as Luca's Boy wisely noted, Puzo and FFC were smart enough to leave out all that Nino/Lucy/Jules/Hollywood b.s. in the film. That would have been the stuff I'd have advised Puzo to drop from the rewrite of the novel, if it had come off.
Puzo was one of those writers who couldn't resist passing along any and every factoid or bit of erudition he picked up along his road of life. I'm sure he put in all that crap about Lucy's gynecological condition because someone he knew had the same condition and had that operation. The Hollywood stuff is as a result of his having spent a lot of time with Hollywood types, and because his agent was connected to Hollywood. It's annoying in the GF novel, but it's almost unbearable in "The Last Don."

how so???

The Lucy/Ju;es Thing was O.K but Not a Nessecity.

it's not that it's not good, it's just that a movie can't be too long and you need to cut out scenes that won't effect the ending.