It was from this experience came his oft-repeated belief that every man has but one destiny.

Gambling is not as destructive as war or as boring as pornography. It is not as immoral as business or as suicidal as watching television. And the percentages are better than religion.

And in that fraction of a second before anything actually happened, Santino Corleone knew he was a dead man.

The other Dons in the room applauded and rose to shake hands with everybody in sight and to congratulate Don Corleone and Don Tattaglia on their new friendship. It was not perhaps the warmest friendship in the world, they would not send each other Christmas gift greetings, but they would not murder each other. That was friendship enough in this world, all that was needed.

The only wealth in this world is children, more than all the money, power on earth.

Every family has bad memories.

Let us be separated by wars and pestilence, death, madness but not by the passing of time.