Best books . . . chosen by Chazz Palminteri
Chazz Palminteri is an Academy Award
The Bible. I’m not a born-again Christian, but I am a Catholic. Reading the Bible gives me a great feeling. I’m a believer in righteousness. My favorite phrase is from Matthew 7:13-14: “Wide is the gate and broad the road which leads to destruction . . . But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life.” I try to go through that narrow gate in life, to do the right thing.
Dante’s Inferno by Dante Alighieri (Signet, $6). The story of a man’s journey to salvation. He begins his life at 35 and has to go through hell before he can get there. It’s incredibly well written and full of allegory. I named my son after Dante.
The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli (Dover, $2). I read this when I was very young. I think it was a wise guy who gave it to me. Machiavelli was one of the first to ask, “Is it better to be loved or feared?” My father used to say, “Money makes good people better and bad people worse.” You have to be aware of that evil.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (Penguin, $8). This book is just so perfect and so wonderful. I read it a long time ago and need to read it again. I remember thinking, What a great piece of literature! With the story of George and Lenny, Steinbeck had captured the human spirit.
How to Know Higher Worlds: A Modern Path of Initiation by Rudolf Steiner (Steiner, $17). Steiner founded anthroposophy, which is the study of humans through spiritual means. This is a great work. Steiner teaches us that we have to suffer to learn; the world is only perfect because it’s imperfect. He said that most people go through life unconscious, and as soon as you become conscious, your life will change. That happened for me. I didn’t start writing until later in life, and once I did, I was finally conscious.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
June 4 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Wednesday's political cartoons include a figurative black eye for Vladimir Putin, Democrats in search of young male voters, and a bedtime story from Sen. Joni Ernst
-
Having a mayor: Starmer's struggles with devolved leaders
Talking Point Andy Burnham made public criticisms of the Labour government policies without specifically naming Keir Starmer or Rachel Reeves
-
Why is Nasa facing a crisis?
Today's Big Question Trump administration proposes 25% cut to national space agency's budget in 'extinction-level event'
-
Bryan Burrough's 6 favorite books about Old West gunfighters
Feature The Texas-raised author recommends works by T.J. Stiles, John Boessenecker, and more
-
Tash Aw's 6 favorite books about forbidden love
Feature The Malaysian novelist recommends works by James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, and more
-
Richard Bausch's 6 favorite books that are worth rereading
Feature The award-winning author recommends works by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and more
-
Marya E. Gates' 6 favorite books about women filmmakers
Feature The film writer recommends works by Julie Dash, Sofia Coppola, and more
-
Laurence Leamer's 6 favorite books that took courage to write
Feature The author recommends works by George Orwell, Truman Capote and more
-
Amor Towles' 6 favorite books from the 1950s
Feature The author recommends works by Vladimir Nabokov, Jack Kerouac, and more
-
Susan Page's 6 favorite books about historical figures who stood up to authority
Feature The USA Today's Washington bureau chief recommends works by Catherine Clinton, Alexei Navalny, and more
-
Ione Skye's 6 favorite books about love and loss
Feature The actress recommends works by James Baldwin, Nora Ephron, and more