The style reminds me of a fable or a parable, and maybe that's the point, but I felt so held at arms' length from the characters that the unusual story and nice prose wasn't enough to keep me invested in the characters' tale. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Household Saints by Francine Prose (2003, Trade Paperback) at the best online prices at eBay! So yes, it was enjoyable (mostly) and well-written and actually a pretty quick read. 0060507276 - Household Saints: a Novel by Prose, Francine - AbeBooks Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. This is a quiet little novel by the wonderfully named Francine Prose. I'd read an essay or two of hers, but none of her 16 novels before this one. [Prose] writes equally well about sausages and saints, documenting the madness and the grace of God in everyday life.--Jean Strouse, Newsweek. While the characters see miracles everywhere, this book pulls off a minor miracle of its own, which is to avoid being predictable, maudlin, or boring. Definitely not the worst book I've ever read, but I had a hard time getting through it. I cried at the still-born birth and cri. When I finished, I had been shaken up and left wondering...Why? Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2016. When a modern family finds itself with a saint in its midst, there is a tendency to send for the psychiatrist. Grace Episcopal Church Location is 115 S Main Mount Clemens, MI 48043 Telephone number is (586) 465-4573 Provides items to Macomb County Michigan families. A cook, she was not, the meal a disaster, and Mrs. Santangelo leaves dismayed by the whole idea of this girl becoming her daughter-in-law. I'd been steeling myself for their marriage to be awful and when it was beautiful, that made me happy, even when their daughter turned out to be a better saint than a human being. A touching, life affirming story, bittersweet and of course, expertly written. To see what your friends thought of this book. Unable to add item to List. And, of course, they are, to the extent that any of us ordinary folks have adventure in our lives. Lots of references to the Saints and superstitions common in Italian households. Unlock This Study Guide Now. But the ambiguity at the end added something more to it. Pure storytelling. This is the story of an extraordinary family, the Santangelos. From the food, to life at home, to arranged marriages and even Catholic superstition. I lik. Set in New York's Little Italy in the 1950s--a community closely knit by gossip and tradition--this is the story of an extraordinary family, the Santangelos. [Prose] writes equally well about sausages and saints, documenting the madness and the grace of God in everyday life.--Jean Strouse, Newsweek. It's about an Italian Catholic family whose daughter (truly, like myself any many Catholic girls I've known) believes she should grow up to be a nun or a saint. Although the first and second half of the book contain the same characters, thy're quite different which is why I think they can be treated as separate novellas. We’d love your help. The story takes off when we spend time with Mrs. Santangelo, Joseph's mom, a highly superstitious woman, but oddly sensible in her own way. The author's writing is flawless and her characters came to life right from page one. Please try again. Refresh and try again. Just pure, instant transfer of story from writer to reader. Having married young into an Italian family, I enjoyed the immersion into the world of close knit, loving, battling families , tied by love, superstition and food. I am not a religious person, and don't have a Catholic bone in my body. "Household Saints," (published in 1981) did not disapoint. HOUSEHOLD SAINTS. Household Saints: A Novel - Ebook written by Francine Prose. Please try again. Her most recent works of nonfiction include the highly acclaimed Anne Frank: The Book, the Life, the Afterlife, and the New York Times bestseller Reading Like a Writer. I've heard the phrase 'limpid prose,' but until I read this book by the aptly-named writer, I really didn't know what it meant. Now I think I understand. I'd been steeling myself for their marriage to be awful and when it was beautiful, that made me happy, even when their daughter turned out to be a better saint than a human being. It's a really sweet tale, tall-tale style. Loved the first three quarters of this book, a story of an Italian American family in New York's Little Italy in the 1950's. It's so hard to watch someone go absolutely crazy and there is nothing you can do. Although the first and second half of the book contain the same characters, thy're quite different which is … As the book progressed I feel that the characters became sort of bland and unimportant. Open Road Media; Reprint edition (April 12, 2016). It's sweet and well written. Free shipping for many products! Please try again. Set in New York's Little Italy in the 1950s--a community closely knit by gossip and tradition--this is the story of an extraordinary family, the Santangelos. Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them (P.S. By . I am Italiian and very reverent to the saints...Loved the characters because some reminded me of my Italian relatives...Very sad for the way the book ended and would have loved for the author to go somewhere else with the plot..but it was still a very funny story in parts...but also sad. WorldCat Home About WorldCat Help. Something went wrong. They are complete stories (Mister Monkey, Blue Angel)--and WELL WELL written. R | 2h 4min | Drama | 15 September 1993 (USA) Unsettling drama about three generations of Italian-American women struggling to get by … This was also a decent movie, which followed the book very closely. I never got to the point where I truly cared. Out of grief comes a witch hunt designed to root out non-conformity and individual expression. documenting … I have yet to be disappointed by Francine Prose--heck even her "Reading Like a Writer" is an indispensable mini-manual for creative writing students everywhere. Start by marking “Household Saints” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2014. Francine Prose is a wonderful writer. In her first book written for young adult readers, Prose (Blue Angel, Household Saints) paints a terrifying picture of conservative politics run amok as overzealous adults try to strip away civil liberties. Although, it was unfortunate that Nicky never found his Madame Butterfly, but became her. There was a problem loading your book clubs. Household Saints: A Noveland over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. I lost awareness that I was reading a book. Read this book using Google Play Books app on your PC, android, iOS devices. . The film's executive producer is Jonathan Demme, a long-time friend of Savoca's, and her first real employer in … The reason I am giving this book a 3 instead of 4 star rating is because I felt that sometimes the story was really interesting and kept me craving more, while at others it seemed leisurely. The film explores the lives of three generations of Italian-American women over the course of the latter half of the 20th century. I'm not entirely sure what to make of this book, but it kept me reading well into the night because it was interesting. This was the third time that I've read it. That changed it all for me. Having extensive experience with Italians, Catholics, children, the pious, the crazies, it's hard to figure out just what it was about. No distractions of awkward wording, no jarring images to pull the reader out of the book, no awareness of how clever the writer is. Although the first and second half of the book contain the same characters, thy're quite different which is … I really liked the story of the couple's "accidental" marriage and how it grew into more. . Read reviews from world’s largest community for readers. And then came the daughter's story, which was deeply disturbing for me. I've heard the phrase 'limpid prose,' but until I read this book by the aptly-named writer, I really didn't know what it meant. This is a compact little novel that I've read twice in the last six months. Household saints. What better start to a story than, Joseph Santangelo, the butcher, wins his bride, Catherine Falconetti, in a pinochle game with her father and brother. Household Saints. I was living inside the story. I love the whole atmosphere of the neighborhood it takes place in. Search. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. What that means in layman’s terms is—as I’m sure you know—Theresa has temporarily lost touch with what we call reality.”, Melissa Albert Recommends YA Tales Where the Real World Gets Real Magical. Melissa Albert burst onto the YA scene (and catapulted into readers' hearts) with her 2018 debut The Hazel Wood. AMAZON BARNES & NOBLE GET WEEKLY BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS: ... Each week, our editors select the one author and one book they believe to be most worthy of your attention and highlight them in our Pro Connect email alert. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. The descriptions of the characters and places that make up Little Italy in the 50s are beautifully rendered, and Francine Prose's dry humor plays perfectly. Be the first to ask a question about Household Saints. It reminded me of my family and definitely depicted the Little Italy that I grew up hearing about from my mother and grandmother. And it is hard, after a couple of novels, to even describe her brand of novels--but fully-rounded, or complete, seems to be fitting. I liked the truth there. I love this book. Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2014. The novel doesn't promise anything it doesn't deliver, I just wish it had promised more. “They got caught in a traffic jam at the entrance to the bridge. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Household Saints, by Francine Prose. Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2007. The first revolves around the rather pedestrian life of Joseph Santangelo, a butcher in Little Italy in the 1950's, his friends, fiancee Catherine, and mother, who is probably the most colorful character of all. The writing was excellent, and the story really touched me. The Los Angeles Review of Books is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Overall, I enjoyed the characters and the story was pretty good, so I would recommend it but I wouldn't say it's the most riveting book I've read in a while. Very descriptive and well written, brings Little Italy in NYC during the turn of the 20th century alive in a very familiar way, even if you hadn't ever been there. Household Saints A Novel. It deals with the mundane - work, love, family, religion - but never bogs down. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. 4.3, 10 Ratings; $11.99; $11.99; Publisher Description. I cried at the still-born birth and cried as I read of her obvious PPD. Now I think I understand. I love the characters. I loved how Joseph "won" Catherine in a card game (funny side note... my own NYC-born and raised, Italian Catholic grandfather supposedly won a bet from a card game and had to take my grandmother on a date...) and while she didn't want to get married to him, it turned out to be a happy and successful marriage. Subscribe Now Joseph Santangelo, a butcher with a thriving business on Mulberry Street. During a heat wave, Joseph bets a walk into the meat freezer and Lino bets his daughter's hand. Household Saints. Absolutely nothing gets in the way between the reader and the story. There was a good amount of description of Italian-American life, which reminded me of my own heritage and the stories my mother told about her childhood in an Italian-American section of the Bronx. It was a book that is not the norm in what I select to read, but I decided that I made a great choice in this selection. Funny and comical in parts, Francine did her homework and captured the typical Italian mama of years ago. Saints are a great inconvenience. Overhead lights illuminated the interior of the cab, and Joseph looked over at his family. And, of course, they are, to the extent that any of us ordinary folks have adventure in our lives. I highly recommend this, and you don't even need a Catholic background to appreciate it. by Harper Perennial. Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2014. I loved how Joseph "won" Catherine in a card game (funny side note... my own NYC-born and raised, Italian Catholic grandfather supposedly won a bet from a card game and had to take my grandmother on a date...) and while she didn't want to get married to him, it turned out to be a happy and successful marriage. I knew the basics from seeing the wonderful movie adaptation with Vincent D'onofrio and Tracy Ullman, so I knew I would like it. Anybody who's ever tried to be good can relate. I've heard the phrase 'limpid prose,' but until I read this book by the aptly-named writer, I really didn't know what it meant. Joseph Santangelos wins his wife in a card game, and his luck changes forever. This was an enjoyable read for me, especially since my family comes from Little Italy, NYC and the details are a wonderful nod to the culture and beliefs of my grandparents. It was based on the novel by Francine Prose and directed by Nancy Savoca. Francine Prose. Set in Little Italy after WW2 through the 60s. While the characters see miracles everywhere, this book pulls off a minor miracle of its own, which is to avoid being predictable. Age Range: 1945 - 1965 BUY NOW FROM. Now I think I understand. I absolutely adore the film made from this book in 1993. Apple Books Preview. Powered by JustWatch. There was a few jolts and the ride began to sputter and jerk and I tried to hang on to the last page, hoping that it was going to be alright. I was living inside the story. Which is all we readers crave to have. It was a pretty straight-forward story of an Italian-American family--a pleasure to read. For anyone who’s read light-as-panna cotta romance novels, Francine Prose’s Household Saints, originally published in 1981, begins with what seems like a genre staple: Italian-American butcher Joseph Santangelo wins his wife in a card game. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. Search for Library Items Search for Lists Search for Contacts Search for a Library. I really loved all the stories of this couple, but once we started learning about their daughter, Theresa, I got frustrated. It's well-written, and I enjoyed the characters a lot, especially at the beginning. Or computer - no Kindle device required be the first 2/3 of this couple, but did not.. It reminded me of my own heritage and the story adore the film explores the lives of the progressed! 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