Household Saints: A Novel [Paperback]

Francine Prose (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2003

The setting is 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. There is Joseph, the butcher, who cheats in his shop and at pinochle, only to find the deck is stacked against him; his mother, Mrs. Santangelo, who sees the evil eye everywhere and who calls on her saints; and Catherine, his wife, whose determination to raise a modern daughter leads her to confront ancient questions. Finally, there is Theresa, Joseph and Catherine's daughter, whose astonishing discovery of purpose moves the book toward its unpredictable conclusion.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"A marvelous, lovable novel."
Joyce Maynard
New York's Little Italy in the 1950s provides the setting for the extraordinary tale of the Santangelos. There is Joseph, a butcher who cheats at pinochle, only to find the deck stacked in unexpected ways; his mother, Mrs. Santangelo, who prays to her saints for good sausage and good health; Catherine, Joseph's wife, whose determination to raise a modern daughter leads her to confront ancient questions; and finally, their daughter, Theresa, whose astonishing discovery of purpose provides surprising complications.... --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Francine Prose is the author of sixteen books of fiction and the acclaimed nonfiction works Anne Frank: The Book, The Life, The Afterlife and Reading Like a Writer. She lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Paperback: 253 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060507276
• ISBN-13: 978-0060507275
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,320,674 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Francine Prose is the author of sixteen books of fiction. Her novel A Changed Man won the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and Blue Angel was a finalist for the National Book Award. 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. A former president of PEN American Center, and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Francine Prose lives in New York City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Really, two related novellas, October 10, 2007

By 

trainreader (Montclair, N.J.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Household Saints: A Novel (Paperback)

After reading Francine Prose's highly entertaining and well written novel, "Blue Angel," I felt compelled to order a number of her other novels which I've decided to read by order of publication. "Household Saints," (published in 1981) did not disapoint. 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. 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 story takes off when we spend time with Mrs. Santangelo, Joseph's mom, a highly superstitious woman, but oddly sensible in her own way.

In the second part, Joseph and Catherine, now married, have to contend with their increasingly religious and strange daughter, Theresa, who appears to be channeling her now deceased grandmother, but carrying her superstitious/religious ways to an absurd extreme. Just as Joseph and Catherine were powerless to change Mrs. Santangelo's old world views, they are even more powerless to prevent their daughter from sinking into a world of delusion.

My only criticism of "Household Saints," is that I never felt I truly knew any of the main characters other than Mrs. Santangelo. This was especially true of Catherine who seemed a completely different person in the two parts of the book. Perhaps a middle "bridge" section might have helped. However, I wholeheartedly recommend the novel, and look forward to seeing the 1993 movie which starred Tracy Ullman as Catherine.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, deeply imaginative work, August 7, 2011

By 

Melinda A. Khan (Forest Hills, New York United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Household Saints: A Novel (Paperback)

Witty, charming, eccetric, and delicious reading. I enjoyed the story that took me into a different culture and I learned details I was never aware of. This story also gave me a taste of the strange and spiritual. I truly became involved with the characters and sympathic to there feelings and experiences. I really enjoyed this unusual sort of story that had the simple and its complexities joined together as one does in relationships as well as the element of unpredictability of life.

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Household of Saints, October 11, 2010

By 

N. Connelly "flashpoint" (Bessemer, PA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Household Saints: A Novel (Paperback)

What a disappointment! I purchased it based on reviews from a film critic who obviously doesen't present a summary that reflects what's in store for the reader. It is not filled with the charm--nor does it really reflect a real Italian family in New York. Pass it up.