Selling the Lite of Heaven [Hardcover]

Shea (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1994

The lives and hopes of the colorful inhabitants of a richly detailed, close-knit Polish-Catholic neighborhood in Massachusetts intermingle in a witty and warmhearted story of broken dreams, romance, family, and faith. A first novel.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Shea's first novel is a delightful foray into the quirks and quibbles of the Polish-Catholic town of Chicopee, Mass. The unnamed narrator, ingenuous yet unflappable, is the 32-year-old daughter of immigrants who have slathered her in Vicks and mild exasperation. Still living under her parents' roof, she is abandoned by her fiance, Eddie Balicki, after, shortly before the wedding, he asks a statue of the Blessed Virgin if he should become a priest and, as Eddie puts it, " 'a minute later, she nods. Twice . . . . It was a miracle.' " But never mind: Eddie, "the kind of person who might straighten his sock drawer before company comes," was as a boy the sort of kid who played Holy Communion with Necco wafers. So the heroine returns candle snuffers and Corning Ware, cancels caterer and band and places an ad in the Penny Saver for her 2.5-karat, pear-shaped perfect diamond. Over the next 17 months, the pursuit of the right buyer fills out her days of knitting and living vicariously through the images she views while working as a film processor at Fast Foto. More than 60 prospective buyers respond to the ad, including the once-jilted Maria Dusza, who'll "be back when you're ready," and Randy, the Quick Stop clerk whose dreams of an old-fashioned store embarrass his intended but who keeps checking on the ring. When the ring is stolen, the narrator comes to terms with what she wants to do and executes her plan in a particularly joyous conclusion. Rich, funny and gentle, this debut is one of those read-in-one-sitting novels that could be a real sleeper.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Our thirtysomething heroine, who is never named, lives in western Massachusetts with her devout Polish Catholic family. Promising not to date until she is 18, she at last meets Eddie Balicki, every woman's dream. After dating for some months, they become engaged, and she gets a large, perfect diamond called The Lite of Heaven. Shortly before the wedding, Eddie announces that it is his fate to be a priest and breaks the engagement. He tells her to keep the ring, and the heartbroken young woman advertises it for sale in the Pennysaver. For over a year, she interviews prospective buyers at home while serving them homemade cookies. The people who come to look are so well drawn that you can see and smell them. Eventually, you also learn to know this society of first-and second-generation Polish Catholics. There is humor and pathos in first novelist Shea's poignant story of a woman jilted for God, a woman who desperately wants to keep her faith and family but needs to become her own woman. Highly recommended.
Barbara Maslekoff, Ohioana Lib., Columbus
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Atria; First Edition edition (July 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671798642
• ISBN-13: 978-0671798642
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,840,231 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An engaging debut novel, October 14, 1999

By 

R. Witte (Croton-on-Hudson, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Selling the Lite of Heaven (Paperback)

As an aspiring novelist and great reader, I am always interested in reading a debut novel. SELLING THE LITE OF HEAVEN did not disappoint me. A story of a woman who finally finds what she and her mother never thought possible---true love, she gets left at the altar for the altar by her too good to be true fiance. SELLING THE LITE OF HEAVEN is charming, funny and delightful, and kept me laughing all the way through. Good work Ms. Strempek-Shea!!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A gem!, July 22, 2002

By 

Dianna Johnston "Compulsive Reader" (Joplin, MO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Selling the Lite of Heaven (Paperback)

I've had my eye on this book for the past four years now, and finally I got the chance to read it with my local book club. I must say that this book was a pleasant surprise. It is light, sweet and endearingly funny -- with much more depth than I expected.

Selling the Lite of Heaven tells the story of a woman who has waited patiently for love. The only daughter of Polish immigrant parents, the narrator of this story wasn't allowed to date until she turned 18. Well, that time came and went, and still no prospects in sight. She spends all her time as a developer at the Fast Foto, going to church and living under the same roof as her parents, enduring the strict eye of her mother, despite her 32 years. But then there's Eddie Balicki... They fall in love, become engaged, and her prayers are answered -- until he breaks off their engagement to become a priest.

The chapters alternate between the past -- detailing the narrator's childhood, the citizens of her small-town Polish community, and meeting and falling in love with Eddie -- and the present, where she meets with customers who want to buy the engagement ring she has advertised in the Pennysaver. This story is so sweet, honest and heartfelt -- I could relate on many levels, especially trying to find someone to love, only to be disappointed in the end. I am looking forward to my book club discussion as well as reading more books by Suzanne. Kudos!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's like "Huckleberry Finn." More than just a story, December 7, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Selling the Lite of Heaven (Paperback)

This is a literary masterpiece. It's hard to imagine that anyperson could live with a dominating mother and never rebel when herheart is broken. I was hooked on the realism of the author's description when the mother went into panic about the deposits that were already made for the reception and wedding. The deposits were more important than the anguish that her only daughter would suffer when her groom cancels the marriage to become a priest. A lot of mother's are like that and we still love them. Read the book and you'll understand why. This book is not for the casual reader who wants to simply enjoy a funny story in a Polish-American-Catholic setting. It is a gripping story that demands your constant attention to details. It makes you think and challenges your imagination. It's as good as Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn" and better than some of John Grisham's great novels. I read it twice and will do it again. Submitted by: Stanley J Strychaz West Hills, California