‘Her storytelling ability is second to none’ SUNDAY EXPRESS

‘Maeve Binchy is a master storyteller’ NEW YORK TIMES

‘The Irish do love telling stories, and we are suspicious of people who don’t have long, complicated conversations. There used to be a rule in etiquette books that you should invite four talkers and four listeners to a dinner party. That doesn’t work in Ireland, because nobody knows four listeners’ Maeve Binchy

Maeve Binchy’s bestselling novels not only tell wonderful stories, they also give an insight in to how Ireland has changed over the decades, and how people remain the same: they still fall in love, sometimes unsuitably; they still have hopes and dreams; they have deep, long-standing friendships, and some that fall apart. From her earliest writing to her most recent, Maeve’s work has included wonderfully nostalgic pieces and also sharp, often witty writing which is insightful and topical.

But at the heart of all Maeve’s fiction are the people and their relationships with each other.

A FEW OF THE GIRLS is a glorious collection of the very best of her writing, full of the warmth, charm and humour that has always been essentially Maeve.

Multi-Layered Tales & Highly Entertaining!

I could have sworn I had read all of Maeve Binchy’s books, but when I re-read some during my summer break I discovered a couple I had managed to miss. This is the first chance I’ve had to indulge in one, and this short story collection was perfect during the run up to Christmas when I had such a lot of things to do!

Having read most of Maeve’s novels over the years – and several of them two or three times – I am familiar with her trademark warmth and wit but I’m not sure I ever really appreciated her understanding of how people work before now. She has a deep knowledge of the human psyche which is easily missed if you take her stories at face value when, in fact, they are multi layered and all highly entertaining. What I really didn’t expect was to find my name as a character in one tale – that has never happened before! I loved the introduction to this book by Maeve’s husband, Gordon Snell, who summed up her qualities better than anyone else ever could. Maeve Binchy was one of those rare authors who NEVER disappointed and I’m so very glad to have finally read this one; I’m pretty sure I’ll read it again at some future time. I really cannot recommend this anthology highly enough and, needless to say, it is easily due a full house of sparkling stars!

I purchased this novel; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.

Tags: anthology, women’s fiction

• Format: ebook, paperback, hardcover, audiobook, audio cd
• Size: 415 pages
• Publisher: Orion
• Publication Date: 24 September 2015
• Book Links:
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• https://play.google.com
• https://www.barnesandnoble.com
• https://uk.bookshop.org
• https://www.foyles.co.uk
• https://www.kobo.com
• https://www.whsmith.co.uk
• https://www.waterstones.com
• https://wordery.com
• https://www.amazon.co.uk

Author Details

Maeve Binchy was born in County Dublin and educated at the Holy Child convent in Killiney and at University College, Dublin. After a spell as a teacher she joined the IRISH TIMES. Her first novel, LIGHT A PENNY CANDLE, was published in 1982 and she went on to write over twenty books, all of them bestsellers. Several have been adapted for cinema and television, including TARA ROAD. Maeve Binchy received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Book Awards in 1999 and the Irish PEN/A.T. Cross award in 2007. In 2010 she was presented with the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award at the Bord Gáis Irish Book Awards by the President of Ireland. She was married to the writer and broadcaster Gordon Snell for 35 years, and died in 2012.