- Shopping Bag ( 0 items )
Want a NOOK? Explore Now
If storytelling is an art, then Maeve Binchy is unquestionably one of today's master artists. After all, Binchy was born, educated, and lives in Ireland, a land well known for its great storytellers. Firmly grounded in the Irish storytelling tradition, Binchy has earned a sizeable following of enthusiastic fans for her 11 novels and 4 collections of short stories. I had a very happy childhood, which is unsuitable if you're going to be an Irish writer," Maeve jokes. Perhaps that happy childhood is why Binchy did not publish her first novel until she was 43 years old. But there's no doubt that once she did she proved herself to be an immensely talented, multiple New York Times-bestselling author. her name.
Binchy was introduced into the joys of storytelling at an early age. Her mother, Maureen, and father, William, a prominent Dublin barrister, encouraged Binchy and her three siblings to be avid readers as well as to share stories at dinner and, as her brother William admits, nobody loved telling stories more than Maeve.
Growing up in the quiet seaside town of Dalkey, located about 10 miles south of Dublin, Binchy also found herself dreaming of escape. "I love Dalkey now," she says, "but when I was young, I thought it was somewhat like living in the desert." Her desire to escape led her first to the big city, to the University College in Dublin, where she studied history and French. After graduating in 1960, she taught Latin, French, and history in a Dublin grade school and was able to indulge her love of traveling during summer vacations. She proved so popular a teacher that parents of her students pooled their money to send her on a trip to Israel. Her father was so impressed by the letters she wrote describing Israeli life that he typed them up and sent them to the Irish Independent newspaper. That's how Maeve returned home to find, quite to her surprise, that she was now a published writer.
Using her newfound interest in journalism, she got a job on The Irish Times as the women's editor, an unlikely role for her, she jokingly acknowledges, given her hopeless lack of fashion sense. In the early 70s, she shifted to feature reporting, and moved to London. The move was motivated only in part by her career. Making the kind of bold life-altering decision that many of her characters are prone to, Binchy decided to take a chance and move to London to be with the man she'd fallen in love with during a previous visit—Gordon Snell, a BBC broadcaster, children's book author, and mystery novelist.
The risk, as it often does in her novels, paid off big time. Maeve married Gordon in 1977, and the two remain happily married to this day. In 1980, they bought a one-bedroom cottage back in Binchy's old hometown of Dalkey. Struggling to make mortgage payments on their new home, Binchy, who had published two collections of her newspaper work and one of short stories, decided to try to sell her first novel, which she'd managed to write in between her newspaper assignments. When her publisher told her that Light A Penny Candle would likely be a bestseller, Maeve remembers her sense of shock. "I had to sit down," she recalls. "I had never even had enough money to pay the telephone bill."
Maeve and her husband still live in that same Dalkey cottage, where they share an office, writing side by side. "All I ever wanted to do," she says, "is to write stories that people will enjoy and feel at home with." She has unquestionably succeeded with that goal. Light A Penny Candle was followed by such bestselling works as Circle of Friends, which was turned into a major motion picture starring Minnie Driver, and Tara Road, an Oprah Book Club selection. Binchy is consistently named one of the most popular writers in readers' polls in England and Ireland, outselling and rated higher than James Joyce. Of this success, Binchy comments with her typical good humor, "If you're going on a plane journey, you're more likely to take one of my stories than Finnegan's Wake."
In addition to her books, Binchy is also a playwright whose works have been staged at The Peacock Theatre of Dublin, and was the author of a hugely popular monthly column called "Maeve's Week," which appeared in The Irish Times for 32 years. A kind of combined gossip, humor, and advice column, it achieved cult status in Ireland and abroad.
Author biography courtesy of Penguin Group (USA).
"I am a big, confident, happy woman who had a loving childhood, a pleasant career, and a wonderful marriage. I feel very lucky."
"I have been lucky enough to travel a lot, meet great people in many lands. I have liked almost everyone I met along the way."
"I have always believed that life is too short for rows and disagreements. Even if I think I'm right, I would prefer to apologize and remain friends rather than win and be an enemy."
"I live in Ireland near the sea, only one mile from where I grew up -- that's good, since I've known many of my neighbours for between 50-60 years. Gordon and I play chess every day, and we are both equally bad. We play chatty over talkative bad Bridge with friends every week."
5368296
Posted May 13, 2011
23 pages including intro..... It would have been nice to know this is a 10 minute read.
31 out of 32 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 22, 2011
Would not recommend unless you don't know this offer and don't mind spending a dollar on something no longer than a magazine article. B&N needs to put the number of pages of each book in the description.
26 out of 26 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.4542518
Posted May 6, 2011
The only reason it did not get 5 stars was for length of book. This was a fun, light read, typical Maeve storytelling!! I really wish she would make this a full length novel!! I love her style and have been a big fan for 20+ years and this is a great example of her work, leaves me wanting more!!
14 out of 15 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.seldom
Posted July 4, 2011
how to turn off a lover of Maeve Binchy in 10 minutes or less
talk about a short story !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel ripped off!
7 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 27, 2011
No reflection on Ms. Binchy, but BN really needs to let readers know if they are buying a short story or getting a great deal on a full length book! They sure seem to be capitalizing on this fact based on the amount of angry readers.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.3883440
Posted July 29, 2011
Plus its only 99 cents. Enjoy! There are worse ways to spend your $1. Loved it!
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.8169024
Posted July 2, 2011
Not worth the twenty minutes it takes to read
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.GrammiePoet
Posted February 21, 2012
I am a Maeve Binchy fan. Nothing she has written has ever disappointed me!
One of the things I most enjoy about Binchy's work is the picture she presents of Ireland as it has changed in her lifetime. A Week in Summer is a short story of a couple's life changing vacation to Ireland. These are not Irish-Americans searching for their roots; they are simply a middle aged couple whose life has become perhaps too complacent. They take this vacation trip and, in 23 pages, become involved in the rich life of a small village, and rediscover themselves in the process.
Binchy is a master of character description and development and as usual, she delivers.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.PickleLC
Posted July 25, 2011
I didn't understand I was purchasing a short story for $.99. I agree with other readers that this is too much money for 23 pages.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 8, 2011
What a ripoff, this is a 23 page short story. By not identifying this as a short story Barnes & Noble are really taking advantage of their Nook owners. I'm souring fast on my Nook and will probably save it for vacations only, books are too expensive.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.9046676
Posted September 5, 2011
Should have noted this was only 23 pages....gooness that is not worth even .99 cents
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 12, 2013
I really enjoyed this little story. Of course, at 23 psges there wasn't that much there. But, all in all, I enjoyed it's light-heartedness.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 26, 2012
It was ok, not up to her normal standards. But worth the .99.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.luvs2readMR
Posted February 2, 2012
For readers unsure about Maeve Binchy books as a short story, this is a great introduction to Ms. Binchy's style.
As with all her other books and stories, this was a great read.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.CK11
Posted October 14, 2011
Nice summer read but too short. I like Maeve Binchy and wish she had addded more to this book and delved into the characters; I wasn't that attached to the characters. Very predictable!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Parthenia
Posted April 12, 2013
I love Mrs. Binchy's books they are so realistic and heartwarming. This short story does not fail. Love and patience pulls this couple out of a depressing life in a very simple way. great read if you love stories with a personal touch.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 8, 2013
Lovely intro to this author if you haven't read any of her books.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 8, 2013
Not up to her previous standards and much too short.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 7, 2013
Hi im ryan.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 3, 2013
HEY PPL WANNA HAVE A GUESSING CONTEST OKAY GO HOW TO U SPELL THE WORD THAT MEANS CHOCLATAY
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Overview