Maeve Binchy
Maeve Binchy was born in Dublin in 1940. she is a novelist, short story writer, and journalist. Her novels and stories often revolve around "ordinary" people who are dealing with the everyday problems of life. Somehow, though, she makes her characters memorable, and their situations intriguing. Here is a partial list of her books. My brief descriptions don't do them justice -- I urge you to pick up one for yourself and get acquainted with the work of this immensely popular author.
Light a Penny Candle (1982)
The story of two women, Aislinn and Elizabeth, whose lives intertwine over the course of twenty years.
The Lilac Bus (1984)
On thing that I enjoy about Binchy�s writing is how she can take the stories of several different characters and interweave them so that it�s almost like reading a novel. The Lilac Bus is made up of the separate stories of people who travel each weekend from Dublin to a small town in western Ireland, and yet, by the end, you have a clear picture of how all of these people have interacted once they reach home.
Firefly Summer (1987)
In this book, a wealthy American returns to Ireland in search of his roots, and makes decisions that forever affect the lives of the townspeople he comes in contact with.
Silver Wedding (1988)
This book is set in London, and tells the stories of family and friends who are gathering for the 25th anniversary of Desmond and Deirdre Doyle.
The Glass Lake (1994)
The first book of Maeve Binchy�s that I read. (Thank you, Shirley, for getting me started!) In this book, a young girl named Kit finds a note left by her unhappy mother, and comes to the conclusion that her mother has probably killed herself. Kit keeps the note to herself, not wanting her mother�s death to be ruled a suicide. Over the next ten years, wuestions surface about what really happened that night.
This Year It Will Be Different and other Stories (1996)
Many authors have collections of holiday stories, and this is Binchy�s contribution to the genre. An especially satisying way to spend a relaxing pre-Christmas afternoon.
Evening Class (1997)
This is another novel where the action progresses by telling the stories of many different people involved in an Italian evening class at a school in Dublin.
Tara Road (1998)
Ria Lynch and Marilyn Vine, two women who have never met, decide to swap houses. Ria will move to Connecticut, while Marilyn visits Ireland. Even though they are separated by distance, they begin to get involved in each other�s lives, and help each other through their individual heartaches.
Scarlet Feather (2000)
The story of two friends, Cathy Scarlet and Tom Feather, who open a catering service together. The new business puts a strain on both Cathy�s marriage to Neil, a high-profile lawyer, and Tom�s relationship with Marcella, a model. Cathy must also deal with two young relatives of Neil�s who have practically been abandoned by their own parents, and she must live with the fact that her mother-in-law will always look down on her for being the daughter of the family�s cleaning woman.
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