Maeve Binchy--A Favorite of Mine

Maeve Binchy

The news of Maeve Binchy's passing saddened me greatly. I was born exactly one year before her, well almost, as her birthday was May 28, 1940 and mine May 29, 1939. We were the last wave of Depression babies, brought up by parents who knew what real hardship was. Our early years coincided with WWII. Both of those situations had a tremendous influence on the person I am today, and I'm guessing that it was the same for this beloved Irish novelist. 

Like me, Maeve Binchy was a teacher. She moved on to become a journalist and then began writing novels. She wrote about everyday people in Ireland which endeared her to her readers. Her characters were ones readers could relate to. They are like the people we meet in our day to day life. We cheer when something good happens to her protagonist and snuffle a bit when something bad occurs.

Light A Penny Candle was, I believe, her first novel and it made me a fan of hers for life. I read it about 30 years ago and loved it. I think I must read it again to understand what it was that appealed to me about that book. I do know that I followed Maeve's career and read every new book she had published. Some I liked better than others, but I never found one I did not finish or disliked. 

First and foremost, Maeve Binchy was a master storyteller. Her style was simple, her voice all her own, and her prose most readable. Her work would not be put into the literary section at a bookstore. Her books appealed more to women and they were meant to be entertaining. Even so, readers learned many life lessons as they journeyed through her many novels and short stories. 

Her husband is Gordon Snell, a children's author. What interesting dinner conversations they must have had, both being in the same field, both knowing all about the joys and miseries of getting published, both knowing the elation and sorrow that comes with being a writer. 

I will miss her stories immensely. Her latest novel, A Week in Winter, has not been published but is with her publisher in the final stages of editing prior to publication. Surely, it will be published soon and with great fanfare to laud this beloved author's final gift to the world of readers. 

If you have not read any of Maeve Binchy's books. go to her website (where the home page now announces her death) and click on the page links on the left to learn more about her and to find a list of her publications. Then start reading her books, one by one.

So, What's A Good Book?

A facebook friend posted the poster/quote above. I read it and smiled, and then I read it a couple more times. I could not help but think that Elizabeth Barrett Browning was a wise woman. She lived in a time when books were higher on the list of things to occupy our leisure time than they are today. Simply because we have far too many other things calling to us--television, movies, DVDs, ipads, computers, and more. But she knew the love of God and the joy of a good book.

Can you make a list of your ten favorite books you've read in your lifetime? You obviously consider each one a good book. If not, you'd never have included it on your list. A writer friend, and faithful reader of this blog, posed a question on facebook recently. She asked what was a favorite book read in 2011. I could not list just one as I found several that came to mind when thinking back over my list of books read last year. 

Note that Ms Browning says good books. I fear there are more books that don't qualify for that category than we can count. Then again, what may be a good book to one person might classify as fodder for a trash can to someone else. I'd like to think that she meant books that are well-written, engage the reader, and are hard to put down. I hope she meant books that linger in our memory for a very long time. 

A good book might be one that warms your heart. Or it could be one that makes you cry or even laugh until you cry. A good book should bring emotion of some kind tothe reader. 

A good book is one that you want to read again someday. I consider a book good if I hate to see the end but want it to continue on. A good book can be one that makes you grow in some way--whether it's knowledge or perception. A good book is satisfying.

In summary, a good book is:

1. well-written

2. engaging

3. hold your interest

4.  one that brings out emotions

5. memorable

6. one that helps you grow as a person

7. satisgying

What good books would you recommend to our readers?