I thought, in honor of this day of leprechauns, shamrocks and green, I'd highlight an Irish author. And, the only Irish author I know off the top of my head is Maeve Binchy.
I'll be honest...I haven't read a Binchy book for many years. However, there was a summer during college when I worked at Barnes and Noble and read several of her books. We were allowed to borrow anything from the store as long as we returned it in sell-able condition, so I spent my break time lost in the world if Maeve Binchy's Ireland...a place where characters who don't know each other are somehow interconnected and the actions of one impact the others directly and indirectly. Binchy's books are entirely written for women: they are full of romance and relationships. But, she also includes her two cents about social issues such as religion, politics and the economic ups and downs of modern Ireland. I will include this warning: Binchy characters are not moral and she also has some swear words in her writing. If you are in the mood for a story about a relationship triangle (or octagon) and an easy-read, you might enjoy a trip to Binchy's Ireland, too. My favorites are Circle of Friends and Evening Class.
2 comments:
I have never read one of her books, but am familiar with her name. I will give it a shot. Another Irish author that I love (since it is St. Patty's Day) is Frank McCourt. He is a brilliant writer with a very interesting style for dialogue. His books are very difficult to read because of their heavy themes. His characters (and books) are not moral either, but all three are memoirs, so if you can brave it, they are are amazing. Teacher Man, his third book, is much more mild than the others...in case you want to try a lighter read of his!
I've only read Circle of Friends, but it was a long time ago. I may need to refresh myself on that one. I've seen the movie, but remember it wasn't like the book (is there a movie that ever is?), and there were some choice parts just like the book. Hope you had a great St. Patty's Day!
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