Dear Maeve

by Maeve Binchy

Dear Maeve is a collection of Maeve Binchy's articles from The Irish Times. Professor Anthony Clare on Dear How do you tell someone that they've tucked their skirts into their knickers Should you correct your wife when she says 'commodium' instead of 'condominium' What should you do if your see your son-in-law nuzzling a woman, not your daughter, at a nearby lunch table Maeve takes a subtle glance at the practical problems that confront us all - when, if ever, to put an elderly relative in a nursing home, how to avoid a Christmas argument that lasts an entire new year, just what to do for and say to a friend who is about to die. Behind the apparent ordinariness, the airy grace and the fluent style lies genuine wisdom. ALL ROYALTIES FROM THIS BOOK GO TO THE ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION OF IRELAND

Genres: Ireland, Nonfiction

210 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Anne Maeve Binchy Snell was an Irish novelist, playwright, short story writer, columnist, and speaker. Her novels were characterised by a sympathetic and often humorous portrayal of small-town life in Ireland, and surprise endings. Her novels, which were translated into 37 languages, sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. Her death at age 73, announced by Vincent Browne on Irish television late on 30 July 2012, was mourned as the death of one of Ireland's best-loved and most recognisable writers.
She appeared in the US market, featuring on The New York Times Best Seller list and in Oprah's Book Club. Recognised for her "total absence of malice" and generosity to other writers, she finished third in a 2000 poll for World Book Day, ahead of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Stephen King.

Reviews

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a few years back I read Circle of Friends (this was before the huge YA boom) and one of the things I loved most about it was the two best friends working together to think through their problems and figure out solutions. They told each other what the wise woman would do. Stories generally focus on action, rather than premeditation, except when an elaborate plan is formed that then goes hopelessly awry. But I love it when people think things through: watching Nicholas Cage solving historical problems in the National Treasure movies is weirdly engaging.

So, the characters think about what is best to do and act accordingly. And, of course, it doesn't always work out perfectly, but mostly it does, and the course of actions always seemed so right, so "of course." As well as fiction, Binchy also wrote a column for The Irish Times, and sometimes she devoted that column to unsolicited advise. It's not an etiquette book at all, although some pretty tricky social mores are dissected. It's more along the lines of, "wow, I drank too much and probably made an ass of myself, but I can't actually remember. What should I do today?" The advise is good, even if one never requires it. But it's also terribly amusing, because people do boneheaded things from time to time, and Binchy is so practical in her suggestions. If one could choose a best friend one's never met, I'd pick Binchy. Not only would she bail you out without complaint at two in the morning, she'd tell you how to keep from losing your job. And she'd be right.

Kindle library copy.

[As You Wish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish she was still around, writing advice columns and news articles and great fiction. I guess my quest to read everything she's written has not yet ended.

[Lesley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a Maeve fan but didn't like this book of her articles from The Irish Times.
She came across as opinionated, maternalistic and condescending.
Stick to her novels!

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

bittersweet. my last maeve read. enjoyable little anecdotes, some with a bit of a surprise that you would not expect from her.

[bluerose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a little torn on this because I read another collection of her columns in the Irish Times and I remember liking it a lot better. Possibly those were more carefully selected? These seemed to embody all the thinking put forward in the worst plot lines of her novels (ie, no of course you shouldn't tell your friend/family member if you find out their husband is cheating on them because it's none of your business--WHAT?!). It's harder to dismiss that kind of thinking when you know this was actual advice put out into the world to real live people and not a fictional character speaking. I probably should have rated it lower, but not all of the advice was bad and Maeve gets the benefit of the doubt so a low three stars it is.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maeve Binchy has been my favorite author for quite a long time. I thought I had read all of her writing so was surprised and pleased to find this title in my Libby app. Alas, I was disappointed. So much so that I kind of wish I hadn’t read it. This book is a compilation of columns she wrote for the Irish Times newspaper prior to becoming a novelist, and were written as an advice column. Although the first half of the book was funny at times due to her blunt, honest opinions, the second half became less funny as she used names of apparently well known Irish public figures and gave them unsolicited advice on how to handle their public scandals. Her blunt honestly started coming across as opinionated arrogance on her part and I didn’t enjoy it at all, as that wasn’t the person I had imagined Maeve the fiction novelist to be. Oh well. May she Rest In Peace.

[Judy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It makes me very sad to write this, but I couldn't finish this book. I love Maeve Binchy, but this wasn't like her novels. This is a book of letters she answered when she was a columnist for the Irish Times. I just wasn't engaging with the people like I do in most of her books. About three quarters of the way through, I just couldn't pick it up again. Please don't judge this author by this book.

[Kathi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book of Maeve’s newspaper commentaries. They were good but they didn’t have the charm of her novels.

[Adam Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The curse of today's living is not that there is nobody around to give advise but too many giving it too readily."
This line from the introduction sums up the situation well, and although this is an advise book of sorts, the majority of times Maeve counsels to shut up.
I love Maeve's style of writing, her humour, her heart and the straightforward way she presents herself. It comes across in everything she does and it's no exception here. For this book she's not standing on her pedestal giving advice, she's sharing her stories and her experience.
I enjoyed the book, though not many parts were relevant to my own life, or relevant at all anymore in some cases, although I did skip the last section of the book on current events. The names and situations were all foreign to me and no effort was made to make them relatable so I didn't bother.

[Megalion · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm very glad this compilation of her columns was put together as I wasn't even aware that she wrote one! To be fair, they were published before today's level of instant global access.

I really enjoyed this because she doesn't pretend to be the final answer nor couches her responses in delicate words. She's not profane either. Simply "you asked my opinion, here it is".

I will say that the 4th & last group of columns went over my head as they were centered on issues & people in the UK/Ireland that I had little to no knowledge of. To be expected but I mention for the information of other Americans (and others) who don't live there or follow the issues from that part of the world.

[Maryzj · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of newspaper articles that I'd never read before, this was a great book to dip in and out of. The style of writing took a bit of getting used to - who exactly is being talked about? - and the final section commenting on current affairs is of course a bit dated now, but I love to read anything by Maeve, so I'm going to make the most of anything that's available.

[Cortney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love everything Maeve writes and even though this compilation is no where near as good as her novels, I still enjoyed it. I think this book is all her news clippings from her advice column from The Irish Times before she started writing novels. It's simple and spot on advice with a bit of Irish humor.

[Waynette Mckay · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are articles Maeve Binchy wrote for the newspaper. I just loved this compilation just as I have lived everything else she has written

[Roseanne Gallant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! It must be grand to be a friend of Maeve's. I'm so glad I got a glimpse through these columns.

[Mary Gillies · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful collection of wise newspaper articles with gentle advice from Maeve Binchy. A book to dip into from time to time...

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

It started off well but turned long winded and tedious.