Binchy's trademark warmth, humor, and humanity characterize this volume, which collects five decades of her reporting for the Irish Times (1960s--2000s). The wide-ranging topics reveal a journalist far more interested in people than places or events, though quiet references to IRA bombings, Thatcher's Britain, the conflict in Cyprus, and second-wave feminism prove Binchy ( Circle of Friends ) was as savvy about politics she was about character. Wit, sarcasm, and big-heartedness emerge as hallmarks of Binchy's direct and uncluttered style. Additionally, readers will enjoy her avid and unrestrained curiosity, the wish to enter into other people's lives, which inspires her to eavesdrop on fellow diners, travelers, and passersby. Wouldn't you want to follow almost everyone home? she remarks while observing people at a beach. While the collection makes an enjoyable read on the merit of humor alone, editor Ingle's selections capture Binchy's journalistic apprenticeship, record an intelligent woman's perspective on a changing world, and offer entertaining glimpses of biography that Binchy fans will adore. Agent: Christine Green. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Binchy became a staff writer at The Irish Times in 1968 and contributed columns until shortly before her death in 2012. This posthumous collection, edited by Irish Times journalist Róisín Ingle, contains columns from throughout Binchy's tenure at the newspaper, including her very first and last articles. In addition to frequently being laugh-out-loud funny, Binchy's columns offer insight into 20th-century Irish and British culture as it related to the status of women. Many columns recount Binchy's extensive travels, including the summers she spent on an Israeli kibbutz. The majority of columns have aged well. Readers of Binchy's novels will be glad to encounter more of the writer's droll wit and deft characterizations. Binchy's husband, Gordon Snell, provides a warm introduction that is an attraction in itself. Actress Kate Binchy, Maeve's cousin, captures the author's tone perfectly, making this work the very definition of a comfort listen. VERDICT Will appeal to anyone who enjoys humorous essays about social conventions. Recommended for all public libraries.-Julie Judkins, Univ. of North Texas, Denton © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Readers who knew the prolific Binchy (1940-2012) through her extensive catalog of novels and story collections may imagine the author as a kindly Irish lady, albeit one adept at weaving the tumultuous lives of multiple characters into an enticing portrait of a cohesive village, in tune with issues of the day as well as their historic antecedents, and appreciative of the intricacies of both city and village life. So fans may be surprised to learn that this sensitivity to domestic drama, ear for dialogue, and eye for detail were honed during the years Binchy spent as a journalist for the Irish Times. Spanning five decades, this collection of Binchy's trademark columns celebrates her unabashed delight in the human condition, yes; but it also uncovers a much sharper wit and a more trenchant observer with a more cynical attitude than she ever divulged in her fiction. For the legions of fans who mourned her passing, this revelatory collection of essays brings a little of their cherished Maeve back, and then some.--Haggas, Carol Copyright 2014 Booklist