A biography on Maeve Binchy just hit our library shelves, and I snatched it up. I think I read all her books and bought a few to reread. I remember when Minnie Driver was hired for the movie, Circle of Friends, my favorite of all the Binchy books and how displeased (but in a gracious way) Ms. Binchy was because heroine, Bennie, was a big girl and Minnie Driver wasn't. What I didn't realize but learned in the bio. was Ms. Binchy was six-foot tall and what Alexander McCall Smith would call, "traditionally built."In reading the bio, I learned what a penny candle is (Light a Penny Candle), and also that not every author makes for an interesting biography. Ms. Binchy traveled a lot, partied a lot, and drank a lot. She lost her faith but, nevertheless, was buried with Catholic rites. More of her books were made into movies than were shown here, at least in the Puget Sound area--more's the pity. But here's the cool thing: she lives on in uTube and was a delightful speaker. It's easy to spend half-an-hour or so listening to a charming Irish brogue tell stories. Goodbye and God bless, Maeve Binchy, thanks for the many hours of good reading.
