Chestnut Street (Reprint) (Paperback) by Maeve Binchy

About the Book

"While she was writing columns for The Irish Times and her best-selling novels, Maeve Binchy also had in mind to write a book that revolved around one street with many characters coming and going. Every once in a while, she would write about one these people. She would then put it in a drawer. "For the future," she would say. The future is now. Just around the corner from St. Jarlath's Crescent (which readers will recognize from Minding Frankie) is Chestnut Street, where neighbors come and go. Behind their closed doors we encounter very different people with different life circumstances, occupations, and sensibilities. Written with the humor and understanding that are earmarks of Maeve Binchy's work, it is a pleasure to be part of this world with all of its joys and sorrows, to get to know the good and the bad, and ultimately to have our hearts warmed by her storytelling"--

Book Synopsis

A New York Times Bestseller

From the author of A Week in Winter and Minding Frankie a poignant and heartwarming collection of stories centered on the comings and goings of one delightful street in Dublin

"Packed with charming takes on people's quirks and foibles, nosy neighbors and friendly ones. Binchy eloquently exposes and explores relationships between parents and children, husbands and wives, longtime and recently acquired friends."--The Boston Globe

Imagined with the humor and understanding that are hallmarks of Maeve Binchy's storytelling, the world of Chestnut Street captivates us with its joys and sorrows.

Maguire, the window cleaner, must do more than he bargained for in order to protect his son. Nessa Byrne's aunt visits from America every summer, turning Nessa's house--and world--upside down. Lilian, a generous girl with a big heart, has a fiancé whom no one approves of. Melly's gossipy ways help Madame Magic, a self-styled fortune-teller, get everyone on the right track. And Dolly, an awkward young girl, discovers more about her perfect mother than she ever wanted to know.

Review Quotes

"Chestnut Street has everything that makes Binchy special, in small delicious bites." --NPR

"Downright delightful. . . . Binchy eloquently exposes and explores relationships between parents and children, husbands and wives, longtime and recently acquired friends." --The Boston Globe

"[The] prose is lyrical, carrying the reader along like a lullaby. . . . For Maeve Binchy fans, Chestnut Street is a gift bequeathed to the reader." --USA Today

"Reflect[s] Binchy's generous spirit and realism about human frailty, never ignoring it but always empathizing with its cause." --Richmond Times-Dispatch

"Maeve Binchy and the short story were a perfect match. . . . Witty. . . . Heartbreaking. . . . Remind[s] readers why Maeve Binchy was one of the most beloved writers this country has produced." --The Irish Times

"Delightful. . . . Poignant. . . . The more you read, the more you want to read." --BookPage

"[An] extraordinary look at ordinary people as they struggle with family relationships, romances gone awry, and the possibility for a better future. . . . One finds here insightful observations about human nature--all with Binchy's thoughtful and loving touch that will be sorely missed." --Publishers Weekly

This set of previously unpublished linked short stories will warm the hearts of fans everywhere. --Library Journal

"Binchy was well-known for creating realistic characters who interact in ordinary ways, in ordinary places. . . . Her many fans are sure to line up to read this." --Booklist

About The Author

Maeve Binchy is the author of Maeve's Times: In Her Own Words, and many bestselling novels, including A Week in Winter, Minding Frankie, Heart and Soul, Whitethorn Woods, Circle of Friends and Tara Road, which was an Oprah's Book Club selection. Married to Gordon Snell, she lived in Dalkey, Ireland, until her death in 2012.

www.maevebinchy.com