I like her older novels better. The more recent seem scattered and choppy and less developed. I read "Circle of Friends" several times so that would probably be my favorite. I also liked "Tara Road."

kathy, as Maeve Binchy's books are quite light weight 'though enjoyable enough I wonder that your book club will have much to discuss, but maybe I'm missing the point.
I would suggest 'Evening Class'. Her usual formula of a group of people from different backgrounds . . . in this case coming together to learn Italian.
A while ago someone here at RP said they didn't enjoy MB's work because it gave no feeling for the culture of Ireland.
For those looking for shamrock, leprechauns and legends of St Patrick and the devil they wont find it in her writing, but it does reflect the 'real' everyday world of modern Ireland and there is a pleasant lack of sex and violence.

I agree that her books give a nice, realistic version of modern Irish life. I think Binchy's strong suit is in creating her characters, and I do enjoy a "visit" with them. They are light and pleasant.

Oh Vee, you've said the thing I feared. We were short one book for our next six-month plan and without any thought at all, I suggested we read different books by the same author and I came up with Maeve Binchy's name simply because I like her and I know she's written quite a number of books. But we aren't going to have much to discuss, are we? Oh my! What have I done? -- Kathy

Well, I have a soft spot for Evening Class because it's the first one of hers that I read.

I would think there'd be plenty to talk about with her books, especially with so many different and interesting characters.

I agree that one MB book might not have depth for a long discussion. However,I have found that a group of readers can pretty much discuss the phone book if they try hard enough-my book club grew out of our common membership in the Junior League, so we read Devil in the Junior League one summer-talk about lightweight, we had to tie the books to our wrists-but we managed to have a long (and hilarious) discussion.
Doing a collection by the same author gives you more scope. On the most basic level, you can compare the plots, settings, and characters: as Vee mentioned, MB often uses a group of strangers as her starting point. Are there similar character types in each group? Gender, socio-economic, personality? How clearly does she draw the setting for you? Always urban? Always rural? Do her plots have the same peaks and valleys, or does she do something different with each one? Are you leading the discussion?

My favorite is The Glass Lake. I listen to it every couple years or so.
Like others, I much prefer her earlier writing.

Thank you for the encouragement! My book group tends to be pretty serious about their reading and discussions, so my choice was starting to make me nervous. But I think you're probably right, hmm and Cece, the discussion has the potential to be interesting. And yes, Cece, I will be leading the discussion so I appreciate your questions. They're very thoughtful and tie the books together. You are a life saver!

Thanks also, smallcoffee and veer for your suggestions. I have already read The Glass Lake, Evening Class, Nights of Rain and Stars (The Glass Lake being by far my favorite), so I need another. Perhaps Circle of Friends is the answer. Or perhaps, as the discussion leader (and guilty party), I should choose a more obscure one, since Circle of Friends was made into a movie and is likely to be read by another in my book group. I'm so indecisive!

Kathy, you should read "Heart and Soul" which has characters from "Nights of Rain and Stars" in it.
Did you know that "Tara Road" was filmed? The book has one of my favourite Binchy scenes where Ria and Danny are at cross-purposes about having a baby.
There is also a film "How about You" based on one of the short stories.
One of the reasons that I visited Dublin was to see some of the locations where she had based stories especially "Circle of Friends".
Try "Light a Penny Candle" as it is one of the old 'deeper' books.
CC: Loved the mental picture of your light-weight books being tied down!

It's been a long time since I've read it, but I really liked The Copper Beech.

I'm a Binchy fan also, but like some others, prefer her older books to her new ones. My favorite is Tara Road. I agree she is not really a terrific book club choice in the traditional sense of "discussing" the book. On the other hand, I agree with CC--even lightweight books can engender decent discussion. In my own club, a book like this lends itself to a discussion "inspired" by the book. Divorce, abortion, betrayal, class differences--Binchy hits them all and, at least with my friends, gives us plenty of fodder.

I'm in "The Glass Lake" contingent. I've read quite a few Binchy novels and that's the one that really made me think.
Have fun.

I agree with Light A Penny Candle and I have read most if not all her books - the later ones were not nearly as good as earlier ones.

Pat

I like most of her books, esp. the earlier ones but I loved Evening Class-it gets my vote.

I have not yet made my decision because our book club members agreed to inform one another of their choices and it occurred to me, as the perpetrator of this event, I should probably wait and pick one no one else has chosen. I appreciate all the comments you're offering. I find it interesting that so many of you have read multiple Maeve Binchy books.

The reason I've read so many of her books, perhaps all of them except the newest, is that she is such a wonderful storyteller.

Agreed, Bookmom! By the way, has anyone read The Lilac Bus? No one ever seems to mention that one. -- Kathy

I did--and I liked it.

"The Lilac Bus' is one of her short story collections, I have not mentioned any of those as I did not think that they would be suitable for discussion.
I've never been in a book club so I thought that you were looking for a complete novel.
I am one of those people who have read just about the whole of Binchy's works including "Aches and Pains" a non-fiction account of her medical problem, I think. I read this some time ago and so my recollection is a bit hazy.
There are several similar Irish writers and I find they present a pleasant change to some modern writers who insert far too much sexual content into their books. I read somewhere that Binchy refused to do that when it was suggested to her.

I didn't realize The Lilac Bus was a short story collection. I was under the impression it was a novel in which each chapter focused on a different bus rider. I'm with you, Annpan, that short stories are not what I'm looking for. -- Kathy

The Lilac Bus> is sort of a combo of short stories and a novel. Each chapter does focus on a different passenger or the driver, but as I recall (and its been years) some of the passengers' stories tie in together. I think Binchy is good at sort of thing, finding connections between characters which are sometimes surprising, sometimes a bit too coincidental.

No one has mentioned Echoes. I have read three or four other of Binchy's novels and remember liking them well enough, but Echoes is the only one I can recall with detail. I think the setting of the small seaside town was what appealed to me, and I liked the main character and even remember her name: Clare. This probably doesn't seem like a ringing endorsement but I think any novel that leaves clear impressions on me must have something going for it!

"Silver Wedding is also a short 'combo' book. I forgot to mention "Firefly Summer" as a good book for discussion. It tells the story of the effects when a family from the US comes to live in Ireland. It has some of the elements that Vee mentioned regarding the perceptions of Ireland held by those who have their roots in the "Ould Country" and the realities of modern Ireland.

I thought I'd follow up and let you know how it went at my book club's Maeve Binchy night -- not so well. Not a one of them had read Maeve Binchy before and none of them were very enthusiastic about the book they chose. There was even a suggestion that Maeve does a lot of "man bashing," which I had never considered before. It's true, there are a lot of wronged women in her repertoire, but then books about happy marriages don't sell very well, do they? Other comments included too much use of coincidence and too many happy endings. Oh my!

As for myself, I finally chose The Lilac Bus, mostly because I thought no one else would choose it. I was correct about that. (It's not a very compelling title.) I enjoyed the bus stories (the novel part), but I was pretty indifferent to the Dublin stoies. But then, I've never been a fan a short stories.

Kathy

Kathy, Thanks for the update, I was wondering if you had had the discussion and how it went. Of course there would be happy endings to her books for that is what her many readers expect. If they want to feel miserable they would read someone else!

I enjoyed THE EVENING CLASS and also CIRCLE OF FRIENDS.

You can't go wrong with most of her books.