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A Few of the Girls

By: Maeve Binchy
Narrated by: Sile Bermingham, Jayne Entwistle, John Lee, Katharine Lee McEwan
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Publisher's summary

From Maeve Binchy’s earliest writings to the most recent, her work is filled with wisdom and common sense and also a sharp, often witty voice that is insightful and reaches out to her listeners around the world and of all ages. Whether it is one of her best-selling novels or a short story, Maeve shows us that times may have changed, but people often remain the same: they fall in love, sometimes unsuitably; they have hopes and dreams; they have deep, long-standing friends whose secrets are shared; they go on holidays and celebrate new jobs....

A Few of the Girls is a glorious collection of the very best of her short story writing, stories that were written over the decades—some published in magazines, others for friends as gifts, many for charity benefits. The stories are all filled with the signature warmth and humor that have always been an essential part of Maeve’s appeal.

©2016 Maeve Binchy (P)2016 Random House Audio
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Critic reviews

“A short story by Binchy is immediately recognizable for its blessed brevity, swift pace, poignant wit and unfailingly wise and gentle psychology. This posthumously published collection gathers 36 stories from various nook’s in Binchy’s writing life. . . Honestly, every one is marvelous. . . . A Few of the Girls is a string of gems, and, despite its title, it is not just fiction for women, any more than it is just a book for Irish and English readers.” —Pamela Miller, Minneapolis Star Tribune

“Exploring the complex nature of relationships in the melodic prose that became her trademark, Binchy charts the dynamics of romance, the politics of family and the stipulations of friendship. When it comes to capturing the caprices of the human heart, she’s unbeatable. Readers will recognize themselves in her nuanced portrayals of women and men whose goals and regrets, dreams and disappointments never feel less than true-to-life. There’s no better antidote to a raw March evening than a dose of vintage Binchy.” —Julie Hale, BookPage

“The stories cover a broad range of human experiences for which Binchy had a unique talent for expressing . . . There are no flashy literary pyrotechnics, just solid, old-fashioned storytelling. Binchy displays a deep understanding of human nature that strikes a balance between idealists and realists, the cynical and the hopeful . . . At times whimsical, at times somber, Binchy had a keen sense for the nuances of relationships, and the inherent contradictions and quirks of human behavior. A Few of the Girls is a fitting tribute to a beloved and much-missed writer.” —Eleanora Buckbee, Everday eBook

What listeners say about A Few of the Girls

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

I have so much love for Maeve Binchy

So many wonderful stories and perspectives on life. I only wish there were a hundred more of her books to read.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful adventures! - Karen Reese

This is a favorite author of mine. I have read all her books and was so sad when she passed. Her writings makes one feel like they are sitting down with a cup of tea, friends sharing their lives with you. The only remorse is just as a storyline was set in motion, that was the end! Highly recommend this author and any/all of her books!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not my favorite

I enjoyed a couple of the stories, but this is not all I had hoped for.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not Binchy's best but still worth it.

For me, nothing will live up to Tara Road but that's unfair and I know it. I still enjoy Maeve Binchy's writing. This collection, not as much but again I understand that when people pass away there's a scramble to Publish every single idea that ever popped into their heads. It was a pleasant if not great listen with terrific readers and a good lesson in short story writing for aspiring writers.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Random, but worth it!

From the description, these are a group of short stories found among her archives after her passing. Some of them seem unfinished, some of them seem to be more treatments or character analysis rather than outright stories. But if you are a Maeve Binchy fan, this is an interesting peek into, perhaps her thought process when she’s developing characters and stories. Typical to Maeve Binchy, she delves into the everyday life of regular people, relationships, marriage, parenthood, and self discovery in the most unexpected ways and places. These stories are not connected in anyway, but are a random assortment of things that she has written through the years that did not get published in other works. I enjoyed it, and I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Maeve Binchy.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Would like Kate to have been the reader

I liked the stories very much. Mrs. Binchy certainly captured (observed) our human nature (foibles and all) - sometimes with an OUCH observation. I would have preferred that Kate read the stories.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love it….but

I love Maeve Binchy’s storytelling! I have read all and have many of her books. Her stories are some of my go to books when I just need something that is just……nice.

I am just saddened that Audible does not find her books exciting enough to record all of them in their entirety, not chop them up.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Narrated with a lisp?

One of the narrators seemed to speak with a lisp. I thought it to be part of the story line, but it was not. When I heard her again in another of the short stories I was surprised and distracted by it.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very Worth Listening

I’ve read some reviews that some of the stories seem oddly cut off, as if they weren’t finished by Maeve. There is maybe one, but it wasn’t choppy and definitely did not make me feel as if I wasted my points - quite the opposite - I am so grateful to have loads more comforting Maeve Binchy stories to listen to. Well worth it. The stories are lovely, as are the narrators.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Very disappointed

As a Maeve Binchy fan I hate to give a bad review, but the stories just stop, with no ending. as if they were never finished.

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