Whitethorn Woods

Review Reading her books is like gossiping with old friends ― DAILY MAIL Maeve Binchy at her best ― CHOICE A touching, funny, optimistic book full of wonderful, well observed characters ― DAILY MAIL She is the Queen of Fiction and one of the funniest and best-loved storytellers in the world...once you read Maeve you are hooked for life ― IRISH TIMES Binchy is degrees better than most other novelists and her storytelling ability is second to none ― SUNDAY EXPRESS An unsurpassed grasp of what makes a good story -- Anne Enright Binchy makes you laugh, cry, and care. Her warmth and sympathy render the daily struggles of ordinary people heroic and turn storytelling into art ― SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE Maeve Binchy is a master storyteller ― NEW YORK TIMES The words "Irish warmth" are repeatedly used in reference to a Binchy novel and I believe that this keynote of authorial warmth is one of the compelling aspects of her writing . . . Binchy is a consummate storyteller who involves the reader in the world she creates . . . Binchy is a Dickens: she writes about the dilemmas of human beings with a backdrop which describes the manners and morals of a society ― IRISH TIMES Make no mistake, there is magic at work ― SUNDAY TIMES Product Description 'A touching, funny, optimistic book full of wonderful, well observed characters' Daily Mail 'Maeve Binchy at her best' Choice Everything is changing in small Irish town of Rossmore - and when a new road threatens to cut through Whitethorn Woods, everyone has a passionate opinion about whether the town will benefit or suffer. At the heart of the conflict is the fate of St. Ann's Well. People have been coming to St. Ann's for generations to share their dreams and fears. Some believe it to be a place of true spiritual power, demanding protection; others think it's a mere magnet for superstitions, easily sacrificed. When one man is offered compensation for his land - but has a personal reason to save the well - and a childless London woman comes to Whitethorn Woods, begging the saint for help, the consequences are not as anyone anticipated . . . Book Description The people of Rossmore, Ireland, each have their own secrets, their own stories, and their own reasons for wanting - or resisting - change. A wonderful novel from the No.1 bestselling author. From the Back Cover Everything is changing in small Irish town of Rossmore - and when a new road threatens to cut through Whitethorn Woods, everyone has a passionate opinion about whether the town will benefit or suffer. At the heart of the conflict is the fate of St. Ann's Well. People have been coming to St. Ann's for generations to share their dreams and fears. Some believe it to be a place of true spiritual power, demanding protection; others think it's a mere magnet for superstitions, easily sacrificed. When one man is offered compensation for his land - but has a personal reason to save the well - and a childless London woman comes to Whitethorn Woods, begging the saint for help, the consequences are not as anyone anticipated . . . About the Author Maeve Binchy was born in County Dublin and educated at the Holy Child convent in Killiney and at University College, Dublin. After a spell as a teacher she joined the Irish Times. Her first novel, Light a Penny Candle, was published in 1982 and she went on to write over twenty books, all of them bestsellers. Several have been adapted for cinema and television, most notably Circle of Friends and Tara Road. Maeve Binchy received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Book Awards in 1999 and the Irish PEN/A.T. Cross award in 2007. In 2010 she was presented with the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award at the Bord Gáis Irish Book Awards by the President of Ireland. She was married to the writer and broadcaster Gordon Snell for 35 years, and died in 2012. Visit her website at www.maevebinchy.com