Chestnut Street

February 24, 2014
This posthumously published collection of stories revolving around an imaginary street in Dublin was written by Binchy (A Week in Winter) over a period of decades, and approved by her husband, writer Gordon Snell. The earlier stories are more developed than some of the later tales, but overall, the author gives us one last extraordinary look at ordinary people as they struggle with family relationships, romances gone awry, and the possibility for a better future. Standouts include the first story, “Dolly’s Mother,” in which a shy, unassuming teenager copes with having a kind, charismatic mother who is more popular than she is, and—as is revealed—might not be as perfect as everyone thinks. In “It’s Only A Day,” Binchy fondly portrays the transformation of three childhood friends into adults, using the lens of their disparate views on romance, as old-fashioned values find a place in their modern worlds. The book is filled with vignettes in which dissatisfied husbands leave their wives, but find their new lives wanting; disparate people find common ground, and even romance; and holding one’s tongue leads to the best way to make relationships thrive. While some entries come off more as character studies than actual stories, one finds here insightful observations about human nature—all with Binchy’s thoughtful and loving touch that will be sorely missed.

Narrator Sile Bermingham enhances this diverse collection of short stories by the late Irish writer Maeve Binchy. In these works, Binchy explores the theme of appearance versus reality. As Bermingham captures the characters' voices with gusto and realism, her best creations are young women who are changing emotionally. When a shy, unattractive girl marvels at her gorgeous mother and feels ashamed to be her daughter, listeners will be surprised by the unraveling of her story. In another story, a young woman feels the need to help her lonely, old uncle despite his nastiness, and, again, the ending has a twist. While some stories are better than others, anything new from Binchy is worth celebrating. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine