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Irish Girls About Town: An Anthology of Short Stories
Get ready to paint the town green."New York Times" bestselling authors Maeve Binchy and Marian Keyes top an impressive roster of the Emerald Isle's most popular women writers as they celebrate the joys and perils of love and the adventure and constancy of female friendships.
In Maeve Binchy's "Carissima," an ex-pat returns to Ireland and shakes things up for her family, who...more
In Maeve Binchy's "Carissima," an ex-pat returns to Ireland and shakes things up for her family, who...more
Mass Market Paperback, 337 pages
Published
February 24th 2004
by Pocket
(first published January 1st 1995)
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I was looking forward to fun romps through girl power and instead I got 16 stories about how to get a man, why you must have a man, men who suck but you should stay with them because you need a man, why it's OK to be with a married man, ignoring the good man in front of you so you can get trampled over by the jerky man that might call next week, getting out of a relationship with a man so you can immediately start your next relationship with a man, and keeping your man happy so he doesn't leave...more
Maeve Binchy is one of my favorite authors. She has given me so many pleasant hours of happy reading in my life. Her recent death made me search again for anything else she might have written that I didn't already own, or already have read and passed along to someone else. Happily I did find a few books that she was part of, such as this anthology of short stories about girls or women from Ireland. This is unabashed "chick lit" written by and for the female reader. Most of the stories are about...more
I don't normally choose to read collections of short stories, but after reading this book I have a feeling I'll seek them out more actively. I'd forgotten how easy it is to read stories that begin and conclude within a matter of pages, rather than chapters. I'd forgotten how refreshing - and disconcerting - it can be to have a series of unrelated stories, told from radically different voices together in one book.
I really enjoyed this collection. This is most definitely a collection of short stor...more
I really enjoyed this collection. This is most definitely a collection of short stor...more
Full disclosure, I haven't read all the stories. I adore short stories, and the power they can have, but these just do not carry the weight short stories can.
Basically, they're all like a crappy plot for the next awful romantic comedy. The women are fairly flat characters and the men they so quickly fall for are flat as a board. A writer can accomplish a lot in a few pages, but even when the voice is interesting (like the protagonist in 'lurve gods') the story crumbles when everything is tied up...more
Basically, they're all like a crappy plot for the next awful romantic comedy. The women are fairly flat characters and the men they so quickly fall for are flat as a board. A writer can accomplish a lot in a few pages, but even when the voice is interesting (like the protagonist in 'lurve gods') the story crumbles when everything is tied up...more
I love this book so far. This book is a series of short stories written by all Irish writers. I have always been drawn to Irish writer and have three favorites: Morag Prunty/Kate Kerrigan, Marian Keyes and Mauve Binchy. All three have short stories in this book. I am also discovering some new authors to follow.
Thus far my favorite story is by Mauve and this is not surprising. Her short stories have always been the best. Her characters from "The Return Journey" still rates up there as some of th...more
Thus far my favorite story is by Mauve and this is not surprising. Her short stories have always been the best. Her characters from "The Return Journey" still rates up there as some of th...more
Nothing at all heavy or complicated, just a collection of light, amusing stories by and about women in different stages of an assortment of relationships. Most are only 20 pages or less, and have a little twist at the end, altho you can usually see it coming, but I enjoyed this as a quick read that I could put down and easily pick up again. Found it at a local book sale just before St. Patrick's Day, and since the stories are about Irish ladies and I was between books at the moment, it seemed ri...more
I'm not usually too into collections of short stories but I found that this was the perfect book to pick-up when you only have a bit of time for reading and could finish just a story or two. Also thought that, well, if the story was not that good, you felt like you hadn't invested much time. And, (LOL!), these stories were just about the right length for my attention span when it comes to chick-lit!My favorite story was An Independent Woman which had a lovely message about pre-judging people. I...more
This book features short stories by sixteen Irish authors. Half of them are about women who get dumped, get hot, get new boyfriends, and get to laugh at their old boyfriends when the old boyfriends want them back. That's a fun plot to read, but maybe not eight times in the same anthology.
My favorites in this collection were Mary Ryan's "A Good Catch" (surprisingly dark, like biting into a Snickers and finding it's coated in 70% cacao) and Sarah Webb's "About That Night" (not surprising at all b...more
My favorites in this collection were Mary Ryan's "A Good Catch" (surprisingly dark, like biting into a Snickers and finding it's coated in 70% cacao) and Sarah Webb's "About That Night" (not surprising at all b...more
"Soulmates" - Marian Keyes
"Thelma, Louise & the Lurve Gods" - Cathy Kelly
"An Independent Woman" - Morag Prunty
"Your Place or Mine?" - Gemma O'Conner
"The Unlovable Woman" - Annie Sparrow
"Moving" - Collette Caddle
"My Cup Runneth Over" - Julie Parsons
"A Good Catch" - Mary Ryan
"De-Stress" - Jean O'Neill
"The 28th Day" - Catherine Barry
"About That Night" - Sarah Webb
"The Ring Cycle" - Martina Devlin
"Carissima" - Maeve Binchy
"Girls' Week-end" - Catherine Dunne
"The Union Man" - Marisa Mackle
"Thelma, Louise & the Lurve Gods" - Cathy Kelly
"An Independent Woman" - Morag Prunty
"Your Place or Mine?" - Gemma O'Conner
"The Unlovable Woman" - Annie Sparrow
"Moving" - Collette Caddle
"My Cup Runneth Over" - Julie Parsons
"A Good Catch" - Mary Ryan
"De-Stress" - Jean O'Neill
"The 28th Day" - Catherine Barry
"About That Night" - Sarah Webb
"The Ring Cycle" - Martina Devlin
"Carissima" - Maeve Binchy
"Girls' Week-end" - Catherine Dunne
"The Union Man" - Marisa Mackle
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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A collection of short stories from some of Ireland's most loved authors. In "Soulmates", we learn about the pros and cons of having a "soulmate"--someone who is apparently meant for you. In "De-stress", a woman deals with the loss of her fiance--and has to face life head-on. In "The Unlovable Woman", we are treated to a show of laughter and tears--and the stupidity and ignorance that sometimes come with love. There are 9 more stories that will make you laugh, cry, and smile--and maybe pull at yo...more
I really didn't like this book. So much so that I didn't even finish all the stories. I was disappointed at the stories that were written by the big names, and thought they must have just sent in some very early pieces. As for the first story, I felt it was just a narrative of events, I kept waiting for the story to develop but it just stopped! Anyway, I'm sure I've made myself clear by now- one star only because I can't award zero.
This book was a collection of short stories written by female Irish authors. I read about halfway into the book and most of the stories are cute and entertaining.
I think I just don't really enjoy short stories as much as I do a novel. You don't have enough time to really connect with the characters and place yourself in their situations. I found myself guessing the endings on most of the stories, and being right.
I think I just don't really enjoy short stories as much as I do a novel. You don't have enough time to really connect with the characters and place yourself in their situations. I found myself guessing the endings on most of the stories, and being right.
PERFECT for what it is - a beach read. And that's exactly how I enjoyed these stories. After studying for a semester in Galway, Ireland, my mom mailed me this book before I went off to meet my friend Danielle in Italy for the summer. We lazed on the beaches of Cinque Terra for six glorious days. I'm sure half of my love for this book has a lot to do with where I was and what I was doing while reading it.
There are a few gems in this book, but for the most part, the collection was a dud. The stories range from too cliché to too poorly written to just plain old boring. If I hadn’t taken this with me to read on a plane, there’s a strong possibility this would have stayed on my night stand for months while I tried to finish reading it. Stranded on an airplane without much else to do, however, I finished it in one sitting and happily left it behind in the seat pocket when I disembarked. Good riddance...more
The book consists of 16 stories with well known writers like Maeve Binchy, Marian Keyes and Cathy Kelly.
Out of those 16 stories I love reading Carissima, written by Maeve Binchy.
It's about a friendship between Nora (Maeve's main character from The Evening Class ) and Brenda (from Scarlett Feather). I love knowing they are friends and now have settled with their own lives.
Another story that I fancied is The Unlovable Woman by Annie Sparrow. Annie's story left an open ending for her readers, it m...more
Out of those 16 stories I love reading Carissima, written by Maeve Binchy.
It's about a friendship between Nora (Maeve's main character from The Evening Class ) and Brenda (from Scarlett Feather). I love knowing they are friends and now have settled with their own lives.
Another story that I fancied is The Unlovable Woman by Annie Sparrow. Annie's story left an open ending for her readers, it m...more
I loved the idea of this book - a collection of short stories written by Irish women writers and set in Ireland. However, I only read the first three stories because they were over my "rating" threshold. The three I read were very well written, though.
Rated R for language, sexual metaphors, and thematic elements.
Rated R for language, sexual metaphors, and thematic elements.
I liked some of these but only some. I usually enjoy some of these writers but unfortunately everything seems to revolve around cheating husbands or boyfriends. It gets a bit old. Some people like being married and don't cheat but you'd never know from reading this book. There are some "good stories." Some I had to skip because of the language."
This is a collection of short stories by several Irish women authors. I'm not a huge short story fan, and a couple of them are a little overly-girly (read silly) to me, but there were also quite a few that I thought were well-written and interesting. Overall an okay read.
It is a very rare occurrence when I actually do not finish a book that I start to read, because I will read most anything. This book happens to be one of those rare occurrences. Perhaps it was me, or maybe I'm just not into short stories, but I just couldn't keep going. I'd rather read a dictionary.
This was where I discovered many of the great Irish authors I love reading. I think I finished this book in an evening they were so good. It was near a decade ago but instill remember how they made me feel and how the characters leaped off the pages. Highly recommended
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This book is about three main irish authors and their short stories as a woman. The book has other irish authors within the book talking about their personal experiences and how hard it is to be a woman. We cook, clean, have babies, get our hearts broken, and still have many other duties that we have to take care of. This book shows you people who you can relate to. It's a funny girly book, and I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good book to read. This book helps...more
I always love short stories. There are 15 in this book; Most are middle of the road, 3 are really good, 2 don't make any sense at all, I was hooked by the cover as usual. That wonderful red hair says it all. I hope to be able to afford a trip to the UK within the next year.
I was surprised by the flimsiness of the stories and the inability of any of the authors to either catch or impress me. I had hoped for much more, but none of the stories captured me with care, concern, or recognition.
May 29, 2009
Devin
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
chick-lit,
short-stories
Some of the stories I liked quite a bit (The Twenty-Eighth Day, Thelma, Louise and the Lurve Gods, Carissima, and Girls' Weekend). The rest were either so-so or the main characters were hard to root for.
Loved the Maeve Binchy story, and was pleased to be introduced to the work of Colette Caddle, who refreshingly doesn't seem to think that a woman needs to get divorced or have an affair to be happy and/or Irish.
I got this book to take to the lake and it has one of the funniest stories in it ever. Twenty-Eighth Day. Another good one is Thelma Louise and the Lurve Gods. Its all voer a pretty good bunch of stories.
For those who read authors like Cathy Kelly, Mauve Binchy and Martina Reilly - this book will soon be a favourite. It really helped me pick out some authors I enjoy, and I would definently recommend it.
This was a book of short stories by lots of Irish authors (all of whom I had never read before). As with any collection of stories by various authors there were some I liked better than others. Overall most of them were good.
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Maeve Binchy was born in Dalkey, County Dublin and came to fame first as London Correspondent for the Irish Times. Her first novel, Light a Penny Candle, made her famous in the UK and USA. She passed away on July 30, 2012, at the age of 72.
More about Maeve Binchy...
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