The Garden Party and Other Stories

by Maeve Binchy

A collection of short stories from the Archives read for Radio 4, by bestselling author Maeve Binchy. Stories included are: The Garden Party read by Niamh Cusack - Helen looked down at Mrs Kennedy's garden. It was cheerfully coloured yet ordered like Mrs Kennedy. But first impressions are not always reliable. The Special Sale read by Dervla Kirwan - Yvonne's good deed leads to a romantic encounter the day after Christmas. The Sensible Celebration read by Doreen Hepburn - Are the picture perfect couple really the ones to envy? All is not as it seems... Dolly's Mother by Stella McCusker - If you were square and solid and without colour and grace it was sometimes easy to hate Mother.

Genres: Audiobook, Short Stories, Fiction, Ireland, Contemporary

MP3 Book

First published October 9, 2008

About the author

Anne Maeve Binchy Snell was an Irish novelist, playwright, short story writer, columnist, and speaker. Her novels were characterised by a sympathetic and often humorous portrayal of small-town life in Ireland, and surprise endings. Her novels, which were translated into 37 languages, sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. Her death at age 73, announced by Vincent Browne on Irish television late on 30 July 2012, was mourned as the death of one of Ireland's best-loved and most recognisable writers.
She appeared in the US market, featuring on The New York Times Best Seller list and in Oprah's Book Club. Recognised for her "total absence of malice" and generosity to other writers, she finished third in a 2000 poll for World Book Day, ahead of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Stephen King.

Reviews

[Suz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a tiny book that as I commenced to listen, it became apparent straight away that I had read it before. So small were the stories, I had my laptop on my lap and began to make the bare bones of each story as I was quite enamoured. I ended up shutting down my laptop and not saving the document. Silly! These musings may be a little inaccurate as I am doing this a month or so later.

One was a thought-provoking tale of two women wronged by their prospective husbands gives us the title of the book; Helen moves into a flat next to Debbie after her husband leaves her for another woman and is admiring the lovely garden. The women chat and Debbie has advice on the way she conducted her life after her husband did the same, leaving her to parent her children alone. Concocting a little bit of strife for the newly found family after a baby came along and they created a new family, she actually chose to stay in their life and help them babysit and was supportive of the new family unit (with a little underhanded stuff, deservedly? Possibly). The new family appreciated and wanted her to be around. She advises of the possibility to insert herself into their lives as she did, or move on without the drama. What better way to start this than moving in happily into the flat and hosting a lovely garden party with work friends and acquaintances, this will be a good start. A simple concept with Maeve's usual nuance of everyday life and the way others let us down so easily.

The next story brings us characters from Quentins (I think) where a homely cafe decides to open on Boxing Day. Will there be enough business? A lot of care is given in this lovely cafe, and a loving father George whose estranged wife walks all over him. He attends lunch with his small children. The children attend lunch with him and he doesn't ever think of himself. There are lovely conversations between he and his children with another table consisting of a mother and her lonely daughter. This one shows the compassionate side of life and those unexpecting happiness finding it. I loved a scene here where this mother makes the children of George feel at ease about their broken family situation, even though what she said did not happen to her family as she said it did. She made the children feel loved by this simple white lie. This is old-fashioned hospitality, where the staff have names and treat their clientele like family. This was really nice.

The story was the one that made me realise this was a re read was that of lovely Dolly's sweet 16th birthday. She was so forlorn and inferior to her mother on not just this special birthday occasion but all of the time. Her mother seemed perfect and gorgeous and beautiful to her friends and seemed to be the dutiful mother and wife. Dolly grew up on this day when she realised her life would not in fact go at all like her mother's. A lesson was learned in a very harsh way, but an awakening and necessary coming of age for this sweet girl.

Depressing was the tale of The Sensible Celebration. Lorna has hosted a party for a few couples and seems completely skewed in her views on marriage, and life. A sense of keeping up with the Jones's gone wrong, her poor husband realising quite harshly that his wife is a little, perhaps, unhinged? Putting on airs and graces with a terrible smugness. I had written a quote about this woman even referring to her 'rump' being more favourable than those of the women attending. Her internal dialogue about matters such as a respectable man and wife would never sit on a particular sofa in a particular way, and so many other things. This was an insightful story and I am disappointed I lost my notes on this one. The author's take on life here was interesting. Lorna's husband had to rise put on his coat and leave the house during his wife's performance thus was his dismay at the realisation she was so smug and awful. Oh and the narrator - perfect! She captured the pretentiousness, in fact the whole book read like an old BBC radio play, delightful narration for all of the stories.

I can see Maeve's history of letter writing and journalism. She captures the human condition, foibles and weakness but most of all I love when she captures the good stuff.

[Tamar...playing hooky for a few hours today · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was thinking of Maeve Binchy the other day and remembering how much I enjoyed Evening Class, so many years ago. Since I love short stories I found two books of short stories by her available at my library. I snatched them up, but, I was disappointed. Although the writing was good the stories were just meh. I guess maybe I’m in a different place in a different time, but none of the four stories or characters appealed to me except perhaps Lorna’s husband, George, in The Sensible Celebration. He’d clearly had enough of his wife’s smugness and condescending attitude toward the couple’s friends. I loved his description of a childhood reminiscence, about the Cock in the farmyard who would come out to crow, positioning himself on the highest perch to stand on, where people could see him crowing and know what he was doing…He said he was wondering what part of the house they could use to do it…..(which went right over Lorna’s head).

[Pam Tickner · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars. I listened to the audio version while cleaning - as I just wanted some short stories as I have another book on the go. I haven't read Maeve Binchy for many years, and felt these stories came up a bit short of my memories of her writing.

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clever collection of short stories. I like Binchy’s innocent style.

[Barb Kelownagurl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to read this novel as, indicated from the title, I thought it would have lovely seaside and garden stories with beautiful descriptions of scenery, which it did. The category on the bingo board this book completes is: three short stories from one anthology, this category was interesting as I hardly ever read short stories. My favourite quote from the book ( from the story: The young girl ) was: "Her dark coat fell open, and her white throat- all her soft young body in the blue dress- was like a flower just emerging from it's dark bud." It is a lovely detailed line which has beautiful adjectives and uses the language feature of a metaphor. Something new I learnt from this book ( the story being: Miss Brill ) was: to be very careful what you say about people because it can seriously affect their lives forever. Miss Brill's only fun in life was to dress up every sunday and enjoy the band and fun atmosphere. She describes the audience like actors and is ecstatic as she feels like she has a purpose in life and finally belongs somewhere. When the two young lovers come along ( that she calls the heros of the story which makes what follows even more horrible ) they start talking loudly and cruelly about her and she feels worthless and that no one would even care if she died ( later she doesn't get her weekly treat of a honey cake and hides her fur away again. ) I also learnt ( from a different story: Her first ball ) to live life in the present and not worry about what will happen in the future. A man almost ruined her ball by saying how they are pointless in the end, we will all die but she doesn't let this affect her and gets lost in a world of spinning and twirling. A character/ setting I found interesting in this book was Hennie ( The young girl ) as at the start of the story she is arrogant and nasty but at the end ( from the quote I picked ) we see a different side of her, a fragile, delicate and sweeter side.

[Leanne Hunt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short book contains a handful of stories about ordinary women in domestic settings. The author typically writes about relationships, and this collection of short stories is no different. What I found charming in these, however, was the simplicity of the action and the clarity of the theme in each story. The writing is gently humorous in the way it focuses attention on the protagonist's main personality flaw and demonstrates how it works against that protagonist's stated goal.
Although I'm generally not a fan of short stories, this book proved to be a good palate cleanser between heavier novels. I've always been fond of Maeve Binchy and will probably continue to find pleasure in her novels for years to come.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An hour long selection of three stories that are not all that deep and complicated, but still represent Maeve Binchy as an exemplar for stories of everyday people with everyday concerns and anxieties. They have just enough of a twist to rise far above the mediocre "beach read". Her stories tell us something about her characters, many of whom appear and re-appear in several short stories and novels, each time in a slightly different context and from a fresh perspective; but most importantly they are a modest yet important statement about the universal human condition. They enrich and brighten my existence.

[melotato · Rating 1 out of 5]

Only an hour long yet somehow tedious to listen to. The four short stories have little substance and none of the characters are particularly interesting. Honestly, each of the main characters from the short stories are kind of annoying which made me wish I hadn’t bothered with this at all. I also hope you aren’t supposed to take any kind of lesson from these characters, each of the main women are either vapid/dull or foolish. This collection certainly doesn’t inspire me to read anything else by the author. Don’t bother with this one at all.

[Kari · Rating 2 out of 5]

3 of the 4 stories were cut too short. So short that I wondered at first if I had only checked out a set of teasers. There's something to be said for wanting more, but this felt like stories were only barely imagined and begged feedback before the writer would conclude them. The only short story that truly stands is "Dolly's Mother," so I recommend you skip ahead to that last tale and then move on.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of short stories seems to be available in this collection via audio only, originally read for a BBC productions. All four were well done and these stories highlighted Binchy’s ability to develop rich, deep characters in a few words. I was certainly pulled in…but that talent also resulted in me feeling a little unsatisfied at the end of each because I needed to know more!!

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick listen while I had finished one book and was waiting for the next to arrive from another library.
Four quick stories, all just a scene or two. All about different ways women seem to cope with the world around them, dealing with what they've been given.

*Hogwarts Library: Read a book you checked out from the library or borrowed from a friend*

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of four short stories. Listened to the audiobook. I don’t really care for short stories, usually feels like you’re just getting into the characters and then it’s on to a new story. But Maeve’s are more tolerable than most. One took place in Quentins, the high scale restaurant that makes an appearance in a lot of Maeve’s books.

[Lisa]

I’m not usually one to choose short stories but these all seem exactly the sort of thing for which short stories were invented. Little vignettes and they all involve a garden or party in some way. I loved the way the women in these stories are clearly drawn even for just the short moment in time they are in our view.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this book of short stories as an audiobook. Do you have an hour? These short stories only took 60 minutes, and they are the most delightful short stories ever, a perfect break between those large reads.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very short book, consisting of several very short stories. Some of the stories contained nice messages/meanings. I would have liked for each story to be longer, but overall it was a good, quick, easy read. I'd give it 3.5 stars.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a series of short stories. I like this author and these were great stories that give you pause to think about how looking at a situation from a different point of view changes everything.

[Vicki Bazan · Rating 4 out of 5]

delightful

[Christine Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet little collection of short stories.

[Karen Koenig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love MB.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good short story selection

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of short stories by one of my favorite authors.

[Nancy Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short book of four short but thought provoking stories

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of four interesting short stories. Love Maeve’s writing.

[LMTZ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook. I enjoyed these very short stories.

[Cie · Rating 3 out of 5]

We love empowered women

[Solveig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four different short stories all with a central female character in different circumstances. Interesting and engaging, but I do not like all the 'heroines'.

[Rachel Hutcheson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful stories. I enjoyed listening to this audio. Maeve Binchy's books are always interesting and entertaining.

[Nancie Lafferty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful little listen. Different narrators for each lovely and insightful story.

[Tara Blais Davison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely read but not as enjoyable as Tara Road or The Quentins.3.4/5