The Lilac Bus: Stories (Thorndike Famous Authors) [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Maeve Binchy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2007 | Series: Thorndike Famous Authors

Every Friday night, the same seven Dublin workers meet to travel home in Tom Fitzgerald's lilac-coloured minibus. Each of them needs to return regularly to Rathdoon: Nancy Morris, a real 'Miss Mouse', is known for her meanness and has to escape her flatmate's carping; Dee Burke is engrossed in her affair; Kev Kennedy has a side to his character hidden even from his family; Celis Ryan has to face her mother making a drunken exhibition of herself - and Tom has his reasons. Meave Binchy's vibrant characters, with all their joys and sadness, are brilliantly brought to life by Kate Binchy.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the first eight interrelated stories of the dozen that comprise her new collection, Binchy ( Circle of Friends ) introduces eight people who travel on a lilac-colored bus from Dublin every Friday night to spend the weekend in their hometown, Rathdoon. Each of the seven passengers and the bus driver is the protagonist of an individual story; taken together, the tales have the cohesion of a novelette. Though these people have known one another for years, they are totally unaware of the compulsions, anxieties, heartaches and dreams of their fellow travelers. As is gradually revealed, everyone on the bus has a secret; thus the stories have the pull of taffy: having finished one, the reader is hooked on discovering the essence of yet another protagonist's existence. Each story delivers a kick of surprise--and often more than one--as Binchy peels back the layers of her characters' lives with empathy, compassion and not a little humor. In the process, the tales coalesce to portray the social order of Rathdoon. The last four stories are set in Dublin, with a new, equally engrossing cast. Although the pieces differ widely in social setting and circumstance, each features a woman who learns the strength of her mettle through adversity. This gallery of memorable characters again confirms Binchy as a beguiling raconteur. BOMC featured selection.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Two collections of stories, "The Lilac Bus" and "Dublin 4," make up Binchy's latest book, a showcase for her marvelous storytelling ability. "The Lilac Bus" consists of eight connected stories, each one a revealing portrait of a Dublin worker who goes home to the outlying town of Rathdoon each weekend in Tom Fitzgerald's minibus. Torn between the anonymous independence of Dublin and the claustrophobic safety of Rathdoon, many characters lead secretive double lives: Dee has a married lover, Rupert is gay, Kev is a thief. The more fully realized stories in "Dublin 4" have only their Dublin setting in common. Hard hitters dealing with alcoholism, unwed pregnancy, and an unfaithful husband are lightened by the humorous "Flat in Ringsend" about a young girl's stab at independence in her first flat. While not as completely satisfying as Binchy novels ( Circle of Friends, LJ 12/90), this is absorbing, entertaining reading with characters to care about. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 7/1/91.
- Patricia Ross, Westerville P.L., Ohio
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 571 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press (October 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786298723
• ISBN-13: 978-0786298723
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,929,031 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Maeve Binchy is the author of numerous best-selling books, including Nights of Rain and Stars, Quentins, Scarlet Feather, Circle of Friends, and Tara Road, which was an Oprah's Book Club selection. She has written for Gourmet; O, The Oprah Magazine; Modern Maturity; and Good Housekeeping, among other publications. She and her husband, Gordon Snell, live in Dalkey, Ireland, and London.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful series of character sketches, May 27, 2000

By 

Dr W. Richards "wmr-uk" (Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lilac Bus (Paperback)

If you're expecting a novel like Echoes or Tara Road, don't buy this book. If, on the other hand, you admire Maeve Binchy's ability to tell you all about a character's life, personality, interests and dreams in a few pages, then this is the book for you. The Lilac Bus is a series of 'postcards' or brief character sketches of a number of different people, all of whom travel home from Dublin each Friday evening on the same bus. Each has their own preoccupations and concerns, and Binchy manages to give us some fascinating insights into not only the individuals here, but into the tight little society to where they're travelling, with its own mores and habits.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not one of Binchey's best!, August 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Lilac Bus (Paperback)

The characters are interesting and real. However, just as you really get to know each one and how their lives intertwine, you're left hanging in the end. I felt like I was taken to the edge of a cliff and then left there dangling!!!! The extra stories at the the end were disjointed and totally useless!!!!!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Trip Across Ireland like the Lonely Planet!, January 9, 2000

By 

Mamalinde "mamalinde" (Dallas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lilac Bus (Audio Cassette)

A vicarious adventure riding the Lilac Bus back and forth across Ireland, only the reader gets to crawl inside the lives of each of the passengers. Maeve Binchy's insights and exquisite writing are perfectly matched with Kate Binchy's melodious Irish tones. You will feel like you know these people and that the journey has been a special vacation. This story is the neatly crafted -- though it does not wrap every thing up in a nice tidy package at the end (that never really happens in real life)! Human, full of hope, humor, faith and caring, but if you want a thriller, look elsewhere.