Some time back a lady who knows me through our parish presented me with a copy of this book by Maeve Binchy R.I.P.. She said, "Gene, you are a writer and I expect you read a lot. I would like to make you a gift of this novel by Maeve Binchy." I thought to myself me an intellectual reading Maeve Binchy!

But I read it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Moral: just because you may be an intellectual never look down on anything. 

No wonder her books have sold millions. Give me Maeve Binchy rather than Iris Murdock any day.