Maeve Binchy, the Irish writer and journalist, died yesterday, the Irish Times reported. She was 72.
For a time, Binchy held several jobs at the Irish Times, including women's editor and in the paper's London office, where she began writing fiction. She wrote more than 20 books, including 16 novels. The Lilac Bus and Echoes were made into TV films, while Circle of Friends, Tara Road and How About You were made into feature films.
The paper quoted Irish president Michael D. Higgins, who called Binchy "an outstanding novelist, short story writer and columnist, who engaged millions of people all around the world with her fluent and accessible style. She was a great storyteller and we enjoyed her capacity to engage, entertain and surprise us. For others, particularly young and aspiring writers, she was not only a source of great encouragement; but also to so many, of practical assistance."
Last year Binchy said, "I don't have any regrets about any roads I didn't take. Everything went well, and I think that's been a help because I can look back, and I do get great pleasure out of looking back.... I've been very lucky and I have a happy old age with good family and friends still around."
