Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.Download Description
This novel is well done and unique for Lucy Maud Montgomery to have a male main character. It takes place in a small village of Lindsay on Prince Edward Island. Eric Marshall, Dark and handsome, the son of a wealthy merchant, has to figure out how to earn what he wants, Kilmeny's love. Kilmeny is a sweet, mute girl who is the object of Eric's desire. An old fashioned love story. Please Note:This book is easy to read in true text, not scanned images that can sometimes be difficult to decipher.The Microsoft eBook has a contents page linked to the chapter headings for easy navigation. The Adobe eBook has bookmarks at chapter headings and is printable up to two full copies per year.Both versions are text searchable. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (35)

Beauty
I have loved this book since I was a child and I cannot understand why others have such a hard time reading it. It is not an adventure book, and it is not meant to be. It is beautifully written and soothing to the reader's mind. As a musician, it is also nice to see music entwined into a love story like this one. It is refreshing to find a beauty like Kilmeny who believes herself to be unattractive. Some readers have written that they are upset by the fact that their love is only based on looks. Eric fell in love with more than her beauty. Her mannerisms and innocence were a major part of that love. Her good looks only inspired him to look closer at the woman inside. This book is worth the time and money in every way as long as you're not looking for an action book.

Kilmeny
I have read this book and I have to say that it is not a bad book, but nor is it the kind of book you read once and have to read again. It is the story of Eric Marshall and his love -- even though she's dumb -- Kilmeny Gordon. The name "Kilmeny" I had never heard before, and when I read the book, I felt that the name went only too well with the myseterious heroine. Kilmeny herself I found a fasinating person, though Eric to me seemed rather boring. My favorite characters would be Aunt Janet and Uncle Thomas Gordon, and the two Williamsons with their "Timothy". Neil Gordon, the villian, put all the action and suspense into the novel, and it's a little lame how he simply jumped town at the end. This story is a lot like a fairy tale romance, and perhaps Lucy Maud Montgomery meant it to be. "Kilmeny of the Orchards" is certainly NOT Montgomery's best work, but it still is worth a read.

A beautiful, simple love story...
This is one of my all-time favorite fairy-tale love stories.No, it's not realistic, and Eric and Kilmeny have precious few faults, at least that we are told about.But I don't think that it's because they don't have any... it's just a love story... not the story of their lives.

Eric is awed by Kilmeny's music, first... and then he is wowed by her beauty.And then, as the weeks go by and they spend hours together every day, they fall in love.

This is a beautiful story, equisitely told.We are not drawn into the conversations that they have, and the details of how they get to know each other.We are simply allowed to feel the admiration and respect and love that they come to feel for each other.And that is more than enough for me.

shallow, sappy, and uninvolving
I described this book as shallow in my review title because of the undue importance placed on physical appearance.Kilmeny is presented as literally the most beautiful woman that the worldy-wise Eric has ever seen.When Eric's father questions his decision to marry a mute girl of lowly birth, all Eric says is, "Wait until you see Kilmeny."Maybe he meant that her sweetness and purity of heart are so strong as to be easily discernable on first glance, but that sentiment makes it seem to me like he values her first and foremost for the way that she looks.It is established that Eric has never before met a woman who "made his heart skip a beat," and that he knows pretty early on that Kilmeny is the only girl for him.Why, though, does it have to be because she is the most beautiful woman ever?Why can't there just be something indefinable about her that attracts him?The way the story is set up, it makes it seem like Eric never fell in love before because he never met a woman quite beautiful enough, and that Kilmeny's humble (even scandalous) birth and her disability are forgiven because she is just so very pretty.Yes, he also admires her musical ability and the liveliness of her mind, but her appearance is what he dwells on most.I actually think that the book would have been more palatable if she had been somewhat plain.The handsome, rich, sophisticated newcomer in a small town falls in love with a mute and homely recluse because of her childlike innocence, wit, intelligence, and talent?Sounds better to me than "man with untouchable heart finally meets a woman lovely enough to catch his eye."

I like L.M. Montgomery.I own the entire Anne series (my favorites are Anne of Green Gables and Rilla of Ingleside), the Emily series, and The Blue Castle (so, so good).This book, though, always seemed to keep the reader at a distance.Neither the hero nor the heroine (Eric and Kilmeny) are fully-realized characters.They are more archetypes of the valiant lover and the pure maiden, with nary a flaw between them.Even qualities that many people might consider flaws such as foolishness, obstinacy, and histrionics are stamped as selflessness, gallantry, and benevolence by the author.After the first couple of chapters, I found myself more skimming the book than actually reading it because I was not able to connect with the characters.

For a much better book about a man intrigued by a sweet-natured disabled girl with a tragic home life, try A Patch of Blue by Elizabeth Kata (originally published as Be Ready with Bells And Drums).

Simple yet charming
Utterly predictable and in some ways a feminist's nightmare, still I adore this book. Handsome, kind and perfect Eric, exiled in a small country town due to his generosity and compassion to a friend in need, instantly falls under the spell of lovely, talented and innocent Kilmeny when he comes upon her playing her violin in an abandoned orchard. The lyrical and supremely romantic passage describing this encounter etched the never-seen image into my memory - the blossoming trees, the quality of the light, the textures of Kilmeny's dress, the ethereal music. When Kilmeny runs away in terror, a confused Eric, irrevocably pinned by cupid's arrow, attempts to find out who she is. But Kilmeny has a secret and no one in the town is talking ...

Simple and charming, this story is somewhat more lightweight than other Lucy Maud Montgomery novels. Typically, however, the romance plays itself out against a background exploration of the attitudes, the isolationism, and the superstitions of the small rural communities of yesteryear. And of course Montgomery's writing, in my opinion, puts Kilmeny of the Orchard at the top of my list of the most enjoyable romance novels I have ever read.
... Read more

Book Description
This digital document, covering the life and work of L(ucy) M(aud) Montgomery, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thompson Gale. The length of the entry is 3794 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.Download Description
Which have to do with many personalities and events in and about Avonlea, the Home of the Heroine of Green Gables, including tales of Aunt Cynthia, The Materializing of Cecil, David Spencer's Daughter, Jane's Baby, The Failure of Robert Monroe, The Return of Hester, The Little Brown Book of Miss Emily, Sara's Way, The Son of Thyra Carewe, The Education of Betty, The Selflessness of Eunice Carr, The Dream-Child, The Conscience Case of David Bell, Only a Common Fellow, and finally the story of Tannis of the Flats.Please Note:This book is easy to read in true text, not scanned images that can sometimes be difficult to decipher.The Microsoft eBook has a contents page linked to the chapter headings for easy navigation. The Adobe eBook has bookmarks at chapter headings and is printable up to two full copies per year.Both versions are text searchable. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

A short story collection that LM Montgomery didn't want
Apparently, L.M. Montgomery did not want this collection of short stories to be published. Her publisher compiled a collection of stories that she rejected from inclusion into the Chronicles of Avonlea, and published this. (She sued them for this.)

I think that it's interesting to read this collection in light of that. Some of the stories are the gentle, sweet ones we've come to expect from the author, while others are glaringly not. The last story has already been mentioned as being hopelessly racist and out of date. However I think that it should not be censored out of any future edition of this book (as has been suggested) because it is a reflection of its times. As a matter of fact, there are traces of Canada's racist attitudes of the time in LM Montgomery's more famous works too - even in the Anne of Green Gables series, where short but pointed bits of racism towards French Canadians appear. (In the 1985 TV mini-series, the story is given a modern update of sorts when the neighbor who offers to buy the Cuthberts' farm is a French Canadian; that would probably have been unthinkable in real turn of the last century Prince Edward Island.)

While these things can jar modern sensibilities, they shouldn't be censored because they are a part of history. I suppose people who want to ban Huckleberry Finn from school curriculums might have a problem with the racism in any book, especially one for children or young adults, but how are we to learn from our past mistakes if we don't know about them?

Beyond the racist last story, the other stories are perhaps of a lesser quality than the ones in Chronicles with some exceptions, but are worth reading nevertheless.

That last story is a problem...
This book, which sort of follows the Anne of Green Gables series (and sort of doesn't connect to it) contains the following short stories:

Aunt Cynthia's Persian Cat
The Materializing of Cecil
Her Father's Daughter
Jane's Baby
The Dream-Child
The Brother Who Failed
The Return of Hester
The Little Brown Book of Miss Emily
Sara's Way
The Son of His Mother
The Education of Betty
In Her Selfless Mood
The Conscience Case of David Bell
Only a Common Fellow
Tannis of the Flats

Several were funny and light-hearted, but my favorite was the tender, loving short story, "The Brother Who Failed."In the end, you realize that there are other paths to success beyond the accumulation of worldly wealth, and that we are all capable of doing something to help another person -- even if we don't have a lot of money.

I didn't care for "In Her Selfless Mood," a study in co-dependence and thwarted growth.

I particularly didn't like the last story, which is so gratuitously and overtly racist as to deserve losing its place in elementary school libraries.I realize that this is strong censure, but I believe that it earns it with its stereotypical depictions of slovenly, ugly, vicious, scheming Native Americans and biracial people.It would be an act of mercy for the publisher to produce a library edition which omits the final story.

(While it will not find space on my own bookshelves, my free-speech tendencies prevent me from having very serious objections to keeping it in public libraries, or in upper grades.In the one case I hope for more direct parental supervision [compared to zero parental involvement in the school library], and in the other, I hope that more experienced readers will recognize the racism for the nonsense that it is.)

If you like the LM Montgomery's writing style and want to introduce a younger child to some of her shorter works, then let me suggest that you get this book -- and then read it aloud, so you can skip anything that YOU decide is inappropriate for your child.

'Sequel' to "Chronicles of Avonlea"
"Further Chronicles of Avonlea," the 'sequel' to "Chronicles of Avonlea," expands upon Avonlea's rich history with 15 additional short stories:

"Aunt Cynthia's Persian Cat" -- Two sisters cat-sit their aunt's treasured white Persian while she's away for two months--until the cat disappears and one of the girls' annoying beaus comes to the rescue. A lighthearted tale for cat lovers. >> "The Materializing of Cecil" -- An old maid tries to impress the women in her sewing circle by concocting a tale of her imaginary past lover, Cecil Fenwick, who mysteriously materializes in Avonlea a short time later. Another amusing story. >> "Her Father's Daughter" -- A young woman invites her estranged father to her wedding against her mother's wishes. I thought their first meeting was slightly inappropriate, especially with the father asking for a kiss and hugging her when the girl wasn't aware of who he was. Not to mention the ending was a tad too contrived and sappy, though the daughter did show some backbone at least. >> "Jane's Baby" -- Two elderly, estranged sisters fight over possession of an orphaned child, even resorting to kidnapping. >> "The Dream-Child" -- The ghost of a young couple's 20-month-old baby returns to haunt them. An eerie, more darker story than the rest, but very good. I liked this one especially.

"The Brother Who Failed" -- A family reunion is spoiled for one older man who is thought to be a failure by his Aunt Isabel, while his siblings are more successful with money and fame. >> "The Return of Hester" -- A young woman's difficult promise to her dying older sister of not marrying a certain man is revoked when her sister's ghost returns to play matchmaker. The ending was a bit abrupt. >> "The Little Brown Book of Miss Emily" -- After an unpopular old maid dies, she leaves Anne Shirley her diary in order for Anne and Diane to understand her. While Anne is mentioned in a couple other stories, it was nice to read from her perspective again, like in the Anne of Green Gables series, if only for a short bit, since the majority of the story is just diary excerpts. >> "Sara's Way" -- A young teacher's meddlesome two aunts try and push her to marry a well-to-do man against her wishes. But when his family suffers from financial trouble, she comes to his defense. >> "The Son of His Mother" -- An overly-possessive mother grows upset over her grown son's interest in another woman. This woman is obviously disturbed, and it's hard to like her, even with the story told from her point of view. Not one of the best here, and a bit too long.

"The Education of Betty" -- A man offers to help his childhood sweetheart, a recent widow, in raising her wild 10-year-old daughter. After some time, he begins to develop unguardian-like feelings for the girl. This story almost felt like a G-rated Edwardian version of "Lolita." >> "In Her Selfless Mood" -- A young woman promises her dying mother that she'll care for her halfbrother. Readers will empathize with her, but question why she's so loyal to a family that dislikes her. >> "The Conscience Case of David Bell" -- A father's refusal to testify at their revivalist church makes his family feel disgraced. Not one of the best here. >> "Only a Common Fellow" -- A young bride's supposedly dead childhood sweetheart returns just in the nick of time on her wedding day. Romantics should like this one. >> "Tannis of the Flats" -- A multiracial woman's trip to Canada's Northwest ends in heartbreak when she falls for an English man who doesn't love her but another woman. There are some rather prejudiced remarks concerning Indians/Native Americans in this story, like referring to them as simple-minded "breeds" and stating that half-breeds are the worst enemy in the world--and that's just the beginning.

Despite this ending story (and a couple others), "Further Chronicles of Avonlea" is a suitable read for everyone. I bought this book sometime when I was 9 or 10 and have enjoyed it ever since. Though this isn't a classic collection, diehard L. M. Montgomery fans will probably still like it, as well as the first collection: "Chronicles of Avonlea."

the stories have aged poorly
The Anne books were among my favorites growing up, and I thought it would be fun to re-read them. Boy, was I wrong! "Aunt Cynthia's Persian Cat" and "The Materializing of Cecil" were both cute, and "The Brother who Failed" had a nice end, but the morals of 1920 are more than a little disturbing now. In "The Education of Betty" a man marries his high school sweetheart's daughter, whom he helped raise from childhood, and in "In Her Selfless Mood" we are expected to sympathize with a woman who throws her life away on her no-account brother. And the less said of the **appallingly** racist "Tannis of the Flats" the better. The stories that are not embarrassingly outdated are sappy little romances. The Little House books retain their charm in a way Avonlea has not. I will not be sharing these chronicles with my children.

Typical L.M. Montgomery short stories
I would recommend giving this volume a miss, if only to avoid reading the embarrassingly racist closing story, "Tannis Of The Flats", and being rudely reminded of an unsavory side that exists to some of our fondly idealized images of the past as filtered through the Anne series. Even without that, however, none of these tales are very good (though some of the light-hearted ones, like "Aunt Cynthia's Persian Cat" are kind of fun); the melodramatic ones are often downright wretched. And, as with the first CHRONICLES, Anne appears only briefly. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.Download Description

"I do like a road, because you can be always wondering what is at theend of it."

Customer Reviews (19)

talks down to kids
L. M. Montgomery, author of the much-loved Anne of Green Gables books, called The Story Girl "my favorite among my books", possibly because she saw the title character as a kind of romanticized version of herself.As the rest of us must lack that pleasurable sense of self-flattery, however, I'm afraid the book falls flat.In it, the adventures of a group of eight Canadian children ages 11-14 (narrated by one of the boys looking back from adulthood), are interspersed with the stories told to them by the eldest of their number, the Story Girl herself.We are told (again and again) that the Story Girl, though not beautiful, is nonetheless the sort of charismatic personality that draws everyone to her."If voices had colour, hers would have been like a rainbow.It made words live. Whatever she said became a breathing reality, not a mere verbal statement or utterance."There's rather a lot of this sort of thing, every time the Story Girl does something, which is of course often, since the book is named after her.Set in the late 1800's, the children are quite a bit (almost unbelievably) more unworldly than tweens and early teens of our own era, and I had to constantly revise my expectations of their knowledge and conduct downwards (quite a bit downwards, in fact).Which I think, even more than the tiresome hyperbole about the Story Girl's attractiveness, is what rings false in this book.It reads like a book written by the childless auntie who just adores the little darlings! and has no real concept of what real children are like.Throughout it refers to their feelings and exploits with a winking sort of smarminess that is just a few shades too twee to be borne.

"And I, even in these late years of irreverence for the dreams of youth, am not in the least ashamed to confess that when I knelt down to say my boyish prayer, I thought of our little furry comrade in his extremity, and prayed as reverently as I knew how for his healing."

This sort of "talking down" to children makes me cringe, and I can't but imagine how much more embarrassing it would be to a child who was reading it.Not a keeper.

Wonderful, warm and... cheap
I love this book and I always have. English is not my native language, I got to know "The Story Girl" in translation - and a good one, too - but I have always longed to read it in English and to find out how Maud herself wrote it. The book is amazing, written from a perspective of an adult, it gives an account of childhood. When I read "The Story Girl" I always get the feeling I'm in someone's memories - slightly blurred and in gold coulours. I love the book and I wholeheartedly recommend it - have you known it was Maud's favourite? The edition isn't beautiful, but it's cheap, and for some people, me included, that matters.

mystical
For entertainment value, I would give this book 3.5*.It was ruined for me, however, because of all the mentions of ghosts, witches, incorrect theology and hints of Eastern mysticism.Even though it was entertaining, I won't read it again because of that.It also seemed rather shallow compared with Anne of Green Gables and other similar books.

Sara Will Mesmerise You!
A charming story by LLM, one of my all time favorite authors, about tow boys who visit for the first time their Canadian cousins and their friends.Sara is a master story teller and keeps the gang rivited throughout the novel with her wonderful storytelling.If you are an avid reader of LMM you may recognize some of the stories in the book, but there is plenty of novel things like the praying contest and the day the world ended.i hope I peaked your interest in this book. This is a book for everyone from child to adult. It's a story you will cherish and read over and over. Pass it on to your children and grandchildren!

Great Book- bad binding
I opted to go cheap and buy the paper back. I ordered this for my daughter. She's been reading it for three days and already the pages are falling out. I've never seen that happen so quickly in a paper back. The glue seemsbrittle and cracks when you open the book. Good lesson for next time. But the story is wonderful. ... Read more

Book Description
The final volume of the immensely successful Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery covers the years from 1935 to 1942, the year of Montgomery's death. It completes the story of a gifted creative writer who was also wife, mother, community leader, and public figure. No longer dwelling in a farm community or a small rural village, Lucy Maud Montgomery explored life in downtown Toronto and turned her journals into the unprecedented diary of a suburban housewife. Here she experienced the cultural riches the city had to offer while finding friendship and neighbourliness in the suburb of Swansea, where she settled with her husband. The journal chronicles her hopes and satisfaction with her new home and neighbourhood, but also her struggles with her own and her husband's recurring bouts of depression, and her worries over the academic performance and behaviour of her sons. The journals also record her views on world events such as the abdication of Edward VIII, Italy's invasion of Ethiopia, and the apparent inability of the League of Nations to deter Hitler. This final volume in the series offers an intimate eye-witness account of life in a growing city, a friendly neighbourhood, a changing world, and of a troubling family dynamic from 1935 to 1942, all recorded with Lucy Maud Montgomery's sharp eye and characteristic wit. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Delightful insight into a world long gone
Obviously this is for fans of L M Montgomery - if you know and love her writing, you will recognise among the friends and acquaintances of her youth the characters that people Anne of Green Gable's turbulent world.But this wonderful journal is much more than that - it is a fascinating insight into a world which is long gone.

We read of Maud's complex family arrangements, her desire to be a good teacher and disappointment with some of her placements.Her small victories selling stories to publications, and the seemingly endless stream of suitors who proclaim love for her (my favourite is the hapless Mr Mustard).It is a tale of love found and not acted on (and the agonies that accompany it), familial obligations, frustrated talents and beautiful Canadian country side.It tells of heppiness, despair, joy and nostalgia, and is as engagingly written as any fabulous novel.

By all means read this if you wish to understand the creator of one of the world's most engaging literary characters, but also to have a glimpse of a world none of us will ever see the likes of.

The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery: 1935-1942
Although the famous author's last years brought her much sorrow and depression, she continued to depict the world as it once more became plunged into yet another world war. In her famous journals, she described movies she saw, including GWTW, air conditioning, and the frustration involved with generational gaps. It is a must read for those who followed the previous books.

LM DIARY
IF YOU LOVE THE OTHER DIARIES YOU WILL ENJOY READING ABOUT HER FINAL DAYS. I ENJOYED ALL OF THE OTHER DIARIES BUT THIS ONE IS THE SADDEST. SHE HAS HER GOOD DAYS AND BAD, BUT SADLY SHE STOPPED WRITING IN THE LAST YEARS WHEN LIFE BECAME SO UNBEARABLE THAT SHE COUDLN'T EVEN WRITE ABOUT IT SO THIS DIARY IS INCOMPLETE. YOU WILL LOVE SEEING INSIDE THE LIFE AND MIND OF AN AUTHORWHO ACHIEVED SUCCESS IN HER OWN LIFETIME AND LIVED TO WRITE ABOUT HER PERSONAL LIFE FROM CHILDHOOD TO HER LAST DAYS. THIS DIARY IS HER LAST, BUT LUCY MAUD MONTGOMERY WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE ON IN HER WRITINGS. HER DIARY WAS A WAY TO SHARE HER INNERMOST THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS THAT SHE COULDN'T SHARE IN HER NOVELS. YOU TOO WILL FEEL LIKE A KINDRED SPIRIT.

I've been waiting so long
These journals, are beautifully put together.I remember when I found the first one and then each suceeding volume.I knew this one was coming.I even called the author at Guelph University to ask her how much longer I would have to wait.

She said then that they had to wait for some of the people in the journals to die before they could publish them.I would guess Dr. Stuart Macdonald was one of them.

They thrill me and make me feel closer to thise amazing woman.I've read everything she's written now.The sad thing is that once this volume is finished there is nothing new to read.

My greatests thanks to L. M. Montgomery and to Drs. Rubio and Waterson for their great work.

Fascinating
Poor poor woman. I could scarcely put it down. But it brings up many questions.Why did she think that Mr. Leard, the Love of her life, was not worthy of her?Why did no one ask her husband Mr. McDonald what the heck was bothering him?Why did she not know in 5 years of courtship that something was terribly wrong with him? Poor, poor woman.The synthesis of this book is when she asks herself why a woman that she felt was mean and hateful was happy and she was not.Indeed, why? ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.Download Description
This book is mainly about Anne and Gilbert's children and their friends, the Merediths, Jerry, Faith, Carl, and Una. They are beloved, endearing, fun-loving children that are always getting into trouble by their own abandonment. The children have many adventures, which provides many laughs for the reader. Please Note:This book is easy to read in true text, not scanned images that can sometimes be difficult to decipher.The Microsoft eBook has a contents page linked to the chapter headings for easy navigation. The Adobe eBook has bookmarks at chapter headings and is printable up to two full copies per year.Both versions are text searchable. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Very good, wholesome reading
This novel is one of the best of the "Anne" series. The plot moves, the characters are well portrayed, and romance keeps the suspense up and the reader engrossed. It is so wonderful to read something written about the turn of the century that isn't full of the filth of so much of today's fiction.

It's okay
It doesn't have the charm or enthusiasm of the other books; it is an okay stand-alone, but Anne, Gil, and the 6 Blythe kids are actually background characters, especially Anne and Gilbert! It is okay alone, though.

Halairious
This book is, in my opinion, one of the very funniest in the series.
Faith Meredith just cracks me up.
I got the whole series for christmas, and I am reading them backwards. I just started Anne's House of Dreams today!

And the fine traditions carry over into a new generation...
Although this book has little about Anne in it, I think the author was right in focusing on the children.After all, as a mother of 6, I don't think there would be much story to Anne.Obviously her life at this point, even with Susan's help, consisted of working in her home and for her family.This was still during a time when there were few machines to make tasks easier, and the work never ended.All through the book she is there for her children as she was in Anne of Ingleside, but now the story is theirs and that of their friends.She was able to move the story of Anne along while bringing in new characters and fresh storylines.Because of the devices she used, she was able to make the 8th book as interesting as the first one.The author was also possibly employing the same strategies advertisers employ today to sell their wares.She could have been using Anne's name to sell more books.Whatever, it's still a delightful read!

It's hard to stop laughing
I was disappointed with the previous segment of the series, so I was not expecting much from Rainbow Valley.Indeed, I put off reading it for a year.I'm sorry now that I did so.

Montgomery returns to the magic and lyricism of the beginning of the Green Gable series.But she does it by leaving Anne.There is only a little about Anne's family, and hardly anything about Anne herself in this book.It is mostly about another family, that of John Meredith, the minister, a widower.By telling the story of this family, and an orphan they befriend, we see some angst in life, some troubles.Which was exactly the problem with the story of Anne's family.She went through many troubles as a girl, but as a mature mother, she had everything perfect.The family was perfect.The marriage was perfect.And it was all quite boring.This is why they don't write about perfect people in the adventure stories that Anne loves.But the Merediths do not have a perfect life, and the troubles they experience, and how they attempt to resolve them, create spice.

These are very believable characters created by Montgomery, and a believable small town focused continually on gossip.It is one of the rare books that does not portray a minister and his family as evil, nor as perfect, but simply as real- perhaps because the book was written in 1919.How the children of the family respond to an emotionally absent father is intriguing, and Faith Meredith's actions the most interesting of them all.I read this on the train from Casablanca to Tangier, and the Moroccans in the train car with me gave me many strange looks as I could not stop laughing uproariously at Faith's actions, nor explain to them what was so amazingly funny. ... Read more

Book Description

Who ultimately is L.M. Montgomery, and why was there such an obsession with secrecy, hiding, and encoding in her life and fiction? Delving into the hidden life of Canada's most enigmatic writer, The Intimate Life of L.M. Montgomery answers these questions. The eleven essays illuminate Montgomery's personal writings and photographic self-portraits and probe the ways in which she actively shaped her life as a work of art. This is the first book to investigate Montgomery's personal writings, which filled thousands of pages in journals and a memoir, correspondence, scrapbooks, and photography.

Using theories of autobiography and life writing, the essays probe the author's flair for the dramatic and her exuberance in costuming, while also exploring the personal facts behind some of her fiction, including the beloved Anne of Green Gables. Focussing on topics such as sexuality, depression, marriage, aging, illness, and writing, the essays strip away the layers of art and artifice that disguised Montgomery's most intensely guarded secrets, including details of her affair with Herman Leard, her marriage with Ewen Macdonald, and her friendships with Nora Lefurgey and Isabel Anderson. The book also includes rare photographs taken by Montgomery and others, many of which have not previously appeared in print.

One of the highlights of The Intimate Life of L.M. Montgomery is the inclusion of a secret diary that Montgomery wrote with Lefurgey in 1903. This hilarious document is a rare find, for Montgomery's teasing banter presents us with a new voice that is distinct from the sombre tone of her journals. Published here for the first time, more than 100 years after its composition, this diary is virtually unknown to readers and scholars and is a welcome addition to the literature on this important figure.

This volume fills in many of the blanks surrounding Montgomery's personal life. Engaging and erudite, it is a boon for scholars and Montgomery fans alike.

Customer Reviews (1)

For Anne's fans and scholars
Dr. Irene Gammel's newest book, The Intimate Life of L.M. Montgomery. The Intimate Life is a collection of essays based in part on the Institute's 2002 conference on life writing. It contains essays by known Montgomery scholars such as Epperly, Gammel, Rubio, and Waterston tha examine closely the author's examples of life writing so as to shed light on the private side of this enigmatic lady. The book also includes a secret diary penned jointly by Montgomery and her friend, Nora Lefurgey, during the period of January 1903 to June 1903. This diary shows the humourous, fun, and playful side of Montgomery as the two women recount some of tales of their schemes and flirtations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Anne Revisted
When the thousands of Lucy Maud Montgomery fans make their pilgrimage to Prince Edward Island every year they expect to find everything in its place.Nancy Rootland, a writer from sunny California, has some insights to share about this in her illustrated book entitled Anne's World, Maud's World: The Sacred Sites of L.M. Montgomery (Nimbus).Her text slides easily from Montgomery's childhood, memorable moments and quotes from Anne of Green Gables to Rootland's own feelings as she enters these 'sacred sites' and experiences the places she has only ever read about but of which she feels so much a part.Add to this a collection of high quality photographs and you have a book that is a delight to the eye and a joy to read.Rootland delights in placing herself in scenes from both Maud and Anne's lives.Looking at herself in the china cabinet she sees the reflection of Katie Maurice.She visits the beach and watches Nate, Maud, and Amanda talking about their teenage hopes and dreams as the sun sets.She stands on the platform of Kensington Station with Maud and her grandfather waiting for the train that will take them to Prince Albert.Rootland surmises that in 1880 they did not know the future anymore than she does for herself a century later, except that she knows she will return to the sacred sites someday.Rootland experiences deja vu.Everything is where it should be, right down to Marilla's amethyst brooch on her night stand, "where it belongs", where she, and thousands like her, expect it to be, every day, every year, now and forever.

Homage to home,a tribute to the 'sacred sites' of Lucy Maud
"The Sacred Sites of L.M. Montgomery" seems a pretty silly subtitle for a book unless you're a total fan of Lucy Maud.I am not one.However, to my surprise, I found this small book, titled Anne's World, Maud's World, to be readable, enjoyable - even at times - thought-provoking. How Nancy Rootland came to write it is a remarkable story in itself."In January of 1981," she relates, "I was browing in a bookstore in Southern California when the title Anne of Green Gables caught my eye...I slid the book off the shelf and started leafing through the pages - and that was it.I could barely put it down long enough to get over to the sales desk, and while I was driving home my eyes kept wandering over to the package on the seat next to me."She finished the story in one sitting, amazed at how Anne's experiences paralleled her own.She found she shared the author's and Anne's perception of nature.That summer she read all 20 of L.M. Montgomery's novels.For 11 years, Nancy Rootland learned more about her favourite author while waiting for the time when she'd be free to make the long journey to Prince Edward Island.This book is the record of what she found there and how she reacted to the "sacred sites."She was not disappointed .A fine writer herself, Rootland knows how to convey atmosphere, feelings, the sense of past and present meeting - all that's so difficult to articulate without sounding silly.She doesn't sound silly.Here's an example."Such is the beauty and spiritual grandeur of this enchanted isle and the remarkable sons and daughters of its history, that access to the sacred, which thrives in sites both natural and constructed, is always possible.So convinced am I of this power of place that I invite you, reading these words, to come here and find out for yourself.All you need to take with you on your journey is an open heart and a bit of imagination."No need to spell out how Anne's World, Maud's World, conveys the spirit of home.Rather I'll mention what a beautiful little (110 page) book this is.Fine, coloured photographs of the " sacred sites" alternate with Rootland's commentary, which, in turn, is studded with quotations from Montgomery.First we see Anne's World, then Maud's.Two simplified maps at the end show the relevant places of PEI and in the Cavendish area.For an Anne-lover or Montgomery-lover, this book would make a perfect present.But anyone who's wondered about the mystery of how a character can some alive enough to fill an area with his or her presence will also appreciate Anne's World, Maud's World.

Author brings us closer to 'Anne'
Nancy Rootland's book explores environment of Montgomery and Anne.Through the writing of LM Montgomery, the world has an opportunity to look in on a beautiful rural community. A sense of home and of belonging are strong themes in the Anne books and Nancy Rootland uses this message to show us some of the places that were so dear to the author of Anne of Green Gables and places that have become sacred to readers.In Anne's World, Maud's World: The Sacred Sites of L.M Montgomery, Nancy Rootland has transported us to that place where Anne and her people live.Rootland expects to see Anne and Marilla or Matthew emerge from the fields or orchard at any time, and so do we.The photographs of the places that are so pivotal to the world of Anne and of Maud herself, will captivate the reader and invigorate the imagination of those who have read and re-read the books.The author invites the reader to experience this incredible place and uses her prose to evoke the writing style of Maud Montgomery, the pictures lead us on a journery of discovery for Anne and for our own sense of peace and tranquility.Rootland's background in teaching and as a teacher of child psychology provides some of the insights for her portrayal of the emotional story of the orphaned Anne and the lonely Maud.There is real feeling and caring for the child that Anne charaterizes and that Maud really was.Beautiful photos, and evocative text permit the reader to join Anne and Maud on the journey home.

This was the worst of all books concerning Montgomery....
This book was horrible. As a long time Anne of Green Gables fan, I must say I was very disappointed. ... Read more

Book Description

Ephraim Weber (1870–1956) was a struggling young writer when he began corresponding with L.M. Montgomery (1874–1942) in 1902, six years before she published her first novel. Weber’s initial letter was that of an admirer. Montgomery responded warmly, and the two quickly began a correspondence that became an intellectual mainstay for both of them over the following forty years. After Green Gables is a fascinating collection of letters sent by Montgomery to Weber between 1916 and 1941. This was the period of Montgomery’s greatest literary success, but privately she was deeply troubled by her unhappy marriage.

The letters, revealing an intense social and intellectual dynamic between Montgomery and Weber, cover, among other subjects, their strong differences of opinion on matters such as pacifism and war and their joint rejection of the effects of literary modernism. Drawing on Weber’s voluminous correspondence with other Canadian figures – particularly journalist Wilfred Eggleston – editors Paul Tiessen and Hildi Froese Tiessen skilfully illuminate Weber’s interaction with Montgomery, especially in matters concerning literature and culture, religion and politics, and education and entertainment. The editors provide various readings of Weber, based on his aspirations as a writer, his active participation in the Canadian culture of his day (including his friendships with hometown schoolmate William Lyon Mackenzie King and community leader Leslie Staebler), and his heritage as a Mennonite.

After Green Gables brings to life a distinctly Canadian literary and intellectual association of writers. Montgomery’s letters to a man committed to writing and to the cultural development of Canada reveal her intellectual preoccupations and her personal hardships. This is an essential text for Montgomery fans and scholars as well as readers with an interest in the development of Canada’s literary culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Responding to the Fragrance of Sweet Grass
"The Fragrance of Sweet Grass: L.M. Montgomery's Heroines and the Pursuit of Romance" by Elizabeth Rollins Epperly exposes many insights about Montgomery's literary works.Most interestingly, Epperly connectshome, self-awareness, and romance.Home is where you discover yourself. Not until this discovery can the heroine go beyond herself to recognize hermale counterpart.The heroine establishes herself so she can find a heroequally self-aware.Epperly makes the point that although Montgomerysubverts convention by having self-aware, independent women not marry untillater in life, they do marry and thus conform to convention.Therefore,Epperly suggests that in the 1990s we may not see Montgomery as a feminist. However, I believe she is wrong.Montgomery is a feminist because herheroines are stongly aware of what they can do.Montgomery gives themchoices of career, family, or both.Epperly gives an excellent analysisof Montgomery's work, although I do not agree with everything she posits. The book is thoughtful and interesting, providing insights for furtherinvestigation. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent biography for those wanting to know more about LMM
This book is a good, brief source for the information found in L.M. Montgomery's journals. Mario Rubio and Elizabeth Waterson edit the "Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery" series so they definitelyknow their subject! This book is ideal for anyone who doesn't want to readall four journal volumes, or who has read all four journals but wants evenmore information.

The authors also, I believe, have access to theoriginal, hand-written volumes of all of LMM's journals. This means theyknow what's in LMM's final journal, volume 5, which may not be publishedfor some time as some people she wrote about are still living. But theywere able to include other details of LMM's life after 1935, which alonemakes it worthwhile.

Superb brief biography!
Writing a life: L.M. Montgomery is written by two extremely well documented authors.Very brief, this biography gives you an overall idea of L.M. Montgomery's life, ideas and writing. A must read! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Madeline, Washington
I've never been a "Anne of Green Gables" fan, but after reading Andronik's beautiful storyof Anne's creator, I feel I should give them a second chance. Andronik really knows how to discribe a flaming spirit, even when it's locked behind bars! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Beautiful combination of pictures, quotes
This book really brings L.M. Montgomery's Prince Edward Island world alive. Photographers Wayne Barrett and Anne MacKay went to many places Montgomery wrote of in letters and articles, such as Park Corner, Cavendish and other quaint, rural places and photographed them wonderfully with everything from broad seascapes to forest close-ups. Francis Bolger collected suitable quotes -- and there were many to pick from -- that tied in the with pictures.

So, for example, we have Montgomery telling Ephraim Weber how lovely and satisfying it was to set foot on the island's red soil again, connected with wonderful pictures of red farmer's fields in the village of Hampton.

Examples like this abound through Spirit of Place, making it one of my all-time favourite L.M. Montgomery-related books. Since Amazon.com says it's unavailable, try ordering it from Amazon.ca

Spirit of Place
Spirit of Place is a beautiful book, matching breathtaking pictures of Prince Edward Island with the beautifully penned words of Lucy Maud Montgomery.Her love of this magical island is obvious through this book, and its pictures of Cavendish beach, Lover's Lane, the red cliffs, and the sea, among many other spots is a great way of capturing the magic.A great way to understand how much and exactly why Montgomery loved Prince Edward Island so very much. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Maud: The Life of L.M. Montgomery
I bought this book in anticipation of finding out about Maud's personal life and her thoughts.I was very disappointed.There was nothing in the biography that gave me any insight into the life of my favorite author. Ido not recommend this book.

Dull account of a fascinating life
This biography of L.M. Montgomery, marketed towards young adults, has nothing new to offer. It was mostly a rehash of Montgomery's own memoirs,titled "The Alpine Path". Plus, there was surprisingly littleinformation about Montgomery's years after she published Anne. Perhaps itwould have been at least an average bio if the author had illustrated someof Montgomery's experiences or parts of her life, but he really didn't evenattempt to do that, with the exception of parts of some of her minorromances. If you are looking for a good L.M. Montgomery biography, try"The Alpine Path" or her journals to hear about Montgomery in herown words. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

provides insight into the author's life and her works
"My Dear Mr. M" is a collection of letters L. M. Montgomery wrote to Mr. G. B. MacMillan, a fellow writer.In the letters, the reader gets glimpses of how Montgomery felt about her own work, as well asmentions of contemporary reviews.Very interesting, for books that went onto become classics.Likewise, we get Montgomery's (somewhat brief)opinions on WWI, WWII, and other events that changed the century.Amust-read for fans of Montgomery. ... Read more

Book Description
This is an international treasure trove of Lucy Maud Montgomery facts, memorabilia, articles, poems, pictures, and festivals. It portrays not only the beloved creator of the Anne of Green Gables stories, but also the young student atDalhousie, the protective wife, social arbitor, cat lover, avid photographer, accomplished thespian. Over 100 articles and commentaries by Montgomery scholars, and enthusiasts (including Calvin Trillin, Carol Shields,Don Harron, Carolyn Stron Collins, Sandra Gwyn,Mary Rubio, Elizabeth Waterston, John Ferns, Mollie Gillen, and Elizabeth Epperly), plus a generous sample of Lucy Maud's own articles and letters provide a rich cornucopia of Montgomery lore for any reader interested in discovering the persona behind the Anne legend.Illustrated with over 500 duotone photographs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Muy lindo, peeeero...
Esperaba encontrar alguna foto color. Ya se que las fotos viejas de L. M. Montogomery tienen que ser en blanco y negro, pero esperaba fotos color de los lugares, la casa, "Green Gable"...Igualmente es un hermoso libro, grande, con muchísima información sobre ella, su vida y sus creaciones... pero yo esperaba un libro con al menos algunas fotos color... cuando lo compré no existía esto de "search inside"...

Everything a reader would like to know - and then some.
For those who cannot get enough of the life of "Anne of Green Gables" creator L. M. Montgomery, this book may be the perfect solution to that problem.The album is stuffed with pictures and information about anything the reader could possibly want to know, and perhaps a few things he or she had never thought to ask.Though the book is supposed to be scholarly work, there is relatively few critical pieces of anything about the life and world of Montgomery.Perhaps in a few years a more balanced approach will be published.

lots of photos!
This book has the most complete collection of photos by and about L.M. Montgomery. It also contains text that explains each photo and has many interesting articles about Maud through the various stages of her life from beginning to end. There are also sections dedicated to film and other renderings of Anne, Emily, etc. This is a must-have for those interested in Anne of Green Gables or her creator.

David Rehak
author of "Love and Madness"

Everything- I mean EVERYTHING- about LMM (1st rate!!)
I was amazed at the depth of research, photos and overall information presented in this album.It leaves NO stone unturned in her personal and professional life and is an honest and fond tribute to such a unique woman.Can't recommend this book highly enough.I am a HUGE "Anne fan" and have read all of LMM's books and had VERY high expectations upon receiving this album.It surpassed them all.This is a true classic and one that you will open again and again thru the years.

Everything you wanted to know about L.M.Montgomery
If you are looking for a thoroughly researched and painstakenly complete volume on this author, look no further.This highly entertaining book is a must to all fans of the author, and gives many knew insights even to longtime fans.I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description
Lucy Maud Montgomery believed that one day she would be taken seriously as a writer. Despite the many obstacles she faced throughout her life, Montgomery not only earned a good living as a writer, but also became famous for it. Anne of Green Gables is one of the most popular books ever written and has been translated into over 20 languages, garnering Montgomery worldwide recognition and appeal. Weaving the real events of her life into the fabric of her fiction using photographs, excerpts from newspapers and actual journal pages, this biography explores Montgomery's struggle and determination to realize her dreams. Includes a concise time line and a listing of pertinent Web sites. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Anne Fans, Rejoice!
This is the perfect book for any true fan of Anne of Green Gables, Emily of New Moon or Pat of Silverbush.It is a 32 page book in the picture book format that is loaded with photos, articles, news clippings, history and little known facts about the life of the Canadian author, L.M. Montgomery, who created all of these wonderful characters and many more in her books and stories about life in Prince Edward Island. Unlike several of the longer biographies that have been written about Montgomery, this one can be read in an afternoon and combines plenty of visual fare along with the written details of this amazing woman's life.This is a book that adults who have loved Anne will find satisfyingly interesting as well as one that is suitably concise and brief.Older children will enjoy the breezy conversational style in which it is written. Photographs abound, including ones of Montgomery's various homes, her children and her husband, as well as youthful friends and "beaus" and even her favorite cat, Lucky.It traces her life from her earliest days, through growing up, her time as a teacher, a newspaper woman, a professional writer, as the author of Anne of Green Gables and the myriad other titles that followed, and as a wife and mother.Excerpts from her journals provide special insight into her heart and mind and I found these to be the most thrilling parts of all.A chronology of all her books is included as well as several websites that concern L.M. Montgomery and her books.Wonderful little tidbits are numerous and include the personal details about writing Anne of Green Gables, the starts and stops, the interruptions, the rejection slips and tears.We learn that Montgomery's secondhand typewriter didn't type capital letters very well and didn't type "w" at all! I really enjoyed this book and I believe any fan of this gifted author's work will delight in it, too.It is especially encouraging and cheering to young writers. ... Read more

Book Description
Lucy Maud Montgomery (18741942) is best known for Anne of Green Gables, first published in 1908, but her literary career was firmly established before this endearing novel brough her international acclaim. Francis W. P. Bolger has compiled an informative and complete picture of the fascinating life and brilliant career of Montgomery, drawing from her scrapbooks, letters, diaries, photos and conversations with family members. ... Read more