Looking for Anne of Green Gables: The Story of L. M. Montgomery and Her Literary Classic
Product ID: 102203551
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In June 1908, a red-haired orphan appeared on to the streets of Boston and a modern legend was born. That little girl was Anne Shirley, better known as Anne of Green Gables , and her first appearance was in a book that has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide and been translated into more than 35 languages (including Braille). The author who created her was Lucy Maud Montgomery, a writer who revealed very little of herself and her method of crafting a story. On the centenary of its publication, Irene Gammel tells the braided story of both Anne and Maud and, in so doing, shows how a literary classic was born. Montgomery's own life began in the rural Cavendish family farmhouse on Prince Edward Island, the place that became the inspiration for Green Gables. Mailmen brought the world to the farmhouse's kitchen door in the form of American mass market periodicals sparking the young Maud's imagination. From the vantage point of her small world, Montgomery pored over these magazines, gleaning bits of information about how to dress, how to behave and how a proper young lady should grow. She began to write, learning how to craft marketable stories from the magazines' popular fiction; at the same time the fashion photos inspired her visual imagination. One photo that especially intrigued her was that of a young woman named Evelyn Nesbit, the model for painters and photographers and lover of Stanford White. That photo was the spark for what became Anne Shirley. Blending biography with cultural history, Looking for Anne of Green Gables is a gold mine for fans of the novels and answers a trunk load of questions: Where did Anne get the "e" at the end of her name? How did Montgomery decide to give her red hair? How did Montgomery's courtship and marriage to Reverend Ewan Macdonald affect the story? Irene Gammel's dual biography of Anne Shirley and the woman who created her will delight the millions who have loved the red haired orphan ever since she took her first step inside the gate of Green Gables farm in Avonlea. Review: Love this book! - I loved this book! I am big fan of Anne of Green Gables and loved the way the book flowed and all the great detail on Maud's life and how the story of Anne came to life. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Anne of Green Gables and L.M. Montgomery's life. Such a wonderful read! Review: Perfect gift for anyone who adores "Anne" - Got this for someone who has always adored Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables" and who also recently traveled to Prince Edward Island to see and experience the beauty of that land. The book tells of L.M. Montgomery's life, inspirations for her writings, and includes many old photos. A perfect gift!
| Customer Reviews | 4.2 out of 5 stars 18 Reviews |
J**.
Love this book!
I loved this book! I am big fan of Anne of Green Gables and loved the way the book flowed and all the great detail on Maud's life and how the story of Anne came to life. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Anne of Green Gables and L.M. Montgomery's life. Such a wonderful read!
J**F
Perfect gift for anyone who adores "Anne"
Got this for someone who has always adored Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables" and who also recently traveled to Prince Edward Island to see and experience the beauty of that land. The book tells of L.M. Montgomery's life, inspirations for her writings, and includes many old photos. A perfect gift!
E**E
Very detailed look at a childhood favorite
It's funny, but as you grow up you do see the flaws in your childhood icons, but it doesn't really hurt as much now as I think it would have back then. I loved the Green Gables books and have read almost everything that LM Montgomery has written back in the resurgence of her popularity in the 80s. Thought she was just about the most perfect writer, and all her books were so romantic, etc. I think I saw what I wanted to see. As Gammel points out, Montgomery really didn't have much romance in her, and most of her characters lasting relationships are with their best girl friends. She also was a bit of a snob, which does explain some references in her books that I always wondered about. This was a very interesting book, retreading things I did know but putting them in a new light. Anyone who grew up reading Green Gables, or the Emily Series should pick this up.
C**R
A Biography of the Book, not the Person
I was disappointed by two aspects of this book. The first was the dramatic style of writing by the author. Just write, we get it. The second was that I expected a biography of Lucy Maud Montgomery's life, but I really didn't get a sense of who she was. This book ends near the publication date of "Anne," so I don't know anything about Maud's marriage, move west, birth of her 2 sons (I don't even know their names!), and when she and her husband die. This is more of a scholarly look at the life of the book, instead of it's creator, so I was disappointed in that. There are also some allusions to lesbianism, but they're unfounded. No facts are brought to bear on that allegation. It just seems too "fashionable" to publish some "dirt" on this pastor's wife. It's speculation - looking back on 100 years of history - and I didn't like it. (The same thing was said when the author alludes that Hans Christian Anderson was a homosexual.) If you're going to make such statements, at least provide me with FACTS, not speculation. It's tawdry.
G**T
Worth Reading
Well documented and interesting for those of us who enjoy the Anne of Green Gables books. The photographs are sometimes blurry but a thorough reading will answer any questions you have about L.M. Montgomery..
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