Anne of Green Gables

[doc_3]

I know some of you out there will admit along with me that Anne and Gilbert were your first ship.  Just in case some of you didn't know, the 100th Anniversary of the printing of Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery is this year.  Amazon.com has a 100th Anniversary edition out right now in hardcover, if anyone is interested.  

I confess that I read the cover right off my original copy.  I know some of you did the same - anyone care to reminisce about Gilbert Blythe?

Comments

[doc-3.livejournal.com]

oh geez - every time. Buckets of tears. When she's telling him the book is dedicated to him and Christine and he's trying to tell her it's over with Christine ... man. I've read every book in that series at least a dozen times. I love the movies too.

[wimseynotes.livejournal.com]

I loved the first one - Megan Follows was a perfect Anne. I didn't like what they did to the other storylines though.

I've read every book so many times I can practically quote them word for word. I want to teach a course on Women in War in Literature and use Rilla of Ingleside - a perfect description of why women are sometimes more bloody in battle than men. They risk so much more.

Gilbert and Anne set the stage; Peter and Harriet set the expectation. Our childhood reading really can affect our whole lives.

[doc-3.livejournal.com]

Lord Peter and Harriet Vane, right? I've never read the novels but they sound intriguing.

I've seen Megan Follows in some other things (Law and Order, maybe?) but it never worked for me - she was always Anne.

I just bought the whole series of books for my niece who turns nine next month, and I really hope she loves them as much as I did (do).

Have you read the other books by Montgomery?

[wimseynotes.livejournal.com]

I've read books by Montgomery even SHE doesn't know she wrote! Several years ago, her short stories, published in women's magazines at the turn of the century, were collected and re-published. They are a little cookie-cutter, but still have that lovely fresh quality about them that I love. http://www.tickledorange.com/LMM/ShortStories.html

My favourite book of hers is not an Anne book: it's called A Tangled Web, and it is an extremely complex family story. I read the Emily books too late - she never captured me the way she did others (Madeleiine L'Engle credited Emily with making her a writer), and the Pat books left me a little cold as well. I loved the Story Girl and sequels (before they got ruined by Sullivan and Co), and still think The Blue Castle is a brilliant book.

And if you haven't read Wimsey, you really need to start. I recommend beginning with the first (Whose Body?) and reading through the end, because there is so much context lost if you start with the books Harriet shows up in. Of course, I am a huge Sayers fan, so I may be asking too much!

[doc-3.livejournal.com]

I haven't read everything by Montgomery but I think I'm going to now. This has totally inspired me. I've read the Pat series, and the Emily books and of the two, Emily was my favorite. I read the Emily series as a young teen, but didn't read the Pat books until I was an adult. I've seen the A Tangled Web online, as well as The Blue Castle and I think I'm going to have to read both.

And I'm adding the Wimsey books to my list. Don't worry - I always start with the first book in a series. I can never start in the middle. And I'll just have Harriet to look forward to!