Rare Anne of Green Gables Book at the Empire State Rare Book and Print Fair

The Empire State Rare Book and Print Fair is taking place this weekend at the City College of New York in New York City. The fair opened yesterday (September 27, 2024), and will continue through September 29th.

Among the many rare items offered is a first printing of Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery in one of five surviving jackets from 1909 or earlier. The book is valued at $40,000.

What a special treasure for a book collector.


Location:
The Great Hall, Shepard Hall,
City College of New York,
160 Convent Ave,
New York, NY 10031

Official Website:
Fine Book Fairs

Image Credit:
Photograph of select books featured at the The Empire State Rare Book and Print Fair from Fine Books & Collections.

Reference:
Empire State Rare Book & Print Fair Opens Today. (2024, September 27). Fine Books & Collections. Retrieved from: https://www.finebooksmagazine.com/fine-books-news/empire-state-rare-book-print-fair-opens-today.

Created September 28, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Support an Anne of Green Gables Product Idea at LEGO IDEAS

Today, I read a post by CivEng_NY on Reddit about a wonderful LEGO IDEAS project. Iyan Ha has proposed and designed an intricate Anne of Green Gables LEGO set. It has exceptional detail, and the design involves 2,935 bricks and has 5 minifigures.

This product idea has a chance of becoming a real LEGO set, but only if it has 10,000 supporters. After it reaches this goal, the idea will undergo an expert review by LEGO before the project is approved for production. This morning, Iyan Ha's Anne of Green Gables project idea had 1,366 supporters.

I signed up to support the project, and you can too. Let's help make this idea a reality!

Visit the Anne of Green Gables project page at LEGO IDEAS to sign up as a supporter.

Here are a few additional images of the project. Iyan Ha studied many references to design the Green Gables house. The model allows you to act out scenes from the novel both outside and inside Green Gables. In the scene below, Matthew Cuthbert brings Anne Shirley to Green Gables by carriage and Marilla meets them at the door. The model has such lovely details like the blooming Snow Queen.



Here, Anne Shirley accidentally serves her bosom friend Diana Barry currant wine instead of raspberry cordial, and Diana gets drunk. Oops. I love the expression on Diana's face.



Here is an image of the 5 minifigures: Matthew Cuthbert, Marilla Cuthbert, Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe, and Diana Barry. Anne is breaking her slate over Gilbert's head, while Diana looks on in dismay.



I've highlighted a handful of the images of Iyan Ha's project. You can view all 15 images at LEGO IDEAS, and sign up to support the project.

Official Website:
Anne of Green Gables Product Idea at LEGO IDEAS by Iyan Ha

Image Credits:
Images of the Anne of Green Gables Product Idea by Iyan Ha at LEGO IDEAS.


Created September 25, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Old-time rambles through September woods

"“I’ve come up to ask you to go for one of our old-time rambles through September woods and ‘over hills where spices grow,’ this afternoon,” said Gilbert..."
-L.M. Montgomery
Anne of the Island

Read more quotes by L.M. Montgomery.

Image credit:
Photograph by World of Anne Shirley.

Purchase and read Anne of the Island and the Anne of Green Gables series:



Created September 25, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Studio 100 International to Remaster Anne of Green Gables Anime Series

AnimationXpress reported today that a German company called Studio 100 International is currently "remastering" the Anne of Green Gables (1979) anime using AI-assisted technologies to transform these series to full HD with a 16:9 widescreen format. The company specializes in entertainment for children and families. According to a press release from the company, it is undertaking the initiative as part of its "Heroes of Childhood" licensing campaign to breath "new life into its iconic classic series." Along with remastering Anne of Green Gables, they plan to remaster several other classic animated series from the 1970s, including Alice in Wonderland, Sinbad, Vic the Viking, Pinocchio, Nils Holgersson, Heidi, Marco (3000 Leagues in Search of Mother), and Maya the Bee.

By using AI-assisted technologies, Studio 100 International aims to create visual information needed to adapt the animated content to a widescreen format. They explain that the scenes will then be refined manually to maintain the integrity of the original. The audio for each series will be reconstructed to support different language versions for global distribution.

Studio 100 International will present the first remastered episodes for this project at MIPCOM in Cannes, which takes place from October 21–24, 2024.

Tampering with the early productions of Hayao Miyazaki and the late Isao Takahata, who went on to establish the beloved Studio Ghibli, has caused outcry in the anime community according to an article by Paris Geolas at CBR. Geolas writes, "The usage of AI in Studio Ghibli works in particular has been strongly objected to given Hayao Miyazaki’s clear disapproval of the medium when it comes to animation. Many animation studios now use CGI and sometimes AI to enhance the animation or increase output within tight deadlines, but Studio Ghibli has always been faithful to using hand-drawn frames, contributing to the studio’s unique and beloved art style."


Image Credit:
Screencapture from Anne of Green Gables (1979) Anime.

References:
AnimationXpress Team. (2024, September 24). Studio 100 International to present remastered classic series like ‘Pinocchio’ and ‘Heidi’ at MIPCOM. AnimationXpress.com. Retrieved from: https://www.animationxpress.com/animation/studio-100-international-to-present-remastered-classic-series-like-pinocchio-and-heidi-at-mipcom/.

Geolas, Paris. (2024, October 2). Studio Ghibli Founders' Earliest Anime Works Get "Cutting-Edge AI" Remasters. CBR. Retrieved from: https://www.cbr.com/studio-ghibli-first-anime-ai-remaster-controversy/.

Studio 100 International Remasters Classic TV Series in Full-HD and 16:9 for the First Time. (2024, 24 September). Press Release. Studio 100 International. Retrieved from: https://media.studio100international.com/media/sites/2/2024/09/d30fc09701-240924_pressrelease_s100int_classics-remastering_final.pdf.

Studio 100 International Unveils Full-HD and 16:9 Remasters of Beloved Classic TV Series. (2024, September 24). FormatBiz. Retrieved from: https://www.formatbiz.it/dettNews.aspx?id=11905.


Created September 24, 2024. Last updated October 3, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

The Green Gables Diary Website

This past summer, a website called The Green Gables Diary launched. It is a digital exhibition that accompanies the new book Becoming Green Gables: The Diary of Myrtle Webb and Her Famous Farmhouse by Alan MacEachern. The book tells the story of Myrtle Webb and her family, who owned the farm that Myrtle's cousin L.M. Montgomery based "Green Gables" upon. Once a simple farm, Myrtle's home became a tourist destination when it became known as the inspiration behind Anne of Green Gables. Eventually, Myrtle had to leave her home when Parks Canada decided to form a national park in Cavendish with Green Gables as its centerpiece.

Myrtle kept a diary from 1924 to 1954, providing a historical record of what her life was like living in "the most famous house in Canada." The Green Gables Diary contains digital scans and a transcription of her entire diary, as well as photographs and introductory materials to learn more about Myrtle Webb, her family, and the history of Green Gables.


Official Website:
The Green Gables Diary

Image Credit:
Screencapture of The Green Gables Diary website.

Reference:
MacEachern, Alan. (2024). The Green Gables Diary. Retrieved from: https://greengablesdiary.ca/.

Purchase and read Becoming Green Gables by Alan MacEachern:


Created September 24, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Green Gables Gal Clue in USA Today Crossword Puzzle

Check out today's crossword puzzle at USA Today. Titled "Lace Up," the September 23, 2024 puzzle was constructed by Stella Zawistowski and edited by Amanda Rafkin.

The clue for 24 Down is "Green Gables gal."

I'm sure all the Anne of Green Gables fans out there won't have to puzzle long over this clue!


Image Credit:
Screencapture of USA Today Crossword Puzzle from September 23, 2024 constructed by Stella Zawistowski and edited by Amanda Rafkin.

Created September 23, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

The Inspiring World of L.M. Montgomery: A Literary Tour

This summer, a website called "The Inspiring World of L.M. Montgomery: A Literary Tour" launched. Its goal is "to help guide Prince Edward Islanders and visitors from around the world to learn about and visit some of the most important and meaningful places which inspired Montgomery to write. Official place names, thought-provoking key words and descriptive passages help set the stage for your real or virtual tour experience."

The literary tour includes a map that indicates 16 sites that were significant to L.M. Montgomery for visitors to explore:





1. Montgomery Park
2. Macneill Homestead
3. Cavendish United Church
4. Cavendish Cemetery
5. Haunted Wood
6. Green Gables House
7. Cavendish Shore
8. L.M. Montgomery Birthplace
9. Anne of Green Gables Museum
10. Lake of Shining Waters
11. Senator Donald Montgomery House/Inn at Ingleside
12. Kensington Train Station
13. Bideford Parsonage Museum
14. Sir Andrew Macphail Homestead
15. Confederation Centre of the Arts
16. Robertson Library/L.M. Montgomery Institute/UPEI

It is a helpful guide to learn about sites important to L.M. Montgomery in celebration of her 150th birthday this year.


Official Website:
The Inspiring World of L.M. Montgomery: A Literary Tour

Image Credit:
Screencapture of The Inspiring World of L.M. Montgomery: A Literary Tour website.

Reference:
Russell, Nancy. (2024, July 2). L.M. Montgomery group hopes to capitalize on 150th birthday to attract new fans. CBC News. Retrieved from: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-montgomery-150-birthday-new-fans-1.7249988.

Created September 22, 2024. Last updated October 3, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

The Blue Castle: The Original Manuscript

The Blue Castle: The Original Manuscript by L.M. Montgomery and edited and annotated by Carolyn Strom Collins was released by Nimbus Publishing in May 2024. L.M. Montgomery published The Blue Castle in 1926, and it was her first novel written for adults.

In The Blue Castle: The Original Manuscript, Carolyn Strom Collins presents a full transcription of L.M. Montgomery's handwritten text of the novel. The book includes the edits and notes L.M. Montgomery made while composing the story, providing insight into her creative process. As one example, L.M. Montgomery initially named the protagonist Miranda before deciding to name her Valancy. In addition, the book displays images of select pages from Montgomery's original handwritten manuscript.


Here is the description of the book from Nimbus Publishing:

Published for the first time ever, the first draft of The Blue Castle exactly as L. M. Montgomery originally wrote it, with critical context from a leading Montgomery scholar.

Available for the first time ever, the original draft of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s The Blue Castle is presented with scribbled notes, character name changes, additions and deletions, and other pre-publication changes, offering fascinating new insight into the writing process of one of Canada’s most beloved writers.

First published in 1926, The Blue Castle is one of Montgomery’s few adult novels—and the only one set entirely outside of the author’s home province of Prince Edward Island. Montgomery scholar Carolyn Strom Collins provides a transcription of the text and notes from Montgomery’s handwritten manuscript, showing how they were integrated to form the published novel. (Major changes include changing the inspiring main character’s name from Miranda to Valancy, and Barney’s beloved cat from Jigglesqueak to Banjo.)

Edited with a keen eye to detail and deep respect for the writer’s creative process, and featuring high-quality photographs of select pages of the original manuscript, The Blue Castle: The Original Manuscript is a necessary addition to any Montgomery lover’s collection.

Image credit:
Book cover of The Blue Castle: The Original Manuscript.

Purchase and read The Blue Castle: The Original Manuscript:


Created September 19, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

L.M. Montgomery's 150th Birthday Events in Norval, Ontario

Over the coming months, there will be several events held in Norval, Ontario to celebrate L.M Montgomery's 150th birthday.

September 29, 2024 - Culture Days
Visitors are welcome at St. Paul's Anglican Church (14 Adamson St.), The Norval Studios and Gallery (Parish Hall, 16 Adamson St.), and the Caretaker’s Cottage (404 Draper St.), located next to the Manse where L.M. Montgomery once lived.

October 19, 2024 - Find my Fictional Maud: A Conversation with Melanie J. Fishbane
A book talk and signing with Melanie J. Fishbane, author of Maud: A Novel Inspired by the Life of L.M. Montgomery, will take place at 2 p.m. at the Norval Studios and Gallery. Read an interview with Fishbane about her book and the event here.

November 23, 2024 - The Kitchen of L.M. Montgomery
A book talk and signing with John Ota, author of The Kitchen, will take place at 2 p.m in Parish Hall. Ota's book examines famous kitchens in history, and his talk will explore L.M. Montgomery's kitchen.

November 30, 2024 - Montgomery Christmas Sale
A Christmas sale will take place on L.M. Montgomery's 150th birthday. St. Paul’s Anglican Church and St. Elias The Prophet Ukranian Church (10193 Heritage Rd.) will host church bazaars from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Janet Wilson, author of Maud of Green Gables, will have a book signing at St. Paul’s Anglican Church. The Norval Studios will be open for shopping on November 30th and December 1st from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Read more about these events at Halton Hills Today.


Image credit:
Book covers of Maud: A Novel Inspired by the Life of L.M. Montgomery by Melanie J. Fishbane, The Kitchen: A Journey Through History in Search of the Perfect Design by John Ota, and Maud of Green Gables: How L.M. Montgomery's Anne Enchanted the World by Janet Wilson.

Reference:
Tanweer, Mansoor. (2024, September 11). Norval celebrating Lucy Maud Montgomery's 150th birthday. HaltonHillsToday.ca. Retrieved from: https://www.haltonhillstoday.ca/local-news/norval-celebrating-lucy-maud-montgomerys-150th-birthday-9473840

Tanweer, Mansoor. (2024, October 17). Author coming to Norval for chat about Lucy Maud Montgomery. HaltonHillsToday.ca. Retrieved from: https://www.haltonhillstoday.ca/local-news/author-coming-to-norval-for-chat-about-lucy-maud-montgomery-9648514

Created September 17, 2024. Last updated October 18, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Gog and Magog Wallpaper

The other day, I was browsing home decor at Anthropologie, and I was struck by a wallpaper design by Annika Reed Studio. It's called the "Pair of Dogs Wallpaper," and it made me think of L.M. Montgomery and her beloved china dogs.

When L.M. Montgomery visited her Grandfather Montgomery's home in Park Corner as a little girl, she would admire the pair of china dogs that sat on the mantel in his sitting room. These dogs were named Gog and Magog. Years later, after Montgomery got married, she bought her own pair of china dogs during her honeymoon.

Gog and Magog made their way from real life into fiction in Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series. Like Montgomery, Anne Shirley admired a pair of china dogs with the same names. Eventually, Gog and Magog grace the mantel in Anne and Gilbert's home.

Below is a photograph of L.M. Montgomery posing with her cherished china dogs in Norval, Ontario on September 18, 1932.


I wonder if L.M. Montgomery and Anne Shirley would like this wallpaper by Annika Reed Studio.


The "Pair of Dogs Wallpaper" comes in a blue and black version too.



Official Website
Annika Reed Studio - Pair of Dogs Collection

Image credits:
Annika Reed Studio Pair of Dogs Wallpaper at Anthropologie (brown and green, blue and black).

Photograph of L.M. Montgomery taken on September 18, 1932 from the Archives Of Ontario, Toronto, Canada. Retrieved from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Norval,_Lucy_Maud_Montgomery_(14845819617).jpg

Created September 16, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Article on Rediscovering Jane of Lantern Hill at JSTOR Daily

In an article entitled "L. M. Montgomery’s Plain Jane," which was published yesterday by JSTOR Daily, Emily Zarevich discusses L.M. Montgomery's overlooked novel Jane of Lantern Hill. Zarevich poses the question, "What’s it like to be the forgotten child of a celebrity?" Despite receiving positive reviews, Jane of Lantern Hill never gained the same recognition as L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables. While Anne has been celebrated and adapted numerous times for television, film, and stage, there is only one film adaptation of Jane of Lantern Hill directed by Kevin Sullivan in 1990.

Zarevich highlights some of the scholarship on Jane of Lantern Hill that highlights the novel's feminist undertones and drawing parallels between Jane's struggles and Montgomery's own life. Likewise, Jane has similarities to Anne Shirley. Both Anne and Jane are optimists, and both are "young women compelled to assert themselves in a stifling atmosphere that offers them no legal rights or agency."

Maybe it's time for a Jane re-read.


Image credit:
Screencapture from JSTOR Daily.

Reference:
Zarevich, Emily. (2024, September 13). L. M. Montgomery’s Plain Jane. JSTOR Daily. Retrieved from: https://daily.jstor.org/l-m-montgomerys-plain-jane/

Created September 14, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables Exhibit at the Mitsumasa Anno Art Museum

The Mitsumasa Anno Art Museum in Japan is currently holding an exhibit on Anne of Green Gables. In commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Lucy Maud Montgomery's birth, the exhibit celebrates how Anne Shirley lived a bright and positive life despite facing many hardships. L.M. Montgomery's story brought joy and strength to readers around the world.

Alongside the Anne of Green Gables exhibit, the museum has a second exhibit featuring "German Forest" landscape paintings.

The two exhibits opened on September 4, 2024 and will run through December 2, 2024. The museum is located at Wakuden no Mori, 764 Tani, Kumihama-cho, Kyotango City, Kyoto Prefecture 629-3559.

Official Website
Mitsumasa Anno Art Museum

Image credit:
Artwork featured at the Mitsumasa Anno Art Museum.

Created September 13, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

New Memorial Bench Placed at The Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish Home on World Suicide Prevention Day

Yesterday, a memorial bench was placed at The Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish Home in recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day. You can watch a video of the unveiling at CBC News. Several people are interviewed, including Philip Smith (former chair of the L.M. Montgomery Institute), Julia Ramsay (Canadian Mental Health Association - Prince Edward Island Chapter), and David Macneill of the Lucy Maud Montgomery Homestead Site.

The bench was placed in recognition of those we have lost to suicide, and it provides a place for reflection and healing. It is located under the old apple tree that Montgomery wrote about in her journals and next to the homestead where she grew up. L.M. Montgomery died by suicide at the age of 67. She and her husband both faced mental challenges throughout their lives.

Inscribed on the bench is a quote from Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery: "Dear old world, you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you."

It is a fitting memorial at a meaningful location. I hope the bench promotes more openness and communication about suicide.


Image credit:
Screenshot of CBC News Video.

Reference:
Bench at L.M. Montgomery homestead unveiled on World Suicide Prevention Day. (2024, September 10). CBC News. Retrieved from: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6505973

Created September 11, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Marilla Cuthbert and Darth Vader

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....

Marilla Cuthbert and Darth Vader fell in love. They adopted a young orphan named Anne Shirley, and even though she was not a boy, they decided to keep her. Anne grew up to be the most powerful Jedi of all, entirely because she was a girl.

Well, not really, but that's what I imagined earlier today when I saw a photograph of Colleen Dewhurst, who played Marilla Cuthbert in Anne of Green Gables, and James Earl Jones, who gave voice to Darth Vader in Star Wars. This photograph was taken when these two talented actors starred in a production of Hamlet in 1972 in New York City's Central Park. Colleen Dewhurst played Gertrude and James Earl Jones played Claudius.


Image credit:
Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library. (1972). Colleen Dewhurst and James Earl Jones in publicity for the stage production Hamlet. Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/c91c5430-1183-0130-f059-58d385a7b928.

Created September 10, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables Retelling by Nosy Crow Classics

L.M. Montgomery's classic story Anne of Green Gables was adapted for young readers by Katherine Woodfine and illustrated by Isabelle Follath. Published on September 3, 2024 by Nosy Crow, the retelling is 96 pages long and geared toward children ages 7–10.

This is the third book in the Nosy Crow Classics series. The series also includes Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows abridged by Lou Peacock and illustrated by Kate Hindley and Animal Tales from India: Ten Stories from the Panchatantra by Nikita Gill and illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat.

Here's a look inside the book that shows an illustration of Anne Shirley and the text at the end of Chapter 1 and beginning of Chapter 2. I think the illustrations are really charming.

Here is the book's description from Nosy Crow Classics:

When a spirited and imaginative 11-year-old orphan named Anne moves to Avonlea, she can’t wait to see the home she’s always dreamed of. And it’s perfect! Green Gables is a beautiful farmhouse, set among the summer flowers of Prince Edward Island.

But Anne quickly realizes her dream is too good to be true. There has been a terrible mistake and her new family—gentle Matthew and his stern sister Marilla—were expecting someone quite different. With her cheer, her imagination, and even her mischievousness, Anne is a welcome breath of fresh air . . . but will she succeed in enchanting Matthew and Marilla? One thing’s for sure, there is never a dull moment when Anne is around.

Featuring high-end finishes, including a foil-inlaid cloth binding, textured jacket, and ribbon bookmark, Anne of Green Gables is a timeless gift book for every child to enjoy and treasure. Listen to the free Stories Aloud audiobook— just scan the QR code on the back cover to hear the story read aloud!

Image credit:
Cover of Anne of Green Gables by Nosy Crow Classics.

Purchase and read Anne of Green Gables by Nosy Crow Classics:


Created September 6, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

A September day on Prince Edward Island...

"A September day on Prince Edward Island hills; a crisp wind blowing up over the sand dunes from the sea; a long red road, winding through fields and woods..."
-L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Avonlea

Read more quotes by L.M. Montgomery.

Image credit:
Photograph by World of Anne Shirley.

Purchase and read Anne of Avonlea and the Anne of Green Gables series:



Created September 5, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com