The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The PEI Years, 1900-1911

The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The PEI Years, 1900-1911 edited by Mary Henley Rubio and Elizabeth Hillman Waterston was published by the Oxford University Press in 2013. The unabridged editions of L.M. Montgomery's journals paint a fuller, darker picture of her inner thoughts and moods, her passions, and her literary ambitions. This second volume of L.M. Montgomery's complete journals covers her first major literary success in writing Anne of Green Gables in 1908, followed by Anne of Avonlea, Kilmeny of the Orchard, and The Story Girl.


Here is the description of the volume from the Oxford University Press:

L.M. Montgomery (1874-1942) had begun keeping a private journal before she turned fifteen. From 1918 onward, she had carefully copied out her entries. She intended this detailed life record to be published posthumously. Montgomery's long-hidden version of her early life emerged as the bestselling Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery, Volumes I-V, first published in 1985. Twenty-five years ago, it seemed prudent to offer a tightly organized book with a strong central narrative, but this decision meant setting aside many entries on her personal tastes, her effusions over landscape, and her increasing bouts of depression.

L.M. Montgomery's record of her life is published now for the first time without abridgement. The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The P.E.I. Years, 1889-1900 was published in early 2012 to much acclaim. This second book, covering the years 1901 to 1911, continues to provide a more comprehensive portrait of Montgomery's life in PEI than has ever been available before.

This publication covers Montgomery's early adult years, including her work as a newspaper editor in Halifax, Nova Scotia; her publishing career taking flight; the death of her grandmother; and her forthcoming marriage to a local clergyman. It also documents her own reflections on writing, her increasingly problematic mood swings and feelings of isolation, and her changing relationship with the world around her, particularly that of Prince Edward Island.

Available for the first time in paperback, this new edition recreates the format Montgomery herself devised. Over 300 of her photographs, newspaper clippings, postcards, and professional portraits are reproduced, all with Montgomery's original placement and captions.

Review

"The lure of L.M. Montgomery is twofold, the book’s editors suggest, and as pages turn a study emerges of a young Maud Montgomery both exuberant and high-spirited and, at intervals, baffled, gloomy and burdened with despair. It is to her journals that she confides what she later called the “accumulation of woes” she felt shadowed her life, as well as the inspiration she found in nature and in books."
-Nancy Schiefer, The London Free Press (full review)

Image credit:
Book cover of The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The PEI Years, 1900–1911.

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Created July 29, 2013. Last updated August 22, 2024.
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The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The PEI Years, 1889-1900

The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The PEI Years, 1889–1900 edited by Mary Henley Rubio and Elizabeth Hillman Waterston was published by the Oxford University Press in 2012. The unabridged editions of L.M. Montgomery's journals paint a fuller, darker picture of her inner thoughts and moods, her passions, and her literary ambitions.


Here is the description of the volume from the Oxford University Press:

The first edition of The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery was published in the 1980s, with fifty percent of the material removed to save space, as well as to reflect a quaint, marketable vision of small-town Canada. The editors were instructed to excise anything that was not upbeat or did not "move the story along." The resulting account of Montgomery's youthful life in Prince Edward Island depicts a fun-loving, simple country girl. The unabridged journal, however, reveals something quite different.

We now know that Montgomery was anything but simple. She was often anxious, bitter, dark, and political, although always able to see herself and her surroundings with a deep ironic - and often comical - twist. The unabridged version shows her using writing as a means of managing her own mood swings, as well as her increasing dependency on journal keeping, and her ambition as a writer. She was also exceedingly interested in men. We see here a more developed portrait of what she herself described as a "very uncomfortable blend" between "the passionate Montgomery blood and the Puritan Macneill conscience." Full details describe the impassioned events during which she describes becoming a "new creature," "born of sorrow ... and hopeless longing."

In addition, this unedited account is a striking visual record, containing 226 of her own photographs placed as she placed them in her journals, as well as newspaper clippings, postcards, and professional portraits, all with her own original captions. New notes and a new introduction give key context to the history, the people, and the culture in the text. A new preface by Michael Bliss draws some unexpected connections.

The full PEI journals tells a fascinating tale of a young woman coming of age in a bygone rural Canada, a tale far thornier and far more compelling than the first selected edition could disclose.

Review

"There have been selected versions of Montgomery’s early personal records but this edition provides a stronger sense of the writer’s dark moods as a young adult, her frequent feelings of loneliness and the proto-feminism that underlies her literary ambitions. Most vividly it expresses Montgomery’s feistiness, a trait that characterizes her most famous character, Anne."
-Jennifer Hunter, Toronto Star (full review)

Image credit:
Book cover of The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The PEI Years, 1889–1900.

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Created Aug 21, 2012. Last updated August 22, 2024.
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Rainbow Valley (2011)

Rainbow Valley (2011) is a musical adaptation of the novel Rainbow Valley by L.M. Montgomery with book and lyrics by Felice Kuan and music by Dimitri Landrain. Kuan and Landrain both graduated from NYU's Musical Theatre Graduate Program.

A reading for the musical was presented as part of Emerging Artists Theatre's 7th Annual New Works Series on May 19, 2011. David Alpert staged the reading of the first act, and the musical direction was by Andrew Smithson. The reading was led by Autumn Hurlbert, and the cast also included Merrill Grant, Brian Bailey, Justin Goodemoot, Sara Benjamin, Nick Caruso, Katie Whetsell, Lisa Mindelle, Jessica Dillan, Martin Landry, Cassandra Sandberg, Tiffany Dissette, Paul Luoma, Dan Lawler, and Janice Mays Landry. The reading took place at 6:30 p.m. at the TADA! Theatre on 15 W. 28th Street in Manhattan, NY, and tickets cost $10.

Rainbow Valley was also presented as part of the CDP Summer Workshop Series in 2011. You can watch a New York Minute video with some of the cast, crew, and audience members of the production.

The musical is described as follows:

“Rainbow Valley follows the four motherless children of absent-minded minister John Meredith: laid-back Jerry, spitfire Faith, curious Carl, and shy Una. Growing up in the stern and proper town of Glen St. Mary, Canada, they are surrounded by neighbors who disapprove of their bedraggled appearance and scandalous antics. Wanting to protect their father from criticism and gossip, they form a Good Conduct Club to teach themselves how to behave, but the results turn out differently than they plan.”


Image Credit:
Photograph of the cast of Rainbow Valley from the CDP Summer Workshop Series from Rob Heller's website.

References:
Hetrick, Adam. (May 18, 2011). "Anne of Green Gables" Musical Rainbow Valley Will Get May 19 Workshop With Autumn Hurlbert. Autumn Hurlbert will lead a reading of Rainbow Valley, a musical adaptation of the seventh book in L. M. Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables" series, which will be presented May 19 in Manhattan. Playbill. Retrieved from: https://playbill.com/article/anne-of-green-gables-musical-rainbow-valley-will-get-may-19-workshop-with-autumn-hurlbert-com-179337

Rainbow Valley, Reading (2011). Ovrtur.

Rainbow Valley. Rob Heller.

Created May 20, 2011. Last updated January 27, 2025.
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Anne of Green Gables (2010)

Anne of Green Gables (2010) is a musical with books, music and lyrics by Janet Yates Vogt and Mark Friedman based on the novel Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. The musical made its world premiere on November 10, 2010 at Village Theatre in Issaquah, Washington and ran through January 30, 2011. Kasey Nusbickel starred as Anne Shirley, and the production also featured Suzy Hunt, Matthew John Kacergis, and Dennis Bateman.

An earlier version of the musical, then titled Green Gables, was performed at Victoria Theatre in Cincinnati in 2005, and a reading was performed as part of York's Developmental Reading Series at York Theatre Company in New York City in February 2006. In addition, the musical was previously presented as part of the Village Originals 9th Annual Festival of New Musicals.

The full two-act version of the musical is 136 minutes long. A one-act version is also available that runs 70 minutes. The musical is licensed by Theatrical Rights Worldwide.

The musical is described as follows by Theatrical Rights Worldwide:

"A new musical lovingly based on Lucy Maud Montgomery’s timeless classic with its unforgettable characters, ANNE OF GREEN GABLES brings the comical adventures of spunky red-headed orphan Anne Shirley to life, as she wins over her new family and the rest of Prince Edward Island, as well, with her spirit and imagination in this heartwarming story about love, family, and home."

Village Theatre described the musical as follows:

"Bright, Inspiring Classic
Captivating readers for over a century, Lucy Maud Montgomery's treasured, best-selling novel is transformed into this charming new musical. When the Cuthberts expect to adopt a boy, imagine their surprise when a talkative and clever young girl steps off the train in Avonlea. Witness Anne's transformation from a playful young girl to a confident young woman as she finds her way into the hearts of everyone she meets-despite a knack for getting into trouble! Set to an unforgettably beautiful score, this is an enduring story for all ages."


Image Credit:
Anne of Green Gables musical artwork from Theatrical Rights Worldwide.

References:

Anne of Green Gables. janet yates vogt & mark friedman. Retrieved from: http://vogtfriedmancomposers.com/anne_of_green_gables.

Anne of Green Gables. Theatrical Rights Worldwide. Retrieved from: https://www.theatricalrights.com/show/anne-of-green-gables/.

Anne of Green Gables. Village Theatre. Retrieved from: https://web.archive.org/web/20101201175334/http://villagetheatre.org/anne.php (archived).

Cain, Scott. (May 6, 2005). Regional Reviews: Cincinnati: Green Gables, The Musical. Talkin' Broadway. Retrieved from: https://www.talkinbroadway.com/page/regional/cincy/cincy126.html.

Gans, Andrew. (February 7, 2006). Nancy Opel Part of Free Green Gables Reading Feb. 7: A reading of the musical Green Gables, which features book, music and lyrics by Janet Yates Vogt and Mark Friedman, will be presented Feb. 7 at the York Theatre Company. Playbill. Retrieved from: https://playbill.com/article/nancy-opel-part-of-free-green-gables-reading-feb-7-com-130724.

Hetrick, Adam. (March 3, 2010). Village Theatre to Stage Iron Curtain, Green Gables, Sleuth, Superstar and Full Monty: The new musicals Iron Curtain and Anne of Green Gables are on the 2010-2011 season bill for the Village Theatre in Issaquah, WA. Playbill. Retrieved from: https://playbill.com/article/village-theatre-to-stage-iron-curtain-green-gables-sleuth-superstar-and-full-monty-com-166443.

Seattle Spotlight: November 2010: Christmas Story Time. (October 31, 2010). TheatreMania. Retrieved from: https://www.theatermania.com/news/seattle-spotlight-november-2010_31587/.

Created February 2, 2011. Last updated January 24, 2025.
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Green Gables: Lucy Maud Montgomery's Favourite Places

Green Gables: Lucy Maud Montgomery's Favourite Places is a book by Deirdre Kessler featuring photography by Alanna Jankov. It was published by Formac Publishing Company in June 2010. The 72-page-long book explores the places L.M. Montgomery cherished on Prince Edward Island.

Here is the book's description:

The landscape of Prince Edward Island set Lucy Maud Montgomery's imagination on fire. This book explores the places where she grew up and discovers the settings of her most famous works of fiction. Green Gables, once the home of Montgomery's relatives, is now furnished and decorated based on descriptions in her most famous novel. Nearby is the author's childhood home--her grandparents' farm--and at New London, her lovingly preserved birthplace. At Park Corner, visitors can enjoy one of her favourite places--Silver Bush, the home of her Campbell cousins. This book offers beautiful contemporary photographs and historical images of the sites. Author Deirdre Kessler provides detailed background on these places, putting them in the context of rural life on Prince Edward Island a century ago.

Image credit:
Cover of Green Gables: Lucy Maud Montgomery's Favourite Places.

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Created October 10, 2010. Last updated October 18, 2024.
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Astroboy and Anne of Green Gables

Today, I read a thoughtful article called "How animé conquered the world" written by S.B. Zulueta, a lecturer-technologist who works in the Animation Department at College Central, Singapore. Published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the article discusses key points in the history of animé and mentions the 1979 Anne of Green Gables animé.

In the article, Zulueta describes how TV audiences initially viewed Japanese animation as "crude and corny." These opinions began to change in 1963, when Osamu Tezuka created an animated series featuring his popular manga character Mighty Atom (aka "Astroboy"). Astroboy was the first Japanese animated TV series. Tezuka had a limited budget, so Zulueta explains that he compensated for the lack of drawings and movement by applying a cinematic approach with "interesting layouts and camera movements."

This cinematic approach is Tezuka lasting legacy. During the robot animation fad of the 1970s, others used Tezuka's approach to create animation TV series quickly and cheaply and then sell toys based on the series.

Zulueta writes that, "Only Team Takahata and Miyazaki, later to form Ghibli Studio, tried to buck the system by doing better-quality TV series of Western classics such as "Heidi, Girl of the Alps," and "Anne of Green Gables." When all the other ’70s TV series had faded into obscurity, those Takahata-Miyazaki TV series remain watchable today because of the care that went into them."

According to Zulueta, the rest of the world began to appreciate animé with the release of Katsuhiro Otomo's “Akira” (1988), Mamoru Oshii’s “Ghost in the Shell” (1995), and Hayao Miyazaki’s stunning feature films.

Zulueta describes the two most important factors that have helped animé develop. The first is the strength of the manga industry, which provides source material for many popular animé adaptations for television and film. The second is the ability of animé "to absorb world stories and repackage them as its own. Indeed, the Anne of Green Gables animé is an example of the latter. As Zulueta concludes, "good stories know no borders."

Image Credit:
Drawings of Astroboy and Anne of Green Gables.

Reference:
Zulueta, S.B. How animé conquered the world. (September 20, 2010). Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved from: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/artsandbooks/artsandbooks/view/20100920-293216/How-anim-conquered-the-world (archived).

Created September 21, 2010. Last updated November 27, 2024.
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Christina Hendricks on Anne of Green Gables

I love finding mentions of Anne Shirley and L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables in interviews. Here’s my most recent find.

Christina Hendricks is an actress and model who stars as Joan Holloway on the television series Mad Men. The show is a period drama about a fictional advertising agency set in the 1960s. Christina Hendricks’s talent and striking beauty have made Joan Holloway a favorite on the show. In May of this year, in a poll of female readers, Hendricks was named Esquire’s sexist woman of the year.

This July, prior to the debut of the fourth season of Mad Men, Leslie Gornstein interviewed Christina Hendricks for the Los Angeles Times Magazine. It was a great interview, in which Gornstein asked Hendricks about Joan and Mad Men, her playing the accordion, her seeing Tom Waits perform and once dining with him and his wife, her three-episode role on Firefly, and her appearances in several music videos. She also spoke about finding red carpet gowns, dressing in retro costumes, and the Joan Holloway Barbie doll.

Best of all (for me, at least), Leslie Gornstein asked Christina Hendricks about how she began dying her hair red:

You’ve said you started dying your blond hair red at age 10. How exactly did you sell that choice to your folks?
They did it to me! I was obsessed with the Canadian novel Anne of Green Gables. I decided I was Anne of Green Gables. There was something that spoke to me about her, and I wanted to have her beautiful red hair. So my mother said, “Let’s just go to the drugstore and get one of those cover-the-gray rinses!” My hair was very blond at the time, but it went carrot red. And I was over the moon. I went to school the next day and felt like myself. And then I went back [to that color] over and over again. What a cool mom, right?

I think we can all agree that Christina Hendricks’s Mom was super cool for supporting her daughter’s obsession with Anne of Green Gables. And I adore Christina Hendricks’s red hair.

Reference:
Gornstein, Leslie. (2010, July) Past Perfect Christina Hendricks. Los Angeles Times Magazine. Originally retrieved from: https://www.latimesmagazine.com/2010/07/christina-hendricks.html (presently, dead link). Archived at: https://web.archive.org/web/20101227122133/https://www.latimesmagazine.com/2010/07/christina-hendricks.html

Image credits:
Left: Photograph of Christina Hendricks by Joshua Jordan with styling by Hayley Atkin from "Past Perfect Christina Hendricks", Los Angeles Times Magazine, published July 2010.
Right: Screen capture of Megan Follows as Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel © Sullivan Entertainment.

Created July 6, 2010. Last updated September 4, 2023.
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Elizabeth Vargas on Anne of Green Gables

I love finding fans of Anne of Green Gables. My most recent discovery is that Elizabeth Vargas, the American television journalist and anchor and correspondent for ABC News, is a fan of Anne.

In an interview with SheKnows, Joel Amos asked Elizabeth Vargas, "What were some of those books that were so wonderful for you that when they ended you cried?"

Elizabeth Vargas mentions several books, including the Winds of War, War and Remembrance, and Charlotte’s Web, that deeply moved her. She also mentioned Anne saying, "I loved the Anne of Green Gables series. That was just as a girl, I loved those books. It’s a trilogy. When I read the last one, I was devastated that were no more coming up."

I really hope Elizabeth Vargas finds out that there are eight Anne of Green Gables novels and has a chance to enjoy them all.

Reference:
Amos, Joel D. (July 16, 2009). Elizabeth Vargas Gets Inside JK Rowling’s World. SheKnows. Retrieved from: https://www.sheknows.com/entertainment/articles/809857/elizabeth-vargas-gets-inside-jk-rowling-s-world/

Image credits:
Left: Photograph of Elizabeth Vargas.
Right: Screen capture of Megan Follows as Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables © Sullivan Entertainment.

Created July 19, 2009. Last updated December 17, 2024.
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