The Intimate Life of L.M. Montgomery

The Intimate Life of L.M. Montgomery was edited by Irene Gammel and published by the University of Toronto Press in March 2005. This book contains a collection of 11 essays that delve into L.M. Montgomery's personal writings, artistic expression, and correspondence to gain a better understanding of the mysterious author.

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

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.

Reviews (see additional reviews)

"Portrait of the artist as a young lady... Gammel and her fellow contributors point out that Montgomery continually revised her life story in her journals, omitting key events and rewriting others... Discerning the true feelings of ‘Canada’s most enigmatic literary icon,’ it turns out, is no easy task."
— Maclean’s Magazine

"This is a groundbreaking, first-rate collection of particular interest to scholars of life writing and the history of women in Canada."
— Heidi Macdonald, The Canadian Historical Review

The book includes the following content and essays:

Introduction: Life Writing as Masquerade: The Many Faces of L.M. Montgomery by Irene Gammel

Part 1: Staging the Bad Girl

1. '...where has my yellow garter gone?' The Diary of L.M. Montgomery and Nora Lefurgey edited, annotated, and illustrated by Irene Gammel
2. The 'Secret' Diary of Maud Montgomery, Aged 28¼ by Jennifer H. Litster
3. Nora, Maud, and Isabel: Summoning Voices in Diaries and Memories by Mary Beth Cavert

Part 2: Confessions and Body Writing

4. 'I loved Herman Leard madly': L.M. Montgomery's Confession of Desire by Irene Gammel
5. Veils and Gaps: The Private Worlds of Amy Andrew and L.M. Montgomery, 1910-1914 by Mary McDonald-Rissanen
6. '...the refuge of my sick spirit...': L.M. Montgomery and the Shadows of Depression by Janice Fiamengo

Part 3: Writing for an Intimate Audience

7. Visual Drama: Capturing Life in L.M. Montgomery's Scrapbooks by Elizabeth R. Epperly
8. 'I hear what you say': Soundings in L.M. Montgomery's Life Writings by Joy Alexander
9. Epistolary Performance: Writing Mr Weber by Paul Tiessen and Hildi Froese Tiessen

Part 4: Where Life Writing Meets Fiction

10. 'See my Journal for the full story': Fictions of Truth in Anne of Green Gables and L.M. Montgomery's Journals by Cecily Devereux
11. The Hectic Flush: The Fiction and Reality of Consumption in L.M. Montgomery's Life by Melissa Prycer
12. Untangling the Web: L.M. Montgomery's Later Journals and Fiction, 1929-1939 by Mary Rubio and Elizabeth Waterston.


Image credit:
Book cover of The Intimate Life of L.M. Montgomery.

Purchase and read The Intimate Life of L.M. Montgomery:


Created March 30, 2005. Last updated August 14, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables Valentines - Set 1

Give these Anne of Green Gables Valentines to your classmates, kindred spirits, and loved ones. Save the Anne-inspired Valentines below. Then print the Valentine cards out on cardstock paper in portrait mode, cut them out, and share them!



To design this set of Anne of Green Gables Valentines, I used public domain clipart from Antique Clipart, and images of Gilbert Blythe, Anne Shirley, and Diana Barry from Sullivan Entertainment's production of Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987) and Nippon Animation's Anne of Green Gables (1979) aka Akage No An.

Download and print more Anne of Green Gables Valentines here: Set 2, Set 3, and Set 4.

Created January 1, 2005. Last updated January 26, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery, Volume V: 1935-1942

The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery, Volume V: 1935–1942 edited by Mary Rubio and Elizabeth Waterston was published by the Oxford University Press in October 2004. L.M. Montgomery wrote extensive journals throughout her life, which provide personal insight to the talented author. Volume V covers the final years of L.M. Montgomery's life. During this period, Montgomery and her husband moved to Toronto, Ontario, where she immersed herself in the life of the city. Despite these pleasures, Montgomery and her husband both have depression and take barbiturates. She worries over her children and is disappointed in her sons' choices and scholastic performance. Toward the end of her life, L.M. Montgomery's depression grows until she stops writing, and her life spirals to a tragic end.


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

The final volume of the immensely successful The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery covers the years 1935 to 1942, the year of Montgomery's death. No longer dwelling in a farm community or a small rural village, Lucy Maud Montgomery explored life in downtown Toronto. Here she experienced the cultural riches the city had to offer while finding friendship and neighbourliness in the suburb of Swansea. 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, her worries about her sons' academic performance, and her thoughts on the world events during these years.

The final volume in the series offers an intimate eyewitness 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.

Review

"It is not often that a Maritime folk tale turns into Ontario Gothic. But that is what happens to L. M. Montgomery's life as we follow it through her journals."
-Maragaret Anne Doody, The Globe and Mail (full review)

Image credit:
Book cover of The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery, Volume V: 1935–1942.

Purchase and read The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery, Volume V: 1935–1942:


Created October 25, 2004. Last updated August 20, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables Word Search

Enjoy this Anne of Green Gables word search. You can print the image below or download a PDF version of the word search.



Created April 29, 2004. Last updated October 24, 2022.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of the Island Manga

Anne of the Island (Anne no Aijou or Anne's Love) is the fifth and final book in a five-volume manga adaptation of the Anne of Green Gables series (also known as Akage no An or Red-Haired Anne). The book was published in May 1998 as part of the Kumon Manga Library. Yumiko Igarashi, a Japanese manga artist, adapted and illustrated L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of the Island as a comic book. The volume was published by Kumon Shuppan and is 205 pages long.

The back cover describes the storyline as follows:

"Anne leaves Prince Edward Island when she goes to study at college. She spends her student days accompanied by her lifelong study mate Gilbert and she makes new friends like Philippa."

Anne of the Island follows the life of Anne Shirley as she leaves her home in Avonlea to attend school at Redmond College. Anne becomes friends with Prissy and Philippa and the three board together. Meanwhile in Avonlea, Anne's childhood friend Ruby Gillis dies of consumption. Anne and Gilbert have been close friends, but when Gilbert proposes to Anne, she rejects him. Anne returns home when her dear friend Diana Barry marries Fred Wright. At Redmond, Anne begins seeing Roy Gardner, but she realizes she does not love him. At the story's conclusion, Gilbert falls ill, and Anne realizes that he is her true love.

ISBN: 9784774301716

Image credit:
Book cover of Anne of the Island.

Created February 16, 2004. Last updated January 29, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Avonlea Manga

Anne of Avonlea (Anne no Seishun or Anne's Youth) is the fourth book in a five-volume manga adaptation of the Anne of Green Gables series (also known as Akage no An or Red-Haired Anne). The book was published in April 1998 as part of the Kumon Manga Library. Yumiko Igarashi, a Japanese manga artist, adapted and illustrated L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Avonlea as a comic book. The volume was published by Kumon Shuppan and is 205 pages long.

The back cover describes the storyline as follows:

"Anne is now a teacher at the Avonlea school. The twins Davy and Dora move in at Green Gables to be taken care of and so a new life begins for Anne."

Anne of Avonlea follows the life of Anne Shirley from age 16 to 18. As the story opens, Anne worries about her cow Dolly entering Mr. Harrison's fields. As with most people Anne Shirley meets, she befriends her irate neighbor. Soon after, Anne begins teaching at the Avonlea School, and she experiences challenges as a new teacher. Life at Green Gables changes when Marilla adopts a set of twins, Davy and Dora Keith. Outside of teaching, Anne and her friends work to improve the village of Avonlea through their Avonlea Village Improvement Society (AVIS). The story concludes when Anne's best friend Diana Barry gets engaged.

ISBN: 9784774301709

Image credit:
Book cover of Anne of Avonlea.

Created February 15, 2004. Last updated January 29, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables Manga, Part 3

Anne of Green Gables (Akage no Anne), Part 3 is the third book in a five-volume manga adaptation of the Anne of Green Gables series. It is the third part of a three-part manga adaptation of the novel Anne of Green Gables and was published in February 1998 as part of the Kumon Manga Library. Yumiko Igarashi, a Japanese manga artist, adapted and illustrated L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables as a comic book. The volume was published by Kumon Shuppan and is 205 pages long.

The story begins with Anne's return to school where she meets her new teacher Miss Stacy. As Christmas approaches, shy Matthew finds a way to delight Anne with a new dress with puffed sleeves as a Christmas gift. Miss Stacey plans for the school to put on a Christmas concert. Marilla and Matthew attend the concert, and after watching Anne's performances, they decide to send her to Queen's Academy.

Although she is growing up, Anne still gets into trouble, dyeing her hair green and nearly drowning while pretending to be the Lily Maid. Gilbert Blythe come to Anne's rescue and tries to apologize and make amends, but Anne refuses to be friends with him.

Anne begins studying for the entrance exam to Queen's and places first on the exam. When Anne leaves Green Gables for Queen's Academy, she misses her family and friends. Likewise, Marilla, Matthew, and Diana miss Anne. Anne's work pays off and she wins the Avery scholarship.

Anne plans to continue her studies, but these plans change when Matthew dies. Anne decides to stay at Green Gables with Marilla and to teach nearby. At the end of the story, Gilbert gives up his teaching position at the Avonlea School so Anne can teach there, and the two finally become friends.

ISBN: 978-4-774301-69-3

Image credit:
Book cover of Anne of Green Gables, Part 3.

Created February 14, 2004. Last updated January 29, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables Manga, Part 2

Anne of Green Gables (Akage no Anne), Part 2 is the second book in a five-volume manga adaptation of the Anne of Green Gables series. It is the second part of a three-part manga adaptation of the novel Anne of Green Gables and was published in January 1998 as part of the Kumon Manga Library. Yumiko Igarashi, a Japanese manga artist best known for illustrating the manga series Candy Candy, adapted and illustrated L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables as a comic book. The volume was published by Kumon Shuppan and is 205 pages in length.

The story begins with Anne's disastrous tea party where she accidentally serves Diana currant wine instead of raspberry cordial. As a consequence, Diana's mother forbids Anne from associating with Diana, but she later changes her mind after Anne saves her daughter Minnie May's life. The plot line also covers Gilbert's recitation at the concert and Mr. Phillip's departure from the Avonlea school. Anne has other mishaps, including serving Mr. and Mrs. Allan a cake flavored with liniment. At the end of the volume, Anne falls off the ridgepole of a roof after taking a dare from Josie Pye.

ISBN: 978-4-774301-68-6

Image credit:
Book cover of Anne of Green Gables, Part 2.

Created February 13, 2004. Last updated January 29, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com