Maud of Green Gables

Maud of Green Gables: How L.M. Montgomery's Anne Enchanted the World is a book by Janet Wilson. Featuring Wilson's impressionist oil paintings, the limited edition picture book was released in September 2024 by Coach House Printing. The book celebrates the 150th anniversary of L.M. Montgomery's birth. It tells the story of L.M. Montgomery's life, how she was inspired to write Anne of Green Gables, and how the novel became a beloved classic worldwide. Throughout the book, there are quotes from Anne of Green Gables and from L.M. Montgomery's autobiography and journals.

In an article in The Wellington Advertiser, Wilson spoke about her book and L.M. Montgomery saying, "It’s kind of everything you’d ever want to know about Green Gables, but maybe you didn’t...A lot of it is about her process, how she came up with an idea, how she fit it into her schedule and why it is so popular internationally."

You can purchase Maud of Green Gables through Janet Wilson's webpage and the Shop at Sullivan website. The softcover book is 36 pages long and measures 8.5” x 11.”

Here is the description of the book from Shop at Sullivan:

Maud of Green Gables: How L. M. Montgomery's Anne Enchanted the World celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth of L. M. Montgomery! Featuring the captivating art of Janet Wilson.

This lovely non-fiction book explores the intertwined legacies of Anne Shirley's world and Montgomery’s life, tracing the story of Anne of Green Gables from conception to the 1908 publication, and through its meteoric rise to becoming a beloved classic in Canada and around the world.

Maud of Green Gables considers why L. M. Montgomery’s book has never been out of print and has been translated into over 40 languages, as well as why Anne Shirley is one of the most recognizable characters in all of literature. Much of this fascinating story is told in Montgomery's own words quoted from her autobiography, personal journals, and her debut novel, Anne of Green Gables.

ISBN-13: 978-1-0688776-0-5

Official Website:
Janet Wilson's webpage

Image credit:
Book cover of Maud of Green Gables.

Review:
Maud of Green Gables: How L. M. Montgomery's Anne Enchanted the World - a terrific review of the book by Helen K at CanLit for LittleCanadians.

Reference:
Thompson, Ellouise. (September 6, 2024). Eden Mills author offers colourful glimpse into life, work of renowned author L.M. Montgomery. The Wellington Advertiser. Retrieved from: https://www.wellingtonadvertiser.com/eden-mills-author-offers-colourful-glimpse-into-life-work-of-renowned-author-l-m-montgomery/.

Created December 3, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

The Golden Road and the Brattle Book Shop, Part II

Sometimes I feel like L.M. Montgomery is following me around. Last summer, I spotted a postcard with an image of L.M. Montgomery's The Golden Road in the Brattle Book Shop in Boston, Massachusetts. Then, early this year, I saw an old edition of the book when my husband and I were out to dinner. I began feeling that these encounters weren't so random, so I decided to look for the book myself.

This summer, I was on a trip back to Boston, and I returned to the Brattle Book Shop.


I browsed through the books in the children's section, but I didn't see anything by L.M. Montgomery. Then I headed upstairs to the room filled with collectible books. After looking around for a while, I spotted a treasure—an old edition of The Golden Road sitting on a shelf labeled "Illustrated & Children's." After staring at it in astonishment, I took the book off the shelf and gently opened it up. Following a few moments of wonder, I headed downstairs to the cashier with the book in hand thinking I was meant to find it.


The woman at the register looked at the book, and then looked up at me and smiled.

"She's one of my favorites," she said.

"Mine too," I replied.


Happy 150th birthday, L.M. Montgomery. Your writings have touched so many. And I seem to run into your stories and the people who love them all the time.

Image credits:
Photographs by World of Anne Shirley.

Created November 30, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables Manuscript Added to Canada Memory of the World Register

L.M. Montgomery's handwritten manuscript for Anne of Green Gables was added to the Canada Memory of the World Register in honor of the 150th anniversary of the author's birth. The registry is administered by the Canadian Commission for UNESCO and spotlights the most significant pieces of Canada’s collective history and heritage.

The Canada Memory of the World Register describes the manuscript as follows:

The manuscript includes 475 pages on which the story is handwritten, and an additional 96 pages of L.M. Montgomery’s notes where she recorded additions and insertions to the text. These provide unique insights into the reflections and creative process of this influential voice in Canadian literature. Confederation Centre of the Arts, in partnership with the L.M. Montgomery Institute and the Robertson Library at the University of Prince Edward Island, launched a bilingual online exhibit in 2023 that allows readers around the world to access the fully digitized manuscript.

This special honor reflects L.M. Montgomery's contributions to Canadian culture.

Image Credit:
Scanned image of the first page of Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery from The Anne of Green Gables Manuscript website.

References:
Anne of Green Gables manuscript added to the Canada Memory of the World Register. Canadian Commission for UNESCO. Retrieved from: https://en.ccunesco.ca/about-ccunesco/press/2024/11/anne-of-green-gables-manuscript-memory-of-the-world.

McMackon, Cassidy. (November 29, 2024). 'Anne of Green Gables' recognized as heritage document in UN agency's registry. The Canadian Press. Retrieved from: https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/entertainment/anne-of-green-gables-recognized-as-heritage-document-in-un-agencys-registry/article_fd3d79d5-1667-5f6e-8fb1-66d8d649d12d.html.

Created November 29, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Maud's World: Celebrating 150 Years of Lucy Maud Montgomery at the Toronto Public Library

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of L.M. Montgomery's birth, the Toronto Public Library is presenting a special exhibit called "Maud's World: Celebrating 150 Years of Lucy Maud Montgomery." Located in the Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books, the exhibit includes first editions of L.M. Montgomery's novels and Montgomery's original letters.

Here is the description of the exhibit from the Toronto Public Library:

Celebrate Lucy Maud Montgomery's 150th birthday with the Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books. From first editions of her classic novels to original letters penned by Montgomery herself, this exhibition explores the author's fascinating life and timeless stories. Best known for Anne of Green Gables, Montgomery was a Canadian icon in her own right, publishing 20 novels and countless short stories during her long career.

Free. All are welcome.

Located in the Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books, on the 4th floor of the Lillian H. Smith Branch.

"Maud's World" opened on September 9, 2024, and the exhibit is ongoing until December 1, 2024. It is located at the Lillian H. Smith Branch of the Toronto Public Library at 239 College Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1R5. The exhibit is located on the 4th floor and is free to the public.


Official Website:
Maud's World: Celebrating 150 Years of Lucy Maud Montgomery

Image Credit:
Photograph of Lucy Maud Montgomery at her desk (1932) from Wikimedia Commons.

Reference:
Maud's World: Celebrating 150 Years of Lucy Maud Montgomery. (2024). Toronto Public Library. Retrieved from: https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDMEVT511151&R=EVT511151.

Created November 29, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Thursday Morning...

"Thursday morning was an ideal Thanksgiving morning—bright, crisp, and sparkling."
-L.M. Montgomery
"Aunt Susanna’s Thanksgiving Dinner"

Read more quotes by L.M. Montgomery.

Image credit:
Photograph by World of Anne Shirley.

Created November 28, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

A Green Gables Christmas

This weekend, the Green Gables Heritage Place is holding a festive event called "A Green Gables Christmas." It is their third annual Christmas event, and this year they are also celebrating L.M. Montgomery’s 150th birthday.

Visitors will have the chance to meet with Anne Shirley and view the beautifully decorated Green Gables House. The event will also feature cookie decorating, carolers, a snow globe light display, food and drinks, and a group dance.

A Green Gables Christmas takes place on November 30 to December 1, 2024 at the Green Gables Heritage Place on 8619 Route 6 in Cavendish, PEI. Adult tickets cost $18.75 CAD, and admission is free for children under 17 (accompanied by an adult). Visitors can also purchase a Green Gables Christmas mini photo session and have special holiday photos taken in the Green Gables house for $120 CAD.

Event details:

Families and friends are invited to the third annual Christmas event at Green Gables! It’s a wonderful opportunity to explore Anne’s house, beautifully decorated for the holidays, while enjoying a variety of fun activities together.

Throughout the day, guests will have the chance to meet Anne, who will be greeting visitors and adding a special touch to the festivities!

Children can get creative by decorating Christmas cookies, listening to cheerful carolers, and capturing memories at the enchanting snow globe light display. There’s plenty of entertainment for everyone—kids will love the Tunes and Tall Tales read-and-sing holiday story, along with a special performance by The Nest, a multilingual children's music studio, happening on both Saturday and Sunday!

All attendees can indulge in yummy sweets and warm drinks provided throughout the event. And they won’t want to miss the chance to celebrate L.M. Montgomery’s 150th birthday with a festive birthday celebration and a fun guided group dance to cap off the day!

10:30 am - 11:00 am: Tunes & Tall Tales
11:00 am - 11:45 am: Live Music
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm: TBD
12:30 pm - 1:00 pm: UPEI Carolers
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm: Tunes & Tall Tales
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm: Montgomery's Birthday Celebration
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm: The Nest with Madame Abbey
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm: Group Dance with Historical Dance Society

It looks like such a fun way to start off the holiday season!

Official Websites:
A Green Gables Christmas - Celebrating Montgomery’s 150th Birthday - learn about the event at the Tourism PEI website
A Green Gables Christmas - Book tickets for the event at the Tourism Cavendish Beach website
A Green Gables Christmas – Celebrating Montgomery’s 150th Birthday at the Inspiring World of L.M. Montgomery: A Literary Tour website

Image Credit:
Photograph of Anne Shirley decorating the Christmas tree at Green Gables Heritage Place from A Green Gables Christmas – Celebrating Montgomery’s 150th Birthday.

Created November 25, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Famous People Who Share a Birthday with L.M. Montgomery

What do Billy Idol, Dick Clark, Winston Churchill and Elisha Cuthbert have in common with L.M. Montgomery?

They all share a birthday.

On November 30th, it will be the 150th anniversary of L.M. Montgomery's birth. I was curious about who shared a birthday with Montgomery, and I compiled this list of famous people who were born on the same day. Several are pictured in the graphic I created above.

Famous People Born on November 30th:

Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) - Irish author and satirist, famous for writing Gulliver's Travels.

Mark Twain (1835-1910) - American author and humorist, famous for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Twain was a fan of L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables.

John McCrae (1872-1918) - Canadian physician, soldier and poet, famous for his war poem "In Flanders Fields," which likely inspired L.M. Montgomery's poem "The Piper."

Winston Churchill (1874-1965) - British Prime Minister (1940-45, 1951-55), military officer, and writer, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953.

Edgar Adrian (1889-1977) - English scientist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology in 1932.

Henry Taube (1915-2005) - Canadian-born American scientist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1983.

Dick Clark (1929-2012) - American radio and television personality and producer.

Joan Ganz Cooney (b. 1929) - American educational television writer and producer; co-creator of Sesame Street.

Ridley Scott (b. 1937) - English film director, known for Alien and Blade Runner.

Mandy Patinkin (b. 1952) - American actor and singer, known for Homeland, The Princess Bride, and his performances on Broadway.

Billy Idol (b. 1955) - British-American punk rock singer and songwriter, known for "White Wedding" and "Dancing With Myself."

Kaley Cuoco (b. 1985) - American actress known for The Big Bang Theory.

Elisha Cuthbert (b. 1982) - Canadian actress known for 24 and The Girl Next Door. I wonder if she likes L.M. Montgomery. Considering that her last name is Cuthbert and she got married on Prince Edward Island, I really hope so.


Image Credits:

I created this image in Photoshop using photographs and portraits of the following people (from top to bottom, and left to right): Mark Twain (from Wikimedia Commons), Billy Idol (from Music Ruined My Life), Winston Churchill from Wikimedia Commons), L.M. Montgomery (from The University of Guelph, L.M. Montgomery Research Center), John McCrae (from Wikimedia Commons), Elisha Cuthbert (from The Girl Next Door movie poster), Jonathan Swift (from Wikimedia Commons), Joan Ganz Cooney (from the Sesame Workshop, Joan Ganz Cooney Center), and Dick Clark (from Wikimedia Commons).

Created November 21, 2024. Last updated November 25, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

New Anne of Green Gables Anime Series Will Air in April 2025

Anne Shirley, a new anime series based on the Anne of Green Gables novels will be released next year. The series will be broadcast on NHK Educational TV in Japan beginning in April 2025. Anne Shirley is being produced by Answer Studio, which previously produced Suzume, Golgo 13, and Your Name.

According to the press release, the anime will adapt the first three novels in the Anne of Green Gables series written by Lucy Maud Montgomery and translated to Japanese by Hanako Muraoka. It will adapt Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of the Island.

The official website for the new adaptation launched this week with four stills from the new series. An image of Anne Shirley and her bosom friend Diana Barry is shown above. Below is an image of Anne waiting at the station.



Here's another image of Anne Shirley.



Lastly, here is a still of Gilbert Blythe and Anne Shirley. Isn't Gilbert's hair a bit too close to red?



I'm so excited about this new adaptation of Anne's story, and I hope it ends up covering the entire series. I also wonder how it will compare to the 1979 Anne of Green Gables anime series.

Official Website:
Anne Shirley

Image Credit:
Stills from the upcoming Anne Shirley anime.

References:

Anne of Green Gables is Getting an Anime, Animated Series Anne Shirley is Planned to Air on NHK E-Tele in April 2025. (November 20, 2024). Anime News Network. Retrieved from: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2024-11-20/anne-of-green-gables-is-getting-an-anime-animated-series-anne-shirley-is-planned-to-air-on-nhk-e-/.218092.

Cayanan, Joanna. (November 20, 2024). Anne of Green Gables Novels Get New Anime by Answer Studio Next Spring. Anime News Network. Retrieved from: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-11-20/anne-of-green-gables-novels-get-new-anime-by-answer-studio-next-spring/.218070.

Komatsu, Mikikazu. (November 19, 2024). Anne of Green Gables Novel Gets New TV Anime Adaptation in April 2025. Crunchyroll News. Retrieved from: https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2024/11/20/anne-of-green-gables-new-tv-anime-adaptation-april-2025.

Tan, Melvyn. (November 19, 2024). New Anne of Green Gables Anime To Begin in April 2025. Anime Trending. Retrieved from: https://anitrendz.net/news/2024/11/19/new-anne-of-green-gables-anime-to-begin-in-april-2025/.


Created November 21, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com