House of Dreams: The Life of L. M. Montgomery


Book Description

An affecting biography of the author of Anne of Green Gables is the first for young readers to include revelations about her last days and to encompass the complexity of a brilliant and sometimes troubled life. Once upon a time, there was a girl named Maud who adored stories. When she was fourteen years old, Maud wrote in her journal, “I love books. I hope when I grow up to be able to have lots of them.” Not only did Maud grow up to own lots of books, she wrote twenty-four of them herself as L. M. Montgomery, the world-renowned author of Anne of Green Gables. For many years, not a great deal was known about Maud’s personal life. Her childhood was spent with strict, undemonstrative grandparents, and her reflections on writing, her lifelong struggles with anxiety and depression, her “year of mad passion,” and her difficult married life remained locked away, buried deep within her unpublished personal journals. Through this revealing and deeply moving biography, kindred spirits of all ages who, like Maud, never gave up “the substance of things hoped for” will be captivated anew by the words of this remarkable woman.




Anne of Windy Poplars


Book Description

This charming novel is the fourth book in the Anne of Green Gables series. 22 years old and away from home, the much-loved Anne Shirley has to find her own way in the world once more as she begins a new job in Windy Poplars. Beginning a new phase of her life, Anne has finally left the Cuthbert’s farm. Filled with romance and charming moral tales, the story is mostly told through the letters that Anne exchanges with her fiancé, Gilbert Blythe. The couple try to maintain their relationship while Gilbert begins medical school and Anne embarks on a new path as the principal of Summerside High School in Windy Poplars. Anne lodges in the cosy tower room of an old house, Windy Willows, belonging to Aunt Kate and Aunt Chatty. Soon she makes fast friends with the women and their boisterous housekeeper, Rebecca Dew. But despite these new friends, Anne struggles to find her feet in the town. The ‘royal family’ of Summerside, the Pringles, keep a watchful eye on the new principal and make it very clear that she's not their first choice for the job. Will Anne be able to win the Pringles over? Can she and Gilbert keep their spark alive? Read & Co. Children’s has proudly republished this beautiful edition of Anne of Windy Poplars, now featuring an introductory author biography. This classic novel is not to be missed by lovers of Anne of Green Gables and those who wish to revisit their childhood as Anne commences the next stage of her life.




Lucy Maud Montgomery


Book Description

Mary Henley Rubio has spent over two decades researching Montgomery’s life, and has put together a comprehensive and penetrating picture of this Canadian literary icon, all set in rich social context. Extensive interviews with people who knew Montgomery – her son, maids, friends, relatives, all now deceased – are only part of the material gathered in a journey to understand Montgomery that took Rubio to Poland and the highlands of Scotland. From Montgomery’s apparently idyllic childhood in Prince Edward Island to her passion-filled adolescence and young adulthood, to her legal fights as world-famous author, to her shattering experiences with motherhood and as wife to a deeply troubled man, this fascinating, intimate narrative of her life will engage and delight.




Pat of Silver Bush


Book Description

From the beloved author of Anne of Green Gables, this charming story introduces Patricia Gardiner, a young girl with a deep aversion to change and an unwavering love for her home, Silver Bush. Pat's life at Silver Bush is filled with warmth and happiness. Her childhood was spent surrounded by her loving family and the ever-enchanting housekeeper, Judy Plum, whose magical tales bring wonder to every occasion. But as Pat grows up, she must learn to cope with the inevitable changes and tragedies that threaten to disrupt her idyllic world. Through these trials, Pat's resilience and the strength of her bonds with her family and friends are put to the test. Pat of Silver Bush is a captivating novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery, originally published in 1933. A heartwarming tale of love, loyalty, and the courage, Montgomery's rich storytelling brings Pat's world to life, making readers fall in love with Silver Bush just as deeply as Pat does.




Spirit of Place


Book Description

A pictorial study of the Prince Edward Island that Lucy Maud knew and loved. Passages from her autobiography and from her voluminous personal correspondence supply the text. The illustrations have been taken specially to illustrate the landscape she described.




The Alpine Path - The Story of My Career


Book Description

This memoir offers a charming and intimate look into the life and career of one of literature's most cherished writers, Lucy Maud Montgomery, the author of the Anne of Green Gables series. In this captivating narrative, Montgomery takes readers on a journey through her childhood, filled with dreams and imaginings that would later shape her literary voice. She vividly recounts her early years on Prince Edward Island, sharing the experiences and influences that sparked her love for storytelling. As Montgomery progresses from a young girl with a passion for writing to a celebrated author, she candidly describes the challenges and triumphs she faced along the way. Her inspirational road to literary success is a testament to her perseverance, creativity, and unwavering belief in her craft. Originally published as a series of autobiographical essays in the Toronto magazine Everywoman’s World from June to November in 1917, The Alpine Path: The Story of My Career not only provides valuable insights into Montgomery's personal and professional life but also serves as an encouraging tale for aspiring writers and dreamers.




The Blue Castle


Book Description

29 and unmarried, gasp! - can you think of anything worse? In 1920s rural Canada, Valancy Stirling is considered "past it" and with a controlling, nagging mother and petty gossips for relatives she feels trapped in the life she has ended up in and when she is diagnosed with a terminal heart condition and given a year to live, it seems she will die without ever experiencing happiness. And so, she rebels. She leaves her family home slamming the door as she does and moves in with her old friend Cissy and starts working as a housekeeper. The independence is intoxicating - as is a growing friendship with local man, Barney Snaith. It looks as though Valancy will have love to warm her heart in her final months. But secrets on both sides threaten to ruin things. The intoxicating story of love and loss is perfect for fans of Elizabeth Gaskell and Jodie Picoult. Lucy Maud (L.M.) Montgomery was a Canadian author best known for a series of children's books beginning with 'Anne of Green Gables'. The books were a huge hit in her lifetime and were recently made in the Netflix series 'Anne with an E'. Montgomery published 20 novels, 530 short stories, 500 poems and 30 essays in her lifetime. Most were set in Canada's smallest province, Prince Edward Island.




The Selected Journals of L. M. Montgomery


Book Description

Elizabeth Waterston is a 2011 Fellow of The Royal Society of Canada. 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.




The Road to Yesterday


Book Description

For Anne and Gilbert Blythe, life in a small village is never dull because of all the entertaining gossip, and what strange and funny tales they hear: about the mischievous twins whose dearest wish comes true when they meet up with a bored and haunted millionaire; or clever Penelope Craig, who considers herself an expert on children -- until she adopts a boy of her own; or Timothy Randebush, a man so eager to keep his brother out of the clutches of a dangerous woman that he spirits her away -- only to fall prey to her charms himself. Filled with unexpected surprises, laughter, and tears, here are fourteen of the Blythes' favorite tales.




Along the Shore


Book Description

Sixteen short stories, all set on Prince Edward Island, deal with the common theme of life by the sea.