Hopefully, you have read the book or watched the definitive 1985 movie. Anne of Green Gables, written by L.M. Montgomery. is a beautiful story about love and grace. Many parents select it as one of the classic books to read with their child or grandchild.
Like many, I was more familiar with the movie than the book—I have probably watched the 1985 movie at least 25 times with my daughter.
One of my favorite things about the film is watching Marilla, one of the main characters, connect with her shy brother, Matthew Cuthbert, regarding spunky Annie’s care.
Another wonderful scene is the blossoming friendship between Anne and Diana Barry. They became best friends—kindred spirits.
“Kindred spirits are not too scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” — Anne of Green Gables
Perhaps, like me, you know little about the book or the author. I invite you to join me as we learn more about Lucy Maud Montgomery. Who knows, you and I might become a part of the Montgomery kindred spirit society.
How Did L.M. Montgomery Become a Famous Author?
Lucy Maud Montgomery was born in New London, Canada, on November 30, 1874, to Hugh John and Clara Woolner Manell. Sadly, her mother died of tuberculosis when she was only 21 months old.
Clara’s death left Hugh distraught and grief-stricken and unable to care for the young child, thereby giving custody of Lucy Maud to her maternal grandparents. Hugh moved to Prince Albert and later remarried.
Montgomery did not like the name “Lucy,” named after her grandmother. She preferred her middle name came from one of Queen Victoria’s daughters, “Maud” without an “e.”
Living with her grandparents meant she spent much of her early childhood alone. During this timeframe, she began to develop imaginary friends and worlds. It was just the beginning and development of her creativity that would play a significant role in her future writing endeavors. Notably, around age five, she had typhoid fever and almost died.
Maud started writing poetry and journaling when she was nine. She also enjoyed visiting with her mother’s sister, Aunt Annie Campbell, and her husband, John, and their children.
Her first poem, “On Cape LeForce,” was written when she stayed in Prince Albert with her father and his new wife, Mary Anne McRae. Charlottetown paper The Patriot published the article in 1890.
After high school, Maud attended the Prince of Wales College in Charlottetown. There she received a teaching degree. Teaching was not her first love, but it gave her time to dedicate to writing. She studied literature at Dalhousie University, located in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
In 1898, Grandfather Macneill passed away, making it necessary for Maud to return to her grandmother’s home as her caregiver, which she did for 13 years.
During those years, writing became her purpose and passion. She continued sending her poems and stories to American, British, and Canadian publishing houses. Like most writers, the submissions were returned with rejections. Then, in God’s timing, her writings were accepted, and she received an income of $96.88 in 1899.
In 1905, her first novel, Anne of Green Gables, was met with several rejection letters. It took two years before the L.C. Page Company accepted her manuscript, publishing it in 1908. The book launched her career.
After several broken engagements, Maud married Ewen Macdonald in 1911. They moved to Leaskdale, Ontario, where Ewen served as a Presbyterian minister. As a pastor’s wife, Lucy assisted her husband and maintained their home. They had three sons, Chester Cameron (1912), Hugh Alexander (1914, died soon after birth), and Ewen Stuart (1915).
The Royal Society of Arts in Britain asked Maud to join in 1923, making her the first Canadian woman to become a member. Other honors include the Literary and Artistic Institute of France (1935) and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. In 1943, Lucy Maud was named a Person of National Historic Significance. Today there is a museum at her birthplace in New London.
She died on April 24, 1942, in Toronto, Canada, and was buried in the Cavendish cemetery near her home on Prince Edward Island.
“Just as soon as you attain to one ambition you see another one glittering higher up still. It does make life so interesting.” — Anne of Green Gables
What Are L.M. Montgomery’s Accomplishments and Legacy?
1. L.M. Montgomery is a top Canadian author with a literary canon comprising 20 novels, 530 short stories, 500 poems, and 30 essays. Annie of Green Gables has been translated into 20 different languages and sold over 50 million copies.
2. She was among the first women in her day to seek higher education when she attended Dalhousie University.
3. “A Girl’s Place at Dalhousie College” was written in 1895 and published in the Gazette. The Halifax Herald published it in 1896. Maud encouraged women to look at education in the following way: “to prepare herself for living, not alone in the finite but in the infinite. She goes to have her mind broadened and her powers of observation cultivated.”
4. In her final article to the Gazette in 1939, she wrote to the students pursuing a writing career. She gave a lot of advice, and in her closing statement, in all caps, she wrote: “KEEP ON TRYING.”
5. In one of his articles, Canadian scholar Brenton Dickieson asks who can be considered Canada’s author. He elaborates, “What writer holds the best of Canada together with a distinctive presence and leaves a mark that is quintessentially Canadian. And the winner is L.M. Montgomery. Why? Because she captures the ‘essence of Canada.’”
6. Mark Twain described the character of Anne as “the dearest most lovable child in fiction since the immortal Alice.”
7. During her life, critics often dismissed Montgomery’s work as schoolgirl literature, but increasingly critics have seen how artfully she wrote. Dickieson observes how great her writing style is in her book, The Story Girl: “I was struck once again by Montgomery’s imaginative wordplay, her exquisite natural description, and her intensely empathetic storytelling perspective. All of these features—and her capacity for evoking both ‘journey’ and ‘home’ without residual tension—is presented to us with remarkable literary simplicity.”
8. Recently, the L.M. Montgomery Institute (LMMI) celebrated its thirtieth anniversary. Created in 1993, “the LMMI promotes research into, and informed celebration of, the life, works, culture, and influence of the Prince Edward Island-born, acclaimed Canadian writer, L.M. Montgomery.” The University of Prince Edward Island provides a space for the LMMI at the Robertson Library. The website offers a wealth of information.
9. Hanako Muraoka translated Anne of Green Gables into Japanese, published in 1952, and became a best seller in Japan. Interestingly, Japanese readers were the most devoted admirers of Montgomery’s writings during the 1950s. A fascinating story!
10. Montgomery’s work has continued to influence many notable authors. Margaret Atwood and Princess Kate have hailed her as one of their favorite authors. Madeleine L’Engle stated her favorite book was Montgomery’s novel Emily of the New Moon.
The L.M. Montgomery Literary Society is an excellent resource for learning about her life and writings. Here you can read the periodical entitled the Shining Scroll. The publication features all things L.M. Montgomery including new research, events, and recent publications.
What Did L.M. Montgomery Write about Christianity?
L.M. Montgomery has been considered one of the top female Christian authors for years. Her husband was a Presbyterian minister, and she served beside him as a church leader.
A helpful but limited way to learn about Montgomery’s faith and theology is to read selections from her journals. On her website Reading to Know, Carrie Brownell provides a book review of The Selected Journals of Lucy Maud Montgomery: Vol. II: 1920-1921. Brownell directs readers to a journal entry dated February 3, 1920:
“I believe in a God who is good and beautiful and just—but not omnipotent. It is idle to ask me to believe in a God who is both good and omnipotent. Given the conditions of history and life the two things are irreconcilable. To believe that God is omnipotent but not purely good—well, it would solve a good many puzzling mysteries. Nevertheless, it is a belief that the human soul instinctively shrinks from. Well, then, I believe in God who is good but not omnipotent. I also believe in a Principle of Evil, equal to God in power—at least, at present—opposing hideousness to His beauty, evil to His good, tyranny to His justice, darkness to His light. I believe that an infinite ceaseless struggle goes on between them, victory not inclining to the one, now to the other. So far my creed is the old Persian creed of the eternal conflict between Ahrimanes and Ormuzd. But I did not take it over from the Persian. My own mind has compelled me to it, as the only believe that is in rational agreement with the universe as we know it.”
Since this journal entry is from 1920, it’s hard to say whether Montgomery’s views of God changed as she aged.
It’s also been observed that by this period, Montgomery was famous, and she began stylizing events in her journals because she knew future readers would explore her life. Given that, it would be best to read all five volumes to see how her descriptions of her beliefs changed and always remember it’s only part of the picture. The full picture comes from looking at her life, writing, and work, which is well worth doing.
10 Great Books by L.M. Montgomery
An interesting tidbit about L.M. Montgomery’s novels is that all but one of her 20 novels centered upon the people, culture, and nature surrounding Prince Edward Island.
The first and most famous book is Annie of Green Gables, the first of seven books about Anne’s adventures.
The Story Girl is the first of two books in the King Family series.
Emily of New Moon is the first of the series of the Emily Starr Trilogy.
Pat of Silver Bush and Mistress Pat are known as the Silver Bush Books.
The Alpine Path: The Story of My Career is an autobiography based on articles published in Everywoman’s World.
The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery: Vol. 1 is compiled from her 1889 to 1910 journal entries.
The Watchman and Other Poems collects many of her best-known poems
Twice Upon a Time is a collection of short stories.
A World of Songs is a collection of poems.
Visit My Poetic Side to read some of Montgomery’s poems. You can also learn more about her life through the biography L.M. Montgomery: The Gift of Wings by Mary Henley Rubio.
Further Reading:
How Did Janette Oke Invent Christian Romance?
100 Christian Novels You Haven't Read Yet
What You Need to Know about Amish Romance Author Beverly Lewis
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Elenathewise
Laura Lee Leathers is a writer and speaker. Imagine Lois Lane, over sixty-five, and living on a farm. Her metropolis is the area of freelance writing. Her primary love interest is the Word of God. She digs for information, interviews fascinating people, offers a cup of biblical hospitalit-tea, encourages, and helps others with the ‘how-to’s’ of life. To sign up for her newsletter, connect with her at http://lauraleeleathers.com - - - “Helping You Flourish in Faith & Finish Well by His Word”
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