October 04, 2024

After Anne: A Novel of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Life

After Anne: A Novel of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Life by Logan Steiner


After Anne: A Novel of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Life by Logan Steiner was published in May 2023 by William Morrow Paperbacks, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. In her debut novel, Steiner tells L.M. Montgomery's story through the use of historical fiction to depict Montgomery's aspirations, creative life, and personal struggles.

Here is the description of the book from HarperCollins Publishers:

USA TODAY BESTSELLER

A stunning and unexpected portrait of Lucy Maud Montgomery, creator of one of literature’s most prized heroines, whose personal demons were at odds with her most enduring legacy—the irrepressible Anne of Green Gables.

“Dear old world,” she murmured, “you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you.” —L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables, 1908

As a young woman, Maud had dreams bigger than the whole of Prince Edward Island. Her exuberant spirit had always drawn frowns from her grandmother and their neighbors, but she knew she was meant to create, to capture and share the way she saw the world. And the young girl in Maud’s mind became more and more persistent: Here is my story, she said. Here is how my name should be spelled—Anne with an “e.”

But the day Maud writes the first lines of Anne of Green Gables, she gets a visit from the handsome new minister in town, and soon faces a decision: forge her own path as a spinster authoress, or live as a rural minister’s wife, an existence she once called "a synonym for respectable slavery." The choice she makes alters the course of her life.

With a husband whose religious mania threatens their health and happiness at every turn, the secret darkness that Maud herself holds inside threatens to break through the persona she shows to the world, driving an ever-widening wedge between her public face and private self, and putting her on a path towards a heartbreaking end.

Beautiful and moving, After Anne reveals Maud’s hidden personal challenges while celebrating what was timeless about her life and art—the importance of tenacity and the peaceful refuge found in imagination.

Reviews

"In this outstanding debut, Logan Steiner delivers a moving, richly detailed and nuanced portrayal of a deeply fascinating woman. Steiner, with a loving hand, lifts the veil of L.M. Montgomery to give us a glimpse of Maud, her strength, her struggles, her quiet courage navigating life as both an ambitious author and a loving friend, wife and mother. Steiner’s extensive research is evident not only in the facts but in the complex emotional tapestry she weaves. Anne of Green Gables fans will sure to delight in this book, but so will any fans of interesting, complicated and clever women."
— Brianna Labuskes, author of The Librarian of Burned Books

"An exquisite tribute to Lucy Maud Montgomery, the revered author who gave us so much scope for imagination. After Anne is for fans who long to know the woman behind Anne Shirley's story. Get ready, this book will break your heart in the most splendid ways."
— Sarah McCoy, New York Times and internationally bestselling author of Marilla of Green Gables


Image credit:
Book cover of After Anne: A Novel of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Life.

Purchase and read After Anne: A Novel of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Life:

After Anne: A Novel of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Life by Logan Steiner

Created October 4, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

October 03, 2024

Discover Montgomery's Prince Edward Island

Photograph of Discover Montgomery's Prince Edward Island Pamphlet from Tourism PEI

Over the summer, I received a PEI Visitor's Guide from Tourism PEI. Inside the package was a pamphlet called "Discover Montgomery's Prince Edward Island" with information on L.M. Montgomery and her writings and a map marked with locations for visitors to experience places important to her.

Here are photographs of the pamphlet. One side has a nice biography of L.M. Montgomery.

Photograph of Discover Montgomery's Prince Edward Island Pamphlet from Tourism PEI

Photograph of Discover Montgomery's Prince Edward Island Pamphlet from Tourism PEI

The reverse side of the pamphlet features a map marked with 18 locations and activities for visitors.

Photograph of Discover Montgomery's Prince Edward Island Pamphlet from Tourism PEI

The locations and activities include:

1. Montgomery Park
2. L.M. Montgomery Birthplace
3. Lower Bedeque School
4. Montgomery Inn at Ingleside
5. The Sir Andrew Macphail Homestead
6. Bideford Parsonage Museum
7. The Site of L.M. Montgomery's Cavendish Home
8. The Kensington Train Station
9. The Cavendish United Church
10. The Cavendish Cemetery
11. Green Gables Heritage Place
12. Anne of Green Gables Museum
13. L.M.M. Institute at UPEI
14. Shop and Play
15. Anne of Green Gables, The Musical
16. Avonlea Village
17. Anne and Gilbert, The Musical
18. The Anne of Green Gables Store

It is a helpful guide to discover places important to L.M. Montgomery in celebration of her 150th birthday this year.


Official Website:
Tourism Prince Edward Island

Image Credit:
Photographs of "Discovering Montgomery's Prince Edward Island" Tourism PEI pamphlet taken by World of Anne Shirley.

Created October 3, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

October 01, 2024

Stratford Festival Commissions a New Play Based on Anne of Green Gables

Screencapture of part of the Stratford Festival 2025 Playbill featuring Anne of Green Gables

Last month, the internationally acclaimed Stratford Festival announced that they are developing a new play based on Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. The new adaptation is by playwright Kat Sandler, who will also direct the production. The play will premiere at the Avon Theatre as part of the Festival's 2025 season.

Founded in 1953, the Stratford Festival is a theatre festival that runs from April to October each year in Stratford, Ontario, Canada. The Festival is renowned for its productions of Shakespeare's plays, and it also presents a variety of other plays and musicals. The Festival has featured many talented actors over the years, including several who starred in adaptations of L.M. Montgomery works, including Megan Follows, Jonathan Crombie, Jackie Burroughs, Sarah Polley, and Charmion King.

The new Anne of Green Gables play is a Stratford Festival commission sponsored by The Schulich Foundation. The Stratford Festival's website describes the play as follows:

"Is there a Canadian title with more global recognition than Anne of Green Gables? More than 56 million copies have been sold, and it has been translated into 30 languages.

Anne of Green Gables by Kat Sandler is a bold adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery's timeless tale of imagination, resilience and the transformative power of love. Set in the picturesque village of Avonlea, it follows the adventures of Anne Shirley, an irrepressible orphan with a vivid imagination and an unyielding spirit.

Sandler, who will also direct, is known for her deeply funny yet poignant plays and has written and directed extensively across Canada. She has enormous affection and respect for this story and wants to bring it vibrantly to life for another generation. The story of an outsider, an orphan, who finds happiness and wins the hearts not only of her adoptive family but of her doubting community is a story for the ages."

In a recent CBC News interview with Kat Sandler and Keith Barker (the Stratford Festival's director of new play development), the pair talk about reintroducing Anne Shirley's timeless story to a new generation of viewers. Barker states that they aim to be true to the novel, which he says, "reads beautifully" and "it's accessible, it's funny, it's smart." Sandler comments on the story's timeless themes saying, "Love, belonging, chosen family, community, loss, class — like, these are really big, big themes with high stakes." Sandler hopes that her adaptation reflects these themes.


Official Website:
Stratford Festival

Image Credit:
Screencapture of part of the Stratford Festival's 2025 Playbill featuring Anne of Green Gables.

References:
How the Stratford Festival wants to reimagine 'Canadian epic' Anne of Green Gables for a new era. (2024, September 8). CBC News. Retrieved from: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6502563.

Ryan, Carolyn. (2024, September 8). Renowned Stratford Festival commissions new Anne of Green Gables play. CBC News. Retrieved from: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-anne-of-green-gables-stratford-festival-1.7313342.

Created October 1, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers

A quote from Anne Shirley about October by L.M. Montgomery in Anne of Green Gables.

"I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."
-L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Green Gables

Read more quotes by L.M. Montgomery.

Image credit:
Photograph by World of Anne Shirley.

Purchase and read Anne of Green Gables:

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery Anne of Green Gables Book Set by L.M. Montgomery


Created October 1, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

September 28, 2024

Rare Anne of Green Gables Book at the Empire State Rare Book and Print Fair

Rare Anne of Green Gables Book at the Empire State Rare Book and Print Fair


The Empire State Rare Book and Print Fair is taking place this weekend at the City College of New York in New York City. The fair opened yesterday (September 27, 2024), and will continue through September 29th.

Among the many rare items offered is a first printing of Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery in one of five surviving jackets from 1909 or earlier. The book is valued at $40,000.

What a special treasure for a book collector.


Location:
The Great Hall, Shepard Hall,
City College of New York,
160 Convent Ave,
New York, NY 10031

Official Website:
Fine Book Fairs

Image Credit:
Photograph of select books featured at the The Empire State Rare Book and Print Fair from Fine Books & Collections.

Reference:
Empire State Rare Book & Print Fair Opens Today. (2024, September 27). Fine Books & Collections. Retrieved from: https://www.finebooksmagazine.com/fine-books-news/empire-state-rare-book-print-fair-opens-today.

Created September 28, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

September 25, 2024

Support an Anne of Green Gables Product Idea at LEGO IDEAS

Anne of Green Gables Product Idea at LEGO IDEAS by Iyan Ha

Today, I read a post by CivEng_NY on Reddit about a wonderful LEGO IDEAS project. Iyan Ha has proposed and designed an intricate Anne of Green Gables LEGO set. It has exceptional detail, and the design involves 2,935 bricks and has 5 minifigures.

This product idea has a chance of becoming a real LEGO set, but only if it has 10,000 supporters. After it reaches this goal, the idea will undergo an expert review by LEGO before the project is approved for production. This morning, Iyan Ha's Anne of Green Gables project idea had 1,366 supporters.

I signed up to support the project, and you can too. Let's help make this idea a reality!

Visit the Anne of Green Gables project page at LEGO IDEAS to sign up as a supporter.

Here are a few additional images of the project. Iyan Ha studied many references to design the Green Gables house. The model allows you to act out scenes from the novel both outside and inside Green Gables. In the scene below, Matthew Cuthbert brings Anne Shirley to Green Gables by carriage and Marilla meets them at the door. The model has such lovely details like the blooming Snow Queen.

Matthew and Anne arriving at Green Gables. Anne of Green Gables Product Idea at LEGO IDEAS By Iyan Ha

Here, Anne Shirley accidentally serves her bosom friend Diana Barry currant wine instead of raspberry cordial, and Diana gets drunk. Oops. I love the expression on Diana's face.

Diana Barry enjoying currant wine with Anne Shirley. Anne of Green Gables Product Idea at LEGO IDEAS By Iyan Ha

Here is an image of the 5 minifigures: Matthew Cuthbert, Marilla Cuthbert, Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe, and Diana Barry. Anne is breaking her slate over Gilbert's head, while Diana looks on in dismay.

Anne of Green Gables Minifigures: Matthew Cuthbert, Marilla Cuthbert, Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe, and Diana Barry. Product Idea at LEGO IDEAS By Iyan Ha

I've highlighted a handful of the images of Iyan Ha's project. You can view all 15 images at LEGO IDEAS, and sign up to support the project.

Official Website:
Anne of Green Gables Product Idea at LEGO IDEAS by Iyan Ha

Image Credits:
Images of the Anne of Green Gables Product Idea by Iyan Ha at LEGO IDEAS.


Created September 25, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Old-time rambles through September woods

A quote about old-time rambles through September woods by L.M. Montgomery in Anne of the Island.
"“I’ve come up to ask you to go for one of our old-time rambles through September woods and ‘over hills where spices grow,’ this afternoon,” said Gilbert..."
-L.M. Montgomery
Anne of the Island

Read more quotes by L.M. Montgomery.

Image credit:
Photograph by World of Anne Shirley.

Purchase and read Anne of the Island and the Anne of Green Gables series:

Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery Anne of Green Gables Book Set by L.M. Montgomery


Created September 25, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

September 24, 2024

Studio 100 International to Remaster Anne of Green Gables Anime Series

Screencapture of Matthew Cuthbert and Anne Shirley from the Anne of Green Gables (1979) Anime

AnimationXpress reported today that a German company called Studio 100 International is currently "remastering" the Anne of Green Gables (1979) anime using AI-assisted technologies to transform these series to full HD with a 16:9 widescreen format. The company specializes in entertainment for children and families. According to a press release from the company, it is undertaking the initiative as part of its "Heroes of Childhood" licensing campaign to breath "new life into its iconic classic series." Along with remastering Anne of Green Gables, they plan to remaster several other classic animated series from the 1970s, including Alice in Wonderland, Sinbad, Vic the Viking, Pinocchio, Nils Holgersson, Heidi, Marco (3000 Leagues in Search of Mother), and Maya the Bee.

By using AI-assisted technologies, Studio 100 International aims to create visual information needed to adapt the animated content to a widescreen format. They explain that the scenes will then be refined manually to maintain the integrity of the original. The audio for each series will be reconstructed to support different language versions for global distribution.

Studio 100 International will present the first remastered episodes for this project at MIPCOM in Cannes, which takes place from October 21–24, 2024.

Tampering with the early productions of Hayao Miyazaki and the late Isao Takahata, who went on to establish the beloved Studio Ghibli, has caused outcry in the anime community according to an article by Paris Geolas at CBR. Geolas writes, "The usage of AI in Studio Ghibli works in particular has been strongly objected to given Hayao Miyazaki’s clear disapproval of the medium when it comes to animation. Many animation studios now use CGI and sometimes AI to enhance the animation or increase output within tight deadlines, but Studio Ghibli has always been faithful to using hand-drawn frames, contributing to the studio’s unique and beloved art style."


Image Credit:
Screencapture from Anne of Green Gables (1979) Anime.

References:

AnimationXpress Team. (2024, September 24). Studio 100 International to present remastered classic series like ‘Pinocchio’ and ‘Heidi’ at MIPCOM. AnimationXpress.com. Retrieved from: https://www.animationxpress.com/animation/studio-100-international-to-present-remastered-classic-series-like-pinocchio-and-heidi-at-mipcom/.

Geolas, Paris. (2024, October 2). Studio Ghibli Founders' Earliest Anime Works Get "Cutting-Edge AI" Remasters. CBR. Retrieved from: https://www.cbr.com/studio-ghibli-first-anime-ai-remaster-controversy/.

Studio 100 International Remasters Classic TV Series in Full-HD and 16:9 for the First Time. (2024, 24 September). Press Release. Studio 100 International. Retrieved from: https://media.studio100international.com/media/sites/2/2024/09/d30fc09701-240924_pressrelease_s100int_classics-remastering_final.pdf.

Studio 100 International Unveils Full-HD and 16:9 Remasters of Beloved Classic TV Series. (2024, September 24). FormatBiz. Retrieved from: https://www.formatbiz.it/dettNews.aspx?id=11905.


Created September 24, 2024. Last updated October 3, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com