Showing posts with label Short Stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Short Stories. Show all posts

November 28, 2024

Thursday Morning...

A quote about Thanksgiving by L.M. Montgomery from Aunt Susanna's Thanksgiving Dinner.


"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

July 12, 2022

Around the Hearth: Tales of Home and Family

Around the Hearth: Tales of Home and Family by L.M. Montgomery, edited by Joanne Lebold, and originally selected by Rea Wilmshurst

Around the Hearth: Tales of Home and Family is a collection of short stories by L.M. Montgomery that was edited by Joanne Lebold and originally selected by Rea Wilmshurst. The book was published in June 2022 by Nimbus Publishing. The collection includes 17 of L.M. Montgomery's short stories that were published in periodicals between 1895 and 1935.


Here is the description of the book from Nimbus Publishing:

A heartwarming collection of 17 rare short stories by famed Anne of Green Gables author.

Although best known for creating the spirited Anne Shirley, L. M. Montgomery had a thriving writing career that included hundreds of short stories and poems. Around the Hearth is a continuation of the Montgomery short story collections edited by Rea Wilmshurst in the late 1980s and the early 1990s, including stories such as "A Baking of Gingersnaps" (1895) ― the first story Montgomery published. As with Anne, who found a warm and welcoming home and family at Green Gables, these stories focus on homes and families, and the happiness and love people receive from them.

Over many years of careful research and meticulous compiling of resources, Joanne Lebold has curated a collection of short fiction that showcases all the warmth and charisma Montgomery's fans have come to cherish, and offers a rare glimpse into some of the beloved author's lesser-known works. Includes seventeen short stories originally published between 1895 and 1935.

Image credit:
Book cover of Around the Hearth: Tales of Home and Family.

Purchase and read Around the Hearth: Tales of Home and Family:

Around the Hearth: Tales of Home and Family written by L.M. Montgomery, edited by Joanne Lebold, and originally selected by Rea Wilmshurst


Created July 12, 2022. Last updated September 20, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

June 30, 2022

Twice upon a Time: Selected Stories, 1898-1939

Twice upon a Time: Selected Stories, 1898-1939 by L.M. Montgomery and edited by Benjamin Lefebvre

Twice upon a Time: Selected Stories, 1898-1939 by L.M. Montgomery and edited by Benjamin Lefebvre was published by University of Toronto Press in June 2022. A part of "The L.M. Montgomery Library," this book reprints a collection of 25 of L.M. Montgomery's short stories and provides a discussion of each story and Montgomery's writing process.


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

Although L.M. Montgomery (1874–1942) is best remembered for the twenty-two book-length works of fiction that she published in her lifetime, from Anne of Green Gables (1908) to Anne of Ingleside (1939), she also contributed some five hundred short stories and serials to a wide range of North American and British periodicals from 1895 to 1940. While most of these stories demonstrate her ability to produce material that would fit the mainstream periodical fiction market as it evolved across almost half a century, many of them also contain early incarnations of characters, storylines, conversations, and settings that she would rework for inclusion in her novels and collections of linked short stories.

In Twice upon a Time, the third volume in The L.M. Montgomery Library, Benjamin Lefebvre collects and discusses over two dozen stories from across Montgomery’s career as a short fiction writer, many of them available in book form for the first time. The volume offers a rare glimpse into Montgomery’s creative process in adapting her periodical work for her books, which continue to fascinate readers all over the world.

This collection of short stories by L.M. Montgomery reveals the early workings of parts of Anne of Green Gables, its sequels, and her other ever-popular novels.

Reviews

"Twice upon a Time reveals Benjamin Lefebvre’s sleuthing and editing at its best. For scholars and fans alike, this collection of short stories offers a new way of re-experiencing Montgomery’s fiction through the lens of works that often serve dually as prequels and apprenticeship pieces for longer fiction. These stories, alongside Lefebvre’s expert contextualization, help illuminate Montgomery’s methodology and will be a boon for scholars. Twice upon a Time is a treasure trove for all those who appreciate L.M. Montgomery’s genius as a social satirist."
—Irene Gammel, author of Looking for Anne of Green Gables

"It is no small feat to choose two dozen stories from among the several hundred of Montgomery’s publications in the short story genre. Benjamin Lefebvre’s selections in Twice Upon a Time, along with his notes and critical afterword, are informed by an astute editorial vision that is sure to inspire further productive research into Montgomery’s creative methods."
—Rita Bode, Department of English, Trent University


The book includes the following contents:

A Note on the Author
Abbreviations
Preface
A Note on the Text

Our Uncle Wheeler
A New-Fashioned Flavoring
Miss Marietta’s Jersey
The Old Chest at Wyther Grange
Aunt Ethelinda’s Monument
Aunt Susanna’s Birthday Celebration
The Hurrying of Ludovic
The Little Fellow’s Photograph
The Old South Orchard
The Life-Book of Uncle Jesse
A Garden of Old Delights
A Pioneer Wooing
A Chip of the Old Block
The Indecision of Margaret
Aunt Philippa and the Men
By the Grace of Sarah May
Abel and His Great Adventure
The Schoolmaster’s Bride
Our Neighbors at the Tansy Patch
The Matchmaker
Tomorrow Comes
I Know a Secret
Retribution
An Afternoon with Mr. Jenkins
Appendix: Dog Monday’s Vigil

Afterword

Notes
Bibliography

ISBN: 9781487544157


Image credit:
Book cover of Twice upon a Time: Selected Stories, 1898-1939.

Purchase and read Twice upon a Time: Selected Stories, 1898-1939:


Twice upon a Time: Selected Stories, 1898-1939 by L.M. Montgomery and edited by Benjamin Lefebvre

Created June 30, 2022. Last updated May 6, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

June 30, 2017

After Many Years: Twenty-One "Long Lost" Stories by L.M. Montgomery

After Many Years: Twenty-One Long Lost Stories by L.M. Montgomery selected and edited by Carolyn Strom Collins and Christy Woster

After Many Years: Twenty-One "Long Lost" Stories by L.M. Montgomery selected and edited by Carolyn Strom Collins and Christy Woster was published in June 2017 by Nimbus Publishing. The book contains a collection of L.M. Montgomery's short stories that have not been in print since their original publication in periodicals from 1900 to 1939.


Here is the description of the book from Nimbus Publishing:

Although best known for creating the spirited Anne Shirley, L. M. Montgomery had a thriving writing career that included several novels and more than five hundred poems and stories.

This collection brings together rare pieces originally published between 1900 and 1939 that haven’t been in print since their initial periodicals. Collins and Woster have carefully curated a mixture of newly discovered stories that showcase all the charm you expect from Montgomery. With scholarly prefaces and notes for each piece, the book offers readers a rare glimpse into how Montgomery’s writing developed over the years.

Image credit:
Book cover of After Many Years: Twenty-One "Long Lost" Stories by L.M. Montgomery.

Purchase and read After Many Years: Twenty-One "Long Lost" Stories by L.M. Montgomery:

After Many Years: Twenty-One Long Lost Stories by L.M. Montgomery selected and edited by Carolyn Strom Collins and Christy Woster


Created June 30, 2017. Last updated September 4, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

November 02, 2009

The Blythes are Quoted

The Blythes are Quoted by L.M. Montgomery


The Blythes are Quoted by L.M. Montgomery and edited by Benjamin Lefebvre was published in 2009. L.M. Montgomery had originally prepared her manuscript for this book prior to her death by suicide, but it was not published during her lifetime. In 1974, editors at McGraw-Hill Ryerson restructured the manuscript and published it as The Road to Yesterday. This version of the book included 14 short stories and one poem from the original manuscript, but it did not include L.M. Montgomery's interspersed narrative and conversational sections. The collection also omitted one of the short stories ("Some Fools and a Saint") and most of the poems from the original manuscript.

The Blythes are Quoted restores L.M. Montgomery's original manuscript structure and components. The book is divided into two parts, with the first part occurring before the Great War and the second part taking place after the war. The book depicts several evenings in Anne and Gilbert Blythe's household, during which Anne recites poetry. Following each poem, the Blythes have short episodes of conversation and commentary. Fifteen short stories are interspersed throughout the book. All of the short stories include mentions of the Blythe family or have appearances by members of the family.


The Blythes are Quoted includes the following contents:

Forward by Elizabeth Rollins Epperly

PART ONE

A note from L.M. Montgomery
"The Piper" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Some Fools and a Saint" (short story)

Twilight at Ingleside (narrative vignette)
"I Wish You" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Old Path Round the Shore" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Guest Room in the Country" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"An Afternoon with Mr. Jenkins" (short story)

The Second Evening
"The New House" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Robin Vespers" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Night" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Man and Woman" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Retribution" (short story)

The Third Evening
"There Is a House I Love" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Sea Song" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Twins Pretend" (short story)

The Fourth Evening
"To a Desired Friend" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Fancy’s Fool" (short story)

The Fifth Evening
"Midsummer Day" (poem by Anne Shirley)
"Remembered" (poem by Anne Shirley)
"A Dream Comes True" (short story)

The Sixth Evening
"Farewell to an Old Room" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Haunted Room" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Song of Winter" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Penelope Struts Her Theories" (short story)

The Seventh Evening
"Success" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Gate of Dream" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"An Old Face" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Reconciliation" (short story)
"The Cheated Child" (short story)
"Fool’s Errand" (short story)
"The Pot and the Kettle" (short story)


PART TWO

Another Ingleside Twilight
"Interlude" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Come, Let Us Go" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"A June Day" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Wind of Autumn" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"The Wild Places" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"For Its Own Sake" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Change" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"I Know" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Brother Beware" (short story)

The Second Evening
"The Wind" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Bride Dreams" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"May Song" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Here Comes the Bride" (short story)

The Third Evening
"The Parting Soul" (poem by Walter Blythe and Anne Blythe)
"My House" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Memories" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"A Commonplace Woman" (short story)

The Fourth Evening
"Canadian Twilight" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Oh, We Will Walk with Spring Today" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Grief" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Room" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Road to Yesterday" (short story)

Au Revoir
"I Want" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"The Pilgrim" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Spring Song" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"The Aftermath" (poem by Walter Blythe)

Afterword by Benjamin Lefebvre
A Note on the Text
Acknowledgments
Books by L.M. Montgomery


Image Credits:
Book cover of The Blythes are Quoted.

Purchase and read The Blythes are Quoted:

The Blythes are Quoted by L.M. Montgomery


Created November 2, 2009. Last updated May 1, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

October 02, 2007

Aunt Susanna's Thanksgiving Dinner

Aunt Susanna's Thanksgiving Dinner by L.M. Montgomery (1907)
After spending many hours searching through microfiche in my university's library, I rediscovered an 100-year-old short story by L.M. Montgomery. The story is called "Aunt Susanna's Thanksgiving Dinner," and you can read it here exclusively. "Aunt Susanna's Thanksgiving Dinner" was originally published in 1907 in The Housewife, the year before Anne of Green Gables was published. To my knowledge this story has never been republished since.

The story is about four sisters: Laura, Kate, Margaret, and Agnes, who narrates the tale. Each girl has her own ambitions. Laura wants to be an artist, Kate plays the violin, Margaret wants to get a college education, and Agnes wants to be a writer. Aunt Susanna faintly approves of Margaret's desire for an education, but disapproves of the artistic, musical, and literary goals of her other three nieces. The sisters try to please Aunt Susanna, hoping their wealthy aunt will send Margaret to college.

The story begins when Aunt Susanna arrives at her nieces's home. She's full of criticism, but also needs a favor. She is in a bind, and must travel from town to visit a sick relative. She needs the girls to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for her and Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert upon their return home. Agnes has just told Aunt Susanna that she's a good cook, so she feels she must agree to prepare the meal. With trepidation, Agnes says she will cook dinner, and Kate volunteers to help her.

Despite the their best efforts, Agnes and Kate's Thanksgiving preparations turn out to be a disaster. Will they be able to save Thanksgiving and win Aunt Susanna's approval?

Read the original scanned story text below or download a PDF version here:

Aunt Susanna's Thanksgiving Dinner by L.M. Montgomery (1907)

Aunt Susanna's Thanksgiving Dinner by L.M. Montgomery (1907)

Updated to add: Long after I posted this story on my website, it was gathered into another collection online.

Reference:
Montgomery, L.M. (1907, November). Aunt Susanna's Thanksgiving Dinner. The Housewife. pages 5 and 14.

Created October 2, 2007. Last updated November 24, 2022.
© worldofanneshirley.com

January 15, 2007

After Many Days: Tales of Time Passed

After Many Days: Tales of Time Passed by L.M. Montgomery, 1992 book cover, Bantam Starfire edition

After Many Days: Tales of Time Passed was published in 1991. The book contains 18 of L.M. Montgomery's short stories that were rediscovered and edited by Rea Wilmshurst. The collection includes tales with themes of absence, separation, lost love, and returning home. The stories contained in the volume are listed below with their original publication dates in parentheses:

"After Many Days" (1903)
"The Bride Roses" (1903)
"The Romance of Jedediah" (1912)
"Elizabeth's Child" (1904)
"In the Old Valley" (1906)
"The Prodigal Brother" (1906)
"Robert Turner's Revenge" (1909)
"For a Dream's Sake" (1935)
"The Price" (1930)
"A Golden Wedding" (1909)
"Mrs. March's Revenge" (1904)
"An Unpremeditated Ceremony" (1907)
"Missy's Room" (1907)
"The Story of Uncle Dick" (1906)
"The Romance of Aunt Beatrice" (1902)
"The Setness of Theodosia" (1901)
"Between the Hill and the Valley" (1905)
"The Man Who Forgot" (1932)

Purchase and read After Many Days: Tales of Time Passed:

After Many Days: Tales of Time Passed by L.M. Montgomery


Created January 15, 2007. Last updated March 27, 2021.
© worldofanneshirley.com

May 26, 2006

At the Altar: Matrimonial Tales

At the Altar: Matrimonial Tales by L.M. Montgomery and edited by Rea Wilmshurst

At the Altar: Matrimonial Tales was published in 1994. The book contains 18 of L.M. Montgomery's short stories that were rediscovered and edited by Rea Wilmshurst. The tales in this collection all involve themes of love conquering obstacles. The stories contained in the volume are listed below with their original publication dates in parentheses:

"Aunt Philippa and the Men" (1915)
"A Dinner of Herbs" (1928)
"Jessamine" (1909)
"The Pennington's Girl" (1900)
"The Gossip of Valley View" (1910)
"The Pursuit of the Ideal" (1904)
"By the Rule of Contrary" (1908)
"Nan" (1904)
"The Wooing of Bessy" (1906)
"Miss Cordelia's Accommodation" (1903)
"The Twins and a Wedding" (1908)
"Them Notorious Pigs" (1904)
"The Dissipation of Miss Ponsonby" (1906)
"An Unconventional Confidence" (1903)
"The Way of Winning Anne" (1899)
"The Touch of Fate" (1899)
"What Aunt Marcella Would Have Called It" (1935)
"When Jack and Jill Took a Hand" (1905)

Image Credit:
Scan of my book cover of At the Altar: Matrimonial Tales. This Bantam 1995 edition features artwork by Ben Stahl.

Purchase and read At the Altar: Matrimonial Tales:

At the Altar: Matrimonial Tales by L.M. Montgomery and edited by Rea Wilmshurst


Created May 26, 2006. Last updated May 21, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

November 29, 2005

The Strike at Putney Church (2005)

Poster for The Strike at Putney Church (2005), a play by Eliza Jane Wilson based on a short story by L.M. Montgomery

The Strike at Putney Church (2005) is a play written by Eliza Jane Wilson that was based on a short story by L.M. Montgomery. The play premiered at The Arts Guild in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on November 17, 2005. The play was produced by ACT (A Community Theatre) and was directed by Paul Whelan.

Eliza Jane Wilson based the play on an L.M. Montgomery short story, titled "The Strike at Putney." This story can be read in the collection Against the Odds: Tales of Achievement, which was edited by Rea Wilmshurst.

The play is described as follows: "It is 1922 in rural PEI. The women of Putney Church are outraged when the elders deny a famous female missionary the opportunity to speak in the church. The women retaliate by going on strike!"

Image Credit:
Poster for The Strike at Putney Church (2005) from the ACT website.

Created November 29, 2005. Last updated May 21, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

January 22, 2004

Against the Odds: Tales of Achievement

Against the Odds: Tales of Achievement by L.M. Montgomery and edited by Rea Wilmshurst

Against the Odds: Tales of Achievement
was published in 1993. The book contains 18 of L.M. Montgomery's short stories that were rediscovered and edited by Rea Wilmshurst. Thematically, the tales in this collection all involve struggles against adversity. The stories contained in the volume are listed below with their original publication dates in parentheses:

"A Patent Medicine Testimonial" (1903)
"The Fillmore Elderberries" (1909)
"Dorinda's Desperate Deed" (1906)
"The Genesis of the Doughnut Club" (1907)
"Bessie's Doll" (1914)
"At the Bay Shore Farm" (1904)
"In Spite of Myself" (1896)
"When Mr. Cropper Changed his Mind" (1903)
"How We Went to the Wedding" (1913)
"Ned's Stroke of Business" (1903)
"Their Girl Josie" (1906)
"The Blue North Room" (1906)
"Where There is a Will There is a Way" (1934)
"Lillian's Business Venture" (1900)
"A Question of Acquaintance" (1929)
"A Case of Trespass" (1897)
"A Substitute Journalist" (1907)
"The Strike at Putney" (1903)

Image Credit:
Book cover of my Bantam 1994 edition of Against the Odds: Tales of Achievement featuring artwork by Ben Stahl. Photograph by World of Anne Shirley.

Purchase and read Against the Odds: Tales of Achievement:

Against the Odds: Tales of Achievement by L.M. Montgomery and edited by Rea Wilmshurst


Created January 22, 2004. Last updated May 21, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

July 11, 2003

The Doctor's Sweetheart and Other Stories

The Doctor's Sweetheart and Other Stories by L.M Montgomery, Harrap, 1979 book cover


The Doctor's Sweetheart and Other Stories
is a book of short stories by L.M. Montgomery that was published in 1979. It includes short stories found in old magazines and periodicals by Catherine McLay. The collection contains 14 tales, many of which are romantic stories of courtships and reconciliations, as well as stories of orphans and spinsters. The short stories included in this volume and their original publication dates are listed below:

"Kismet" (1899)
"Emily's Husband" (1903)
"The Girl and the Wild Race" (1904)
"The Promise of Lucy Ellen" (1904)
"The Parting of the Ways" (1907)
"The Doctor's Sweetheart" (1908)
"By Grace of Julius Caesar" (1908)
"Akin to Love" (1909)
"The Finished Story" (1912)
"My Lady Jane" (1915)
"Abel and his Great Adventure" (1917)
"The Garden of Spices" (1918)
"The Bride is Waiting" (1932)
"I Know a Secret" (1935)

Purchase and read The Doctor's Sweetheart and Other Stories:


The Doctor's Sweetheart and Other Stories by L.M. Montgomery


Created July 11, 2003. Last updated March 23, 2021.
© worldofanneshirley.com

June 17, 2003

Along the Shore: Tales by the Sea

Along the Shore: Tales by the Sea by L.M. Montgomery and edited by Rea Wilmshurst

Along the Shore: Tales by the Sea was published in 1989. The book is a collection of 16 of L.M. Montgomery's short stories that were rediscovered and edited by Rea Wilmshurt. Thematically, the tales in this collection all evoke L.M. Montgomery's love of the sea and Prince Edward Island. The stories contained in the volume are listed below with their original publication dates in parentheses:

"The Magical Bond of the Sea" (1903)
"The Life-Book of Uncle Jesse" (1909)
"Mackereling Out in the Gulf" (1905)
"Fair Exchange and No Robbery" (1907)
"Natty of Blue Point" (1904)
"The Light on the Big Dipper" (1906)
"An Adventure on Island Rock" (1906)
"How Don Was Saved" (1904)
"A Soul that Was Not at Home" (1909)
"Four Winds" (1908)
"A Sandshore Wooing" (1903)
"The Unhappiness of Miss Farquhar" (1903)
"A Strayed Allegiance" (1897)
"The Waking of Helen" (1901)
"Young Si" (1901)
"A House Divided Against Itself" (1930)

Image Credit:
Book cover of my Bantam 1993 edition of Along the Shore: Tales by the Sea featuring artwork by Ben Stahl. Photograph by World of Anne Shirley.

Purchase and read Along the Shore: Tales by the Sea:

Along the Shore: Tales by the Sea by L.M. Montgomery and edited by Rea Wilmshurst


Created June 17, 2003. Last updated May 21, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com