Adorable Anne

For the first time in decades, I reread Anne of Green Gables. I just adored it, perhaps more now than I ever did as a girl. I devoured most of L.M. Montgomery's books largely between the ages of 10 and 13, but I must admit that lately, I've looked down on them just the tiniest bit as being not the most literary thing I could have spent my time on. When I read Proust, I noticed that he and Montgomery both write very movingly of nature (which I'm sure helped to develop my life-long love of trees and flowers and all that), but of course I snobbily wished I had been reading Proust in my formative years instead of what I thought of as Montgomery's overly sentimental stories. Now I see that while Proust is quite well and good and I think I've racked up enough snob points in just reading the whole thing, but L.M. Montgomery is home for me. And I do not say that lightly, as those of you who may remember me writing about how I longed for a sense of a literary home know. There just aren't that many Canadian books that I really love, that capture my experiences of living in and loving my home country movingly and well, so I usually turn to British books instead. Now Prince Edward Island may be on the other side of Canada from Alberta (incidentally, both provinces are named for British royals though -- Alberta for Queen Victoria's fourth daughter Princess Louise Caroline Alberta who later married a Governor General of Canada and P.E.I. for Queen Victoria's father, Prince Edward, fourth son of King George III), but that doesn't matter. I spent my childhood reading about it, even though I've never been there and it reminds me so much of what I love about my country, the rural beauty, the kindness of the people, and my own growing up years (on a farm too) that this story of an overly imaginative orphan finding a home has jumped straight to the top of my list of favourite books. (You'll see in the photo, that shelf of books is for my favourite authors!)

One of the many things I enjoyed about Anne is that she sees her imagination as a gift and is always insulting people who have no imagination and reveling in places that have 'scope for the imagination.' I also have a vivid imagination (as a child I would often daydream like Anne, the main difference between us being that she is a massive chatterbox and I was horribly shy as a child and am still quite an introvert), but as I grow up and try to navigate the difficulties of practical life, finding a job in a time when marriage and a magical outlook on life isn't enough to keep a girl in books let alone clothes, I've come to undervalue my imagination and to wonder what's the use of it. I turned to Anne when I was feeling very down and she did cheer me up and help me see the good in who I am. She made me long to daydream again, as I once used to do so innocently. And I smiled so often over how much Anne longs for romantic occasions -- not the kind with men, but the kind inspired by poetry -- beauty, emotion, something sublime and touching. I too have always secretly looked for moments like that. And I love the importance of friendship in the book, not just with Diana, but the growing relationship Anne has with Marilla, the much older woman who reluctantly adopts Anne. Marilla, with her sarcastic asides and hidden laughter at Anne, offered some much needed ballast to Anne's airy flights of fantasy, and the slow opening of her heart to Anne was truly touching. I did indeed laugh and cry and feel a whole lot better in the process.

I also grew up watching the Anne miniseries (my dream wedding was one like Diana's for years) and have begun watching it again with my mom. She's become a more recent Anne devotee and even took a trip to P.E.I. a few years ago (bringing back the mug in the photo), so it's fun to share that. I also bought a biography of L.M. Montgomery (Lucy Maud Montgomery: The Gift of Wings by Mary Henley Rubio), since I love the portrayal of late Victorian Canada in the books and miniseries. The clothes, the teas and picnics, the simpler kinder life... I know it's nostalgia (and that real life wasn't always as good, not even for Montgomery herself) but who cares when it's this adorable. Hopefully I'll get to P.E.I. one of these days! If anyone has recommendations for more books to read set at some cosy point of late 19th century Canadian history beyond Montgomery, I'd be thrilled.

Since odds are slim on that, I thought I might explore some late 19th century American authors and history too and settled on Edith Wharton's biography by Hermoine Lee, of all things. Wharton's claustrophobic and deadly correct high society New York is not nearly as simple and idyllic as Anne's world, but does have its own glamorous allure and the book is very easy to get sucked into, despite how absolutely massive it is. I generally don't like biographies that much since they start with all the boring bits of birth and parents, but Hermoine Lee does a great job with the beginning. I don't know if I'll finish it, since I've also just done one of my periodic reorganizing of my books and even packed a few (ok three boxes) up for temporary storage since I just have too many for such a tiny place and have now found about four other books I'm now interested in reading! And I've got a number of books on hold at my big city library too... (more lesser known Montgomery novels of course! My dad just downloaded The Blue Castle onto his brand-new Kindle for my mom and I, which used to be my favourite of her books, so we'll see how Anne fares then. Of course, having a Kindle in the house is definitely inspiring a desire for one of my own, lost in daydreams of how easy it would be to read more George Eliot when I didn't have to carry any heavy books around! My sister just read Middlemarch at long last on her e-reader, so...)

And at last, some descriptions of spring:
Spring had come once more to Green Gables -- the beautiful, capricious, reluctant Canadian spring, lingering along through April and May in a succession of sweet, fresh, chilly days, with pink sunsets and miracles of resurrection and growth. The maples in Lover's Lane were red-budded and little curly ferns pushed up around the Dryad's Bubble. Away up in the barrens, behind Mr. Silas Sloane's place, the Mayflowers blossomed out, pink and white stars of sweetness under their brown leaves. All the school girls and boys had one golden afternoon gathering them, coming home in the clear, echoing twilight with arms and baskets full of flowery spoil.
Spring certainly is slow here, with plenty of snow still hiding in the shadow of buildings, slowly slowly melting away. I did see the first grey soft pussy willows though, going for a walk down our country roads a few days ago and heard ducks and frogs in a nearby pond. And yesterday we had an Easter family get-together at my grandma's, here are the three ladies in purple! (My adorable niece up to all kinds of mischief, as usual. No one in my family expected my youngest slacker brother to be the first to have a baby, but we're all completely thrilled with her.)

A huge cherry-tree grew outside, so close that its boughs tapped against the house, and it was so thick-set with blossoms tat hardly a leaf was to be seen. On both sides of the house was a big orchard, one of apple trees and one of cherry trees, also showered over with blossoms; and their grass was all sprinkled with dandelions. In the garden below were lilac trees purple with flowers, and their dizzily sweet fragrance drifted up to the window in the morning wind.
It's a sweet and simple enchantment that not even Proust can match.

Comments

  1. I never read the Anne books when I was a girl - I knew of them, but they never quite appealed. Now you've made me want to read them, even at my age, har, har! No, I shan't tell you exactly my age, but let's say that I remember our Queen's Coronation ...
    It's surprising how the books we read as children left such lasting impressions on us, considering all the books we've read since. I loved the Lorna Hill 'Wells' books, about the famous Sadler's Wells Ballet School in London, about as far removed from Canadian stories as you might get! But now perhaps it's time for Anne ... thank you for bringing her to my attention.
    Margaret P

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  2. I think books that we loved as children hold very special places in our minds. And I mean that literally. The story itself offers an imaginative place for us to be that's a refuge and haven from trouble and sorrow. No wonder we cherish them so!

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  3. I think Anne is the supreme comfort read, and does encourage you to look outside of yourself and take joy in the simple things of life that we often overlook as adult life and its troubles crowd in upon us. Anne's romantic nature and contentment to just be are an inspiration and an encouragement. I am glad she gave you a much needed pick-me-up!

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  4. I adored Anne as a girl and have never really wavered in my affections for her. Anne of the Island is my ultimate comfort book, the one I go to when I'm too sick or tired to have to think about what I'm reading and want instead a story that I know inside and out, backwards and forwards.

    The question of finding/remembeing books set in late 19th C. Canada is one that is going to haunt me for a while!

    Your niece is adorable!

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  5. I'm waiting for the entire series to arrive in the mail today. You and others have convinced me to read them all - soon. :-)

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  6. I have to admit, I've never read past Anne of Green Gables, but I loved it when I read it! As a child, though, I was far more interested in the world of C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling (fantasy) rather than more domestic-y fiction. Although, fun fact: the neighborhood I grew up in (where my parents still live) was completely named for Anne of Green Gables! Talk about a magical place to live: my neighborhood was Prince Edward Island, and I lived on the corner of Anne Shirley Dr. and Lucy Montgomery Way. No joke. Thanks for the great review!

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  7. I wanted to be just like Anne when I was a kid. I would imagine stories and play imaginary games with imaginary friends. I revisted it last year as well, and although it didn't hold the same magic, it was still wonderful. I then went on to read the rest of the books which I kind of regret, Anne of Green Gables is wonderful all by itself.

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  8. I was given 'Anne of Green Gables' for my eighth birthday and have loved it ever since! I've lost count of how many times I've read it, including to my husband, not long after we got together and to the kids (with a Scottish accent, I have to admit!)

    Do you have 'The Annotated Anne of Green Gables'? If not, do look out for it. It's a lovely, big, hardback which contains the full text of the book as well as lots of extra stuff like the words to the songs and poems and background information. Wonderful!

    Penny

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  9. I love Anne of Green Gables and I love your new blog, lovely layout!

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