We Love L.M Montgomery Week - The LMM Tag

 The LMM Tag

1. Who introduced you to L. M. Montgomery's writing?  Tell us the story!

When I was in 5th grade my best friend (whose taste I admired - I read a lot of series and she was a more mature reader than I was) was reading an LMM omnibus and I leaned my head to the left to read Anne of Green Gables while she leaned right to read one of the later books. This lasted all of a few minutes, haha. I got my own copy and tried to read it - while I was a big reader, the writing was a little hard for me and I ended up putting the book on my shelf and moving on to something else. Several years later, when I was a sophomore in high school, I caught part of the 1985 miniseries on PBS and was intrigued - THIS was the book I had struggled with as kid? I found my old copy in a cardboard box in my basement (bound for a yard sale!) and cracked it open. This time I absolutely loved it! This was my character, my book, my town. I went on to read Anne of Avonlea that summer, then Anne of the Island, Anne of Windy Poplars, and Anne's House of Dreams my junior year. 

Reading through Anne of Avonlea I decided to try the audiobook version, which is when I discovered Barbara Caruso as my dream narrator! I have listened to her read the books so often that when I read a paper copy I often hear her voice in my head.

2. What LMM books have you read?

All of the Anne books except Ingleside. I re-read 1, 2, 3, and 5 often. I have only gotten through 4 once because the tone was so different (I now know why, being written later). I can't stand 7 (the "precociousness" of all of the children makes me want to scream) and finally read 8 for the first time two years ago - loved it and am looking forward to re-reading it.

Christmas with Anne

Kilmeny of the Orchard

 

(Source)

The Blue Castle - for the first-time last month because of Hamlette's posts about it

(Source)

3. What movies or shows based on her books have you watched?

The 1985 Anne of Green Gables miniseries, which is hands down my favorite and a favorite comfort watch. I have watched the sequel a few times, but I struggle with it because of the mashed-up plot (why couldn't they have picked one book?!) and I've never watched the third volume because of the "originality" of the plot. 

I found a VHS copy of the 1934 Anne of Green Gables at the Goodwill when I was a teenager and watched it once. I remember it being a bit silly and once was enough.

I have watched the 2016 PBS trilogy and thought they were a sweet interpretation of Anne, but not the "real thing" the way the 1985 AoGG was.

I have chosen not to watch Anne with an E after reading about how dark it was and some of the themes presented in it.

4. Which LMM character is your kindred spirit, the one you'd like to hang out with in real life?

 

(Source)

I'm sure everyone says Anne, but it's true. I am definitely more of a supporting character and would love to tag along with Anne at any age.

5. Which LMM character do you relate to the most?  And why?

(Source)

Marilla Cuthbert. The way she drily responds to Anne's emotional outbursts and shenanigans is very much how I respond to my more "spirited" companions! I can also relate to her struggle to show Anne the depth of emotion Anne eventually brings out in her.

6. Have you ever been to Prince Edward Island?

Not yet but hope to!

7. Who is your favorite LMM heroine?

I'm going to answer this as female character, not explicitly heroine. 

Aside from Anne, one of my favorites would be Susan Baker. Her devotion to Anne (and later the entire Blythe family) is unparalleled and her dialogue brings needed comic relief.

8. Who is your favorite LMM hero?

I'm going to answer this as male character, not explicitly hero. 

Captain Jim, 100%! Part of the reason I love Anne's House of Dreams so much is the beautifully drawn secondary characters - Leslie Moore and Captain Jim, especially. We get to know Captain Jim so well in the brief time he's in the Blythe's lives, it comes as no surprise that they name their first son for him. His story is fascinating and life giving.

9. Do you have any fun merch related to her books?  If so, please share some photos!

No merch, but I will mention a couple of books about LMM that I really enjoyed:

House of Dreams by Liz Rosenberg is an in-depth yet quick read through LMM's life. I would call it gentle, it's written for an adolescent audience and neither glorifies or glosses over the hard things in Maud's life.

Imagining Anne: L.M. Montgomery's Island Scrapbooks is very fun to look through, full color reproductions of the pages of Maud's scrapbooks. 

The Anne of Green Gables Treasury by Carolyn Strom Collins and Christina Wyss Eriksson is intended for young people (lots of activities, recipes, crafts related to the books) but I still very much enjoy it as an old person.

10. What are some of your favorite LMM quotations?

“I am simply a 'book drunkard.' Books have the same irresistible temptation for me that liquor has for its devotee. I cannot withstand them.”