How many of you have enjoyed the books of L.M. Montgomery such as Anne of Green Gables, Anne of the Island, Rilla of Ingleside, Pat of Silverbush and Magic for Marigold. If you have you are indeed lucky and if you haven’t try and read them. They will give you hours of fun.
Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote under the pen name of L. M. Montgomery. She was a Canadian author best known for a series of novels beginning in 1908 with Anne of Green Gables. The book was an instant hit and Anne Shirley, the main character and Montgomery became household names both locally and overseas. A series of sequels with Anne as the central character followed the great success of Anne of Green Gables. A prolific writer Montgomery published 20 novels as well as 530 short stories, 500 poems, and 30 essays.
Most of the novels were set in beautiful Prince Edward Island also popularly called P.E. Island. It is Canada's smallest province and the places featured in Montgomery’s books soon became literary landmarks and popular tourist sites –especially Green Gables farm, the genesis of Prince Edward Island National Park.
Young days
Lucy Maud Montgomery was born in Clifton (now New London) in Prince Edward Island on November 30, 1874. Sadly, she lost her mother, Clara Woolner Macneill Montgomery when she was twenty-one months old. Her grief stricken father, Hugh John Montgomery handed Lucy over to her maternal grandparents to bring up but remained in the area.
Then, when Lucy was seven he moved away. Thus, from then on, Lucy was raised by her maternal grandparents, Alexander Marquis Macneill and Lucy Woolner Macneill, in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island.
Lucy’s early life in Cavendish was very lonely. So, she created imaginary friends and worlds to overcome her loneliness. Later, she credited this period as the time when she developed her creativity. In her imagination she created a ‘fairy room’behind the drawing room bookcase and her imaginary friends Katie Maurice and Lucy Gray lived there.
Lucy kept a diary and at the age of 13 she wrote that she had “Early dreams of future fame. "This was when she had submitted a poem for publication. She also wrote," I saw myself the wonder of my schoolmates – a little local celebrity. "Unfortunately, her poem was rejected prompting her to write in her diary “Tears of disappointment would come in spite of myself, as I crept away to hide the poor crumpled manuscript in the depths of my trunk. "However, she also wrote later "Down, deep down under all the discouragement and rebuff, I knew I would 'arrive' someday."
First published work
After comtleting her education Lucy spent an year in Prince Albert with her father and stepmother but waited to return to Cavendish as she did not really get on with her stepmother. However, it was while Lucy was in Prince Albert that her first work, a poem titled On Cape Le Force was published in The Daily Patriot, a Charlottetown paper The paper subsequently published another artcle by Lucy on a visit to a First Nations Camp on the great Plains.
In 1893, she attended Prince of Wales College in Charlottetown to obtain a teacher's licence and completed the two year course in one year and also studied English literature at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Anne of Green Gables
In June 1908 Anne of Green Gables was published and from then on Lucy Maud Montgomery never looked back.
Among her well-loved books are the Anne series, Emily of New Moon, Kilmeny of the orchard, The Story Girl and Jane of Lantern Hill.
Lucy Maud Montgomery was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1935.
Death
L.M.Montgomery died on April 24, 1942. Montgomery was buried at the Cavendish Community Cemetery in Cavendish. During her lifetime, Montgomery had published twenty novels, over 500 short stories, an autobiography, and a book of poetry. The L. M. Montgomery Institute, founded in 1993, at the University of Prince Edward Island, promotes research into the life, works, culture, and influence of L. M. Montgomery and coordinates much of the research and conferences surrounding her work.
Compiled by Nira Diaz
Sources: Wikipedia, Britannica