How wonderful to find someone else who lreally knows and loves LMM’s work. I’ve had no one to discuss it with and feel very satisfied to have done so. I’ve been thinking about reading the Pat books again and shall do so.

One of my favorite lines ever is in The Blue Castle where Barney says “I don’t care a hang for a cat without stripes.” Amen! Also, when after being thoroughly condemned by her Uncle James, Valancy says “What will you have left to say when I commit murder” Jab! Cracks me up every time.

And, yes, RevGeorge, you have some serious fun ahead! Read the Anne books in order, not forgetting the Chronicles of Avonlea collections.

I too love Judy Plum (and her sister-in-spirit, Rebecca Dew) What a marvellous character, the perfect comforter and provider of food, the running voice of reason and reality and the loyal, loving, nurturant presence which we should all have in our lives. I have wondered, sometimes, how the actual mothers in Mongomery’s tales are either absent or distant, even the seemingly loving ones. Very autographical, I agree.

I also love The Blue Castle, the tale of the waking up of Valancy to courage, independence and love.

But I think my favorite books are the two Pat books. I love the way Montgomery describes the chores and comforts of daily life in the country, Judy Plum’s tales, and even Pat’s obsession with Silver Bush which starts out as warm and wonderful love and evolves into something disturbing and wrong. I cry at Judy’s death, of course. Not just for her sake, but because it marks Pat’s final descent into social alienation. I always felt that her rescue at the last moment by the return of Jingle was unconvincing.

revgeorge you are truly blessed that you haven’t read any of Montgomery’s books: you have so much to look forward to.

Films of Anne can *never* capture her, especially her entertaining long speeches, one of the great joys of the first book; also they can’t portray her rich inner life and thoughts, “that’s what.”

One of my very favorite LMM books is The Blue Castle (that, and A Tangled Web, were adult efforts). Her sly satirical humor abounds in this tale. And a favorite Anne book is Anne of the Island, where she goes to college. Philippa, Aunt Jimsie, Gog and Magog, and Patty’s place are not to be missed.

You might check out this Slate article I found while looking for Twain’s quote: http://www.slate.com/id/2195010/pagenum/all/

Have fun!

Aside from that, I never read any of the Anne books or anything else by Montgomery. Nor ever saw the tv series.

I have read all of LMM’s fiction, a biography and the first half of her autobiography. Magic for Marigold isn’t too cheery either.

I agree about Pat of Silver Bush and Mistriss Pat. Rather odd story, with Pat’s puzzling, obsessive love for her house. Agoraphobia? Very possibly; I hadn’t considered that before. Pat’s love for her home may reflect LMM’s feelings of loss in moving to Ontario. Or regret over marrying her husband and desiring independence. I don’t read the Pat books often because I always cry over Judy’s death; she was one of LMM’s great characters, along with Rebecca Dew of Windy Poplars.

Nevertheless, I think LMM’s books and stories were more autobiographical than we may understand.