The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables
Timber Press, 2018
From Timber Press: Anne of Green Gables is a bestselling classic, and the inspiration behind the new Netflix hit Anne with an E. Fans of both will delight in the beautiful pages of The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables as they discover how L. M. Montgomery’s deep connection to the landscapes of Prince Edward Island inspired her to write the beloved series. From the Lake of Shining Waters and the Haunted Wood to Lover’s Lane, readers will be immersed in the real places immortalized in the novel. Using Montgomery’s journals, archives, and scrapbooks, Catherine Reid explores the many similarities between Montgomery and her unforgettable heroine, Anne Shirley. The lush package includes Montgomery’s hand-colorized photographs, the illustrations originally used in Anne of Green Gables, and contemporary and historical photography.
Blurbs and reviews
“This book will be treasured by Montgomery’s legions of fans.” —Carolyn Strom Collins, author of The Anne of Green Gables Treasury
“There’s something deeply satisfying about seeing gorgeous pictures of sunsets, shores, and gardens alongside snippets of Montgomery’s musical, flowery prose. Reid’s love letter to Anne of Green Gables, Montgomery, and Prince Edward Island is sure to delight. Anne enthusiasts will learn more about what inspired Montgomery, while nature lovers will find a kindred spirit in Reid, who clearly has a passion for all things green and growing.” —Booklist starred review
“This is not just a book filled with beautiful photos; it’s a satisfyingly rich and layered combination of the visual and intellectual. Readers will gain a new appreciation not only for Montgomery but also for the landscape that meant so much to her.” —Library Journal
“Author Catherine Reid exuberantly jumped into Montgomery’s archives — her journals, scrapbooks, photographs — to create this lush tribute to Montgomery, Green Gables and PEI. It is graced with positive quotes, poems and anecdotes; festooned with fascinating history; dressed in scores of images from yesteryear and today. Writes Reid: “It’s when [Montgomery] turns her attention to the surrounding land that the reader can feel her changing gears to one that evokes far more passion. In that shift of her gaze to the outdoors, the ordinary falls away, and the following sentences soar with aesthetic power. The subtle hues in a sunset, the changing colors of autumn, the winter scenes from a horse-drawn sleigh — all reverberate with new meaning.” Yes, true. But Reid herself deserves ample applause for this wet-kiss, well-crafted ode to all that makes Prince Edward Island and its most esteemed native resonate with readers and visitors. Oh, Canada!” —Forbes Magazine
“Evocative. . . . compelling. . . . The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables is a sweet book. . . for those who wish to take a visual journey through PEI or learn more about a beloved childhood book.” —NY Botanical Garden’s Plant Talk
“For a book with so many gorgeous pictures, it is also a delightful read. Reid’s writing never feels like it’s merely ‘copy’ used to occupy space between photos. This book is every bit an illuminating biography of L.M. Montgomery as it is an environmentally minded photo-history of Prince Edward Island.” —Citizen Times