Celebrate Anne of Green Gables for Your Chance to Win MAUD

Updated: Thanks to everyone who participated in the giveaway. The winner was Rendz from Reading With Rendz!

I loved hearing all of your stories. It shows how important one book can be. Thank you!

I know I promised some musings about the Charlottetown launch in May (and I will write about it soon), but today I want to celebrate Anne of Green Gables‘ 109th birthday with a signed copy of MAUD. I know!

On the 20th of June 1908, Maud wrote in her journal:

“Today has been, as Anne herself would say, ‘an epoch in my life.’ My book came today, fresh from the publishers. I candidly confess that it was for me a proud, wonderful, thrilling moment! There in my hand lay the material realization of all the dreams and hopes and ambitions and struggles of my whole conscious existence–my first book! Not a great book at all–but mine, mine, mine,–something to which I had given birth–something which, but for me, would never have existed” (CJ:The PEI Years, 1901-1911, 192).

 

Merlin was pretty excited about it as well.

 

 

I know for me, holding MAUD in my hands for the first time was very surreal. I couldn’t believe that the book was mine. That after four and half years, here it was. The efforts of all of that work. I heard in my head Maud’s words. So it only makes sense that I celebrate Anne, for without her Maud would not have existed.

 

 

Here’s How it Works:

For today and tomorrow, put in the comments below when you first read Anne of Green Gables and why it means so much to you. I’ll put your names in the random number generator and pick the winner. It’s that simple!

Good Luck!

29 Comments

  1. Melanie Florence June 20, 2017 at 1:39 pm

    I first read Anne when I was 10. I shared it with my own daughter at that age as well. Have read it countless times since.

    • Melanie J. Fishbane June 20, 2017 at 1:47 pm

      What did you notice when you re-read it again? Did your daughter pick up on things that you hadn’t noticed before?

  2. Rendz June 20, 2017 at 2:13 pm

    I first read Anne of Green Gables last summer! (My sister had been nagging me to read it.) I know it’s fairly recent, but Anne had been a big part of my childhood years as well! I would watch the cartoon all the time and my sisters and I would watch the 1985 series too! So yes after years of watching Anne, I finally sat down to read it and it was glorious. I cried, smiled and LAUGHED a whole lot! She inspired me to always look for the kindred spirits in life!

    • Melanie J. Fishbane June 20, 2017 at 3:02 pm

      So interesting. I have only met a few people who have actually seen the cartoon. Did you notice that you viewed the book differently because you saw the movie first?

      • Reading with Rendz June 20, 2017 at 6:10 pm

        Oh definitely! Megan Follows and Jonathon Crombie along with the rest of the cast left little room for visual interpretation of character appearance! I also caught a lot of the changes made in the adaptation, but my love for it did not waver.

        • Melanie J. Fishbane June 21, 2017 at 11:06 am

          It’s interesting how that happens. I now see my own version of her in my mind but it took awhile.

  3. Heather June 20, 2017 at 6:12 pm

    I was late–I didn’t read it until I was 16. Afterwards my dad told me it was his mother’s favourite book. A few years before he passed away, he gave me a hardcover copy with an inscription about how she’s reading over my shoulder.

    • Melanie J. Fishbane June 21, 2017 at 11:07 am

      That’s a beautiful story. Nice how this book has become part of your family lore. Thank you for sharing.

    • Melanie J. Fishbane June 22, 2017 at 3:21 pm

      Hi Heather…Thanks for participating in this giveaway. Unfortunately, you didn’t win, but would love to send you a bookmark. If you’d like one, please email me your address mel@melaniefishbane.com Thanks!

  4. Sar ika (@ohsappho) June 20, 2017 at 6:23 pm

    I first read Anne of Green Gables when I was 8. I loved the miniseries and, for some reason, did not appreciate LMM when I was younger. As a graduate student, I began reading LMM’s journals and began to understand her and her writing more clearly. I reread all the Anne books, as well as the Emily books and standalone novels. I loved them so much I applied to do a library/archives practicum at University of Guelph archival and special collections just to be near LMM’s papers and books! I was surprised they let me and I treasure that experience so much 🙂 LMM and Anne are so dear to me now.

    • Melanie J. Fishbane June 21, 2017 at 11:09 am

      Those archives are amazing. You are not the first I’ve heard to found Montgomery later on. I think her journals do enhance our knowledge of her. Would love to hear more about that experience working in the archives. When I did my research there, they were so helpful.

      • Sar ika (@ohsappho) June 22, 2017 at 2:51 am

        Yes, everybody there is so kind! My project was digitizing first edition LMM book covers. I was told I could spend extra time getting to know the collection and I saw her journals in the flesh. The staff was aware that a fangirl was working with them for two weeks and they kindly indulged me. The experience fueled my love for special collections in libraries.

        • Melanie J. Fishbane June 22, 2017 at 3:25 pm

          That’s amazing. Yes, seeing the journals “in the flesh” was incredible, wasn’t it? Are you aware of the Montgomery conference every year? There’s a CFP right now, I invite you to take a look.

          Thanks for taking part of the giveaway. Unfortunately, you didn’t win, but would love to send you a bookmark. If you’d like one, please send me your address to: mel@melaniefishbane.com. Thanks!

  5. AYearOfBooksBlog June 20, 2017 at 6:24 pm

    I read Anne as a teenager, lying in the hammock with a kitten (or two), enjoying the breeze, during the summer holidays. I have read it many more times and it always brings me back to lazy summer days of reading!

    • Melanie J. Fishbane June 21, 2017 at 11:09 am

      Nice memory. Maud would approve of the reading with kittens nearby. 🙂

      • Melanie J. Fishbane June 22, 2017 at 3:26 pm

        Thanks for participating in the giveaway! Unfortunately, you didn’t win, but would love to send you a bookmark. If you’d like one, please send me your mailing address to: mel@melaniefishbane.com Thanks!

  6. Ronda Kelley June 20, 2017 at 7:16 pm

    I first read Anne of Green Gables at a very young age. I don’t remember for sure exactly how old I was, but it changed my WORLD! I have been a huge lifelong Maud fan, and have an extensive collection of her books & Maud items. In fact, one Christmas my husband surprised me with my very own Gog & Magog – exact replicas to the ones Maud herself owned. I have family from, and currently living in, PEI and I get back to Maud’s world as often as I can. I am so excited by the publication of this book & recently checked it out of our local library. However I would be THRILLED by my very own autographed copy *fingers crossed*

    • Melanie J. Fishbane June 21, 2017 at 11:11 am

      Ronda, thank you for taking MAUD out of the library. Of course we can arrange for an autographed copy. message me at mel@melaniefishbane.com and we can make arrangements. I want my own Gog & Magog…that’s the best. Thank you for your story.

      And, thank you for participating in the giveaway. Unfortunately, you didn’t win, but if you send me your address, I’ll send you a bookmark.

  7. DEBORA KIAME PAIAS June 20, 2017 at 8:37 pm

    Hi! I don’t even know if this is open worldwide or not, but I read Anne for the first time 7 years ago, at my first year of college. I never heard about Anne before that, since Anne is not so popular here in Brazil, but a series of happy coincidences made me give a chance to that little redhead girl who kept smiling at me on the gorgeous cover of that book. I was hooked from the very first page. The Anne series of books is my favorite and it made me feel a homecoming feeling even when I didn’t know I was homesick.

    • Melanie J. Fishbane June 21, 2017 at 11:13 am

      Lovely to hear from you all the way from Brazil! I was thinking North America, but having heard your story we’ll work something out –if you’re chosen. What was the cover you saw that got you hooked?

      • Débora Kiame Paias June 21, 2017 at 4:36 pm

        Thank you for your reply, it was very lovely! 🙂
        I kept seeing this cover (http://bluepyramid.org/ia/aogglmm.jpg) on a bookstore I use to go. Back then my english was not so great (it isn’t so great today also…), but I couldn’t forget that smiling little girl.
        After that I was reading some canadian blogs on Internet about the TV show Heartland, in which Megan Follows makes an appearance on some episodes, and literally EVERYBODY was talking about this “Anne Shirley” and “Anne of Green Gables”. I googled it and saw it was the same cover I admired on the bookstore. So I made a little research and found out that the first book was translated to brazilian portuguese, with another beautiful cover (https://images.livrariasaraiva.com.br/imagemnet/imagem.aspx/?pro_id=2654663&qld=90&l=430&a=-1), so I basically bought it just after reading the synopsis. I was laughing and hugging the book after reading the first page.
        The other books on the series weren’t translated to brazilian portuguese then, so I had to buy them in english and force myself to understand them. No regrets.
        Now, with the Netflix series, Anne is a bit more popular here, so we’ll get to have Anne of Avonlea translated too. I can’t wait to reread it in my language.
        Sorry about the long story… hahahaha
        I would LOOOOVE to read your book though. It seems so interesting and charming! I hope I can get a copy soon! 🙂

        • Melanie J. Fishbane June 21, 2017 at 4:55 pm

          French is my second language and there was a book I had wanted to read so I did the same thing. I’m excited to hear that the book will be available in your first language. You’ll have to let me know what you think of the translation. There are often conversations about this at the Montgomery conferences.

          • Melanie J. Fishbane June 22, 2017 at 3:18 pm

            Débora, thank you for participating in the giveaway. Unfortunately, you didn’t win, but would love to send you a bookmark. Will you kindly send me your mailing address to mel@melaniefishbane.com

  8. Teresa Lynn June 21, 2017 at 2:07 am

    I first read AGG in 5th grade. Since my family was always making fun of me for “wandering around in a daydream daze,” I felt an instant bond with her. Raised my own girl reading LMM’s books.

    • Melanie J. Fishbane June 21, 2017 at 11:14 am

      Ha! I get that, too. Wandering as if in a dream. Did you find anything different once you read them with your girls?

      • Melanie J. Fishbane June 22, 2017 at 3:27 pm

        Hi Teresa! Thanks for participating in the giveaway. Unfortunately, you didn’t win, but would love to send you a bookmark. If you’d like one, please send me your address to: mel@melaniefishbane.com Thanks!

  9. Cynthia Hill June 21, 2017 at 2:46 pm

    I think I was about ten when I first read it. I was, and still am, a huge reader, and my mom gave me the books. I tore through them, then the Emily books, and most of the rest of her work. Now I’m reading them to my daughter (we’ve gone through all of the Anne books and are on Emily’s Quest now) and we’re going to PEI this summer. I always felt more of a connection to Emily, but wished I could be more like Anne 🙂

    • Melanie J. Fishbane June 21, 2017 at 4:57 pm

      That’s wonderful. I love the generational connection Montgomery has. Many people say that they are connected to Emily, but what is it about Anne you could be like? I’m going to be on the Island the last week of July to do some readings and such. It is lovely in the summer.

      • Melanie J. Fishbane June 22, 2017 at 3:29 pm

        Hi Cynthia. Thank you for participating in the giveaway. Unfortunately, you didn’t win but would love to send you a bookmark. If you’d like one, please send me your snail mail address to: mel@melaniefishbane.com Thanks!

Comments are closed.

Published On: June 20th, 2017|Categories: Anne of Green Gables, Children's Literature, L.M. Montgomery, Maud|29 Comments|

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