Product Description

This volume of Lucy Maud Montgomery's journals records a time of great change and upheaval both in Montgomery's life and in society. When she wrote the first entry in this volume she had recently become a world-famous author, having published Anne of Green Gables in 1908. Here we become privy to her response to the death of her grandmother, her marriage and honeymoon trip to Scotland and England, and her departure from Prince Edward Island to the new restrictions of her life as the wife of a Presbyterian minister in an Ontario village. Montgomery reveals the intensities of friendships, the minutiae of homemaking, and the joys of motherhood along with the traumas of a disturbed marriage. By turns tart and sentimental, sharp-sighted and anxiety-ridden, L.M. Montgomery provides a compelling record of her remarkable life against a background -- both social and literary -- of a tumultuous period in Canadian history.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #709303 in Books
• Published on: 2003-06-01
• Binding: Paperback
• 464 pages

Review
"...a fascinating compendium for those readers interested in social and cultural history, women's studies and Canadian writing -- as well as, of course, the countless 'Anne' aficionados around the globe." Kingston Whig Standard

"The journals, with their vivid account of both daily routines and more significant life events, are written with all the passion, wit and insight into human nature that have made Montgomery's 'books for young people' immortal to readers of all ages." Toronto Sun

"These journals are an important contribution, not just to literary and social history, but to the body of Canadian literature." Books in Canada

"...one can but commend the editors and their publisher for making such a splendid volume available to us..." Atlantic Provinces Book Review

About the Author
Mary Henley Rubio and Elizabeth Hillman Waterston are the editors of all five volumes of Montgomery's journals, co-founders and editors of the journal CCL: Canadian Children's Literature, and co-authors of Writing a Life: L.M. Montgomery. They have collaborated on writing and editing projects since 1975 at the University of Guelph, where Mary Rubio is Professor of English and Elizabeth Waterston is Professor Emeritus.

Customer Reviews

Best of Montgomery's Journals
Volume II is easily the best of Maud's journals; it is the one that I "dip" into whenever I have a few moments or need a bedtime book and consequently is starting to show some wear and tear. It covers the most dramatic points in her life--her marriage, birth of her sons, the discovery of her husband's mental illness, and the death of her best friend, as well as her most prolific years as a writer. She hasn't yet begun to hide as much in her journals, which makes the third and fourth volumes frustrating to read. Since anyone reading the second volume will probably go on to read them all, I should say here that third volume was rather tedious with the lawsuits and maid problems, and number four, though weirdly compelling, was painful to read as her imminent breakdown is all to evident--it is like watching a train wreck in slow motion. I wonder if the journals of her last years will ever be published-- I understand that there are problems with people still living, etc.

The journals
This is a fabulous work. As a teenager, I read all the novels published by L.M. Montgomery and absolutely loved them. The journals, though, add another dimension to her writing. I have read all 4 volumes of the published journals (supposedly there is one more to come) multiple times. These books offer a fascinating look into the upper middle class life style from the late 1800s to the mid 1930s when the author passed away. Some of issues she covers:
-a powerful look at World War I from the view of Ontario resident
-childbirth in the days before pain killers (she said a toothache was worse)
-her awe at scientific advance (when vitamins were discovered she realized why she was always so lethargic all winter)
-her husband's mental illness in the days before drugs
-meeting the who's who of Canada at the time
Absolutely fascinating for anyone who loves history!

I LOVE this book....
This book is fantastic! If you liked the previous "journals", you'll adore this one. It's more in-depth, full of emotion and a wonderful look at LM Montgomery's life at an incredibly interesting time in history. Can't wait to get to the next volume!