The book is gorgeous. We have always wanted to go to PEI, but this book makes it look even more beautiful than I imagined. This is a wonderful companion to LM Montgomery's delightful books. So well done.

A feast for both gardeners and readers, this book looks at the life of Lucy Maude Montgomery, her famous series of books, and the countryside that inspired her. Along with stories about Montgomery and her books, there is plenty of information about the landscape of Prince Edward Island and its awe-inspiring scenery. This is the kind of book I will dip into again and again, to revisit one of my favorite childhood books and to gaze at the beautiful Canadian scenery.

This book offers a wealth of information about Lucy Maud Montgomery's life and its similarities to (and differences from) her most famous creation, Anne of Green Gables. If you loved Anne but have never been able to visit Prince Edward Island the photos within (both historical and new) are the next best thing.

Many of us have warm memories of Anne of Green Gables, both from the novel and the Megan Folows and Colleen Dewhurst TV series. An updated series Anne with an E can now be streamed on Netflix, although I have not seen it. Anne was a favorite character for me and I have reread the novel as an adult. So...as you can imagine, I was excited to learn about this book. It is wonderful! I was torn between moving ahead quickly and savoring. This is a book to be enjoyed for the many photos and for the insight into Maud Montgomery's life. Even if you have never read Anne of GG, this book provides a lovely, serene and visual armchair travel experience. Highly recommended!

When I first went to London, I expected to see the London of Peter Pan, and Mary Poppins. But even 40 years ago, that London had long gone, destroyed by time, and WWII bombs. There were bits, bits, where you could see the old London, but they were far and few between. Sometimes great stories, set in areas will have to be visited only in your head. Just as the Los Angeles of Raymond Chandler has long since vanished.

For the lucky ones, for the ones that wanted to preserve the land that inspired their writing, so that future readers can find that special place, there are some authors, and some lovers of writers that preserved the land, the way the Beatrix Potter bought up much of the Lake District, so that visitors can see where she lived, and where her characters wandered.

So too, by luck or by will, the land that the author of <em>Anne of Green Gables</em> and many other books set on Prince Edward Island, has been preserved, in spots. Visitors may not see exactly the things that Maud saw, when she was coming up with her stories, but buildings, shorelines, and fields are still there, and you can visit the house that inspired Green Gables, and see the beach and the forests.

And this book shows all of those things, all the beauty now, and then, with photos from Maud's collection of the houses she lived in, and the fields she loved.

But it is not just a book of lovely pictures, although I suppose you could skip the writing to just look at the landscapes. But this is also explains <strong>why</strong> the garden, or the field or the building was significant. And what Maud had to say about it, either in her journal, or in her story.

Nicely researched, easy to read, beautiful colors. If you love <em>Anne of Green Gables</em> I would suggest picking up this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

This book was lovely.

I loved Anne of Green Gables when I was a child. I felt a real kinship with the red-haired orphan and her wild imagination, and imagined Prince Edward Island as beautifully lush and just as wild as Anne. I've always wanted to travel there to see the island for myself, but haven't had a chance yet. Reading The Landscapes that Inspired Anne of Green Gables, however, gives you a satisfying glimpse of what it's like.

There are gorgeous photographs of Prince Edward Island and Avonlea, but what I didn't expect was the biography of L.M. Montgomery, and the many similarities between her childhood and Anne's. Reid focuses specifically on the pair's love of nature, and even takes us through different seasons as experienced on Prince Edward Island.

This is more than a glossy photography book. It's a homage to L.M. Montgomery and Anne of Green Gables, one that made me nostalgic and even shed a tear or two.

*Thank you to Timber Press and Netgalley for an ARC*

If you loved Marta McDowell's GARDENING LIFE OF BEATRIX POTTER or THE WORLD OF LAURA INGALLS WILDER, you will love Catherine Reid's new book featuring beautiful color photographs of the settings of ANNE OF GREEN GABLES as well as pictures of the historic sites relating to L.M. Montgomery and photographs taken by Montgomery herself (some of them hand-colored by Montgomery as well). Reid not only tells us the stories of the settings, but how they gave solace to Montgomery, who had a sad childhood being cared for by indifferent grandparents and then returned to a stepmother who basically turned her into a baby-minder and servant; while her writing was a success, she also had a troubled adulthood, plagued by publishers' problems, a mentally unstable husband, and her own depression.. We are shown the original Green Gables and a recreation of the town of Cavendish, which was inspiration for Avonlea, and also her relatives' home Silver Bush, which contained some of the inspirational landscapes for the Anne books and also the two Pat books. Of interest are several photos of Montgomery's scrapbooks, which were always full of floral and botanical images, and excerpts from her journals. Anyone who has read Anne, Emily, Pat, or any of Montgomery books set on PEI who has wondered "what did it look like?" will love this beautiful volume!

This book is so lovely. The illustrations are gorgeous. The book is very well written. I have never read Anne before today but look forward to reading the books that inspired this one. My sister in law is a huge fan of Anne so I plan to recommend this book to her.

Prince Edward Island is one of the most beautiful locations in Noeth America. Catherine Reid's The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables illustrates that to perfection. The book includes fantastic photos accompanied by captions from Montgomery's books and her journals. Reid allows the reader to travel along through the pages. A better promotion for the beauty and wonder of PEI cannot be found.

This is an absolutely stunning book. As a devoted L.M. Montgomery fan for 36 years (I named my two children Avonlea and Marilla!) I've always wanted to visit Prince Edward Island. I haven't been able to do that yet, but at least this book can transport me there in my imagination. The gorgeous photography and author Catherine Reid's commentary provide an insightful, inspiring depiction of the landscapes that informed Montgomery's books. A must for any Montgomery fan!

L.M. Montgomery is well known for her long descriptions of the natural world in her books. Whether it's Anne talking about the trees surrounding her new home with Gilbert or Valancy chronicling the moody woods she stakes her claim in, Montgomery has created an entity all their own with the landscapes written in to her novels. The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables celebrates the island that inspired such vivid word pictures. As someone who has been to Prince Edward Island (an Anne centric trip), I thought this book beautifully captured the magic of Anne's world. The photographs are beautiful, the content is engaging and had a breadth I wasn't expecting. Catherine Reid not only presents the rich landscapes, she explores they were a very part of Montgomery and her writing.

[Note:  This book was provided free of charge by Net Gallery.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.]

I consider myself at least a mild fan of Lucy Maud Montgomery and of her writings [1], for like her and like many of her characters I am a high-strung and sensitive person who feels compelled to write, has a deep appreciation of creation, and comes off to others as far more optimistic than I feel inside.  In short, I found this book deeply relatable and wanted to read it on those grounds.  Having read it, I must say that the book ends up being far better than I expected it to be, and I had high hopes and expectations going into it.  A big part of the reason for that is that the landscapes that the author talks about are multi-layered.  I knew, going into this book, that it would have beautiful landscapes of Prince Edward Island, just from the context I brought with me being familiar with Montgomery's life and writings, but I was not aware that the author would talk about other landscapes as well, including the landscapes of time and the interior landscapes of creativity and inspiration.  All of this made a great book even better.

In terms of its contents, this book is about 300 pages but it can be read profitably and well more easily than others of its size because of a great many gorgeous pictures that will make this book a treasured volume on coffee tables and in bookshelves for a great many people for a long time to come.  The book is organized in a way that puts its gorgeous photos and the author's text in the best light, being divided into thematically organized chapters that discuss such matters as an introduction to Prince Edward Island and its history, the interconnected lives of Anne of Green Gables and Lucy Maud Montgomery as kindred orphans, the loveliness of Prince Edward Island during Montgomery's time and our own, the poetic imagination of both Montgomery and her protagonists, the beautiful gardens of Montgomery's imagination and life, the seasons of life on Prince Edward Island, and the life of a writer.  There is a great deal in these materials that is personally relevant and that will likely be relevant to many of this book's readers, whether or not they have visited PEI.  If this book wasn't supported by the tourism board of that lovely island province, it needs to be soon.

There are many ways that you could like this book.  You could be a fan of Anne of Green Gables or the other writings of Lucy Maud Montgomery, and be interested in knowing more about her writings and the land that inspired them.  You could be a fan of Prince Edward Island and its natural beauty as well as its unusual history that has led to much of that beauty being preserved even in the face of tourism and the proliferation of golf courses.  You could be a fan of the relationship between the beauty of creation and its influence on the artistic creation of writers.  You could be a fan of nature photography or beautiful book art, or any number of related subjects, and there would be much to enjoy in this book.  This book combines the immense beauty of Prince Edward Island as well as the writing of Lucy Maud Montgomery with the immense tragedy of a life marked by powerful depression and immense difficulty, and the lasting nature of the beauty of the land as well as the writing that was related to a life that in many ways deeply resembles my own.  After all, Montgomery was a sensitive and high-strung person with a marked tendency towards melancholy who channeled her intense passions and the difficulties of her life into writing which has served the world far more than it served her personally.  This book is a worthy and gorgeous testament to that reality.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015/08/21/book-review-anne-of-green-gables-my-daughter-me/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016/08/13/book-review-the-heroines-bookshelf/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016/05/29/book-review-good-girl-messages/

From the time I first read Anne of Green Gables (and the sequels), many a happy hour of my childhood was spent imagining myself as Anne, 'discovering' and 'naming' new places, and acquiring a love of poetry, and Gilbert Blythe was one of my first book crushes. In 1985, I fell in love with Anne and Gilbert all over again when I watched the TV mini-series with Megan Follows and Jonathan Crombie (RIP), and Prince Edward Island gained top spot on my bucket list.

Reading this book has renewed my wish to visit PEI. Full of gorgeous photographs, and extracts from L M Montgomery's works, it weaves a spell just as magical as any Anne could have dreamed of. This book is an ideal gift for anyone who loves the world created by Montgomery among the pages of her books. Absolutely stunning.

Catherine Reid and Kerry Michaels produced a book which Anne of Green Gables enthusiasts everywhere will welcome. The book's focus is on the landscapes (gardens, woods, lakes, etc.) inspiring Montgomery's settings for the Anne series. Readers see the birch wood in varying seasons. They encounter gardens which inspired the Barry's garden of the books. They see the "Lake of Shining Waters." Gorgeous flower photographs appeal to the eye. The author includes excerpts from the books as she adds details. For academics the author's analysis needs improvement, but fans of the book will treasure the book anyway. Recommended for fans of the series.

What a beautiful, thoughtful, enriching book! Catherine Reid has written a wonderful book that allows the beauty of Prince Edward Island and its influence on L.M. Montgomery shine though just as it should. The imagery in the book complemented the text so perfectly and made me feel as if I were myself on PEI and in Montgomery's world.. I love reading biographies and books about authors I love that help me get to know them and their inspirations better, and this book did just that. Now that I have finished this book, I want to go back and read the Anne of Green Gables series again with fresh eyes and a new perspective on that beloved and spirited orphan. I would highly recommend to any lover of Montgomery's works!

You don't have to be a fan of Anne to enjoy the beautiful photos in this book. But, if you are this is a great addition to her stories. There are wonderful added elements too. Also, if you enjoy, or want to enjoy, Prince Edward Island this book is wonderful for that too.

As many of my friends and followers know, I retain an almost irrational love for Anne of Green Gables, decades after first reading the books one summer, returning to school, and finding that my bestie SleepingKoala45 ((Wishful Thinking) had been on the exact same kick. (This was in the days before email and cell phones and stuff, people) SK45 and I spent hours... no days... no weeks... talking about these books and analyzing characters in them. Okay, honestly, we still sometimes talk about these books. Lucy Maud Montgomery was the reason why, at the tender age of 13, I wrote my first letter to a publisher, seeking a copy of LMM's The Road to Yesterday, which had been published in a vanishingly small print run, after an editor at McGraw-Hill Ryerson wrecked the volume by chopping it to pieces, eliminating half the source material. (FYI #1, they sent it to me with a bill for $4, which I paid and still have folded in the book. I can't believe back in those days how people trusted you to pay after you received the merchandise. Or that a hardback book was only $4! FYI#2, that book was re-released in 2009 in full form as The Blythes Are Quoted.) When I say irrational love, that has to do with some of the same flaws in LMM's books that one sees of other books of the period (racism, sexism, tropes about relationships, etc.). Yeah, it's kind of odd given what an ardent feminist and civil rights supporter I am but I loved this series and felt like I watched Anne go from my age to adulthood and it was thrilling. (Plus, come on, they're more than a hundred years old and even much older Shakespeare has these same flaws. And no, don't say I'm comparing them like equals. Sigh) But I digress.

The Landscapes of Green Gables is far and away one of the best AoGG-related books I've had the pleasure of reading. It puts Maud Montgomery and Anne Shirley in sync, and lets us see how Montgomery looked at nature, and how that vision was built into Anne as a character reflective of Montgomery herself. It also gives historical context to the development of PEI, where we can still find some of what Montgomery loved. In some cases, the island has become more forested than it was when LMM lived there! Pointedly, it shows us why we still read Anne stories. It all comes down to her perception of beauty and love of nature. The characters are sweet but what makes Anne stand out is her imagination and her ability to recognize the beauty in the environment around Green Gables and Avonlea (Cavendish). In this respect, Montgomery's Anne books are similar to the Limberlost works of Gene Stratton Porter: the timeless love of nature. (Those books are also troubled by classist conventional thinking of the day and yet I still love them, too.)

From the gardens of Silver Bush to the vistas around Cavendish, and other areas of PEI, Reid gives us insights into LMM's world, her loves, and why Anne closely reflected her wish fulfillment. This is a lovely book for Anne fans and I now have at it on the Christmas list for someone I know.

This book is a combination biography, textual commentary, and photographs about the love of nature that L.M. Montgomery and her creation Anne of Green Gables have in common.

Any fan of L.M. Montgomery's work will enjoy this book. It manages to weave together the basic facts of L.M. Montgomery's life, from childhood through her sad death, and at the same time evoke happy memories from her novels, particularly the Anne ones.

It's not hard to see that L.M. Montgomery found particular solace in the woods, gardens, and landscapes of her home on Prince Edward Island. Passages from her journal confirm that in the midst of any distress, she sought the outdoors. There are some stunning photographs from the island in this book, especially the seascapes. The conclusion of the book becomes ever more poignant as you realize that L.M. Montgomery became an exile from her beloved island after her marriage, a circumstance that likely contributed to eventual overwhelming depression. When combined with her husband's worsening bouts of insanity, the fact that she endured as well as she did is remarkable.

While this book certainly delves into both the bitter and the sweet, it does a good job at keeping front and center the landscapes and restorative power of nature that are right at the heart of most of L.M. Montgomery's work. It inspires the reader to look for beauty in the world and treasure it, no matter what.

I took a few weeks hiatus from reading and came back to finish this lovely book of picturesque settings and glimpses into the past.

This would make a stunning coffee table book. Filled with nostalgia, gorgeous pictures, and a brief then and now about Prince Edwards Islands, The Landscape of Anne of Green Gables was idyllic and perfect for a peaceful afternoon read.

I especially liked how Reid discusses the parallels between Montgomery's and Anne's disposition and surroundings. It makes me wish I'd been alive when Montgomery was as I am sure with her similarities to Anne, we would be kindred spirits.

I have always love Anne of Green Gables and this book brings her alive! It shows beautiful photographs of many of the locales and it also gives you a biographical account of L.M. Montgomery., It shows us how much the character and the actress are one and their love of nature. It comes through in the photographs and as you read it transports you to that place so well. It's a book that will be perfect as a gift book.

When I saw that there was a book about the area surrounding where Anne of Green Gables takes place I just knew I had to request it. I was raised on the Anne of Green Gables movies. The ones starring Megan Fellows as Anne and Colleen Dewhurst as Marilla Cuthburt. I loved the movie and subsequent sequel. I don’t remember if I have ever read the book but I do know that my mom had it on the bookshelf at home, a gorgeous hardcover illustrated copy.

The story revolves around the island of Prince Edward in Canada. This is where the author of Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery, grew up and where the story of Anne of Green Gables takes place. The author takes the reader on a tour of the island with both gorgeous pictures and vibrant descriptions of the island. As the book continues, the author delves deeper into the similarities of Lucy Maud and Anne. They were both raised by an elderly couple. Anne was adopted and raised by an older brother-sister duo while Lucy Maud was raised by her grandparents after her mother died when she was two and her dad left for inner Canada for work. Lucy Maud loved nature. It recharged and rejuvenated her. Anne loved to talk to nature as well, naming various places around the island as she saw fit. Lucy Maud continued to deny that she wrote Anne in her image but the similarities are too numerous.

I really, really liked this book. My only reason for 4 stars is because the book is about 50/50 photos. Some pictures are full page spreads. I wanted more substance in the book than a ton of pictures. Don’t get me wrong, the photos are beautiful and some are ones that Lucy Maud took and then later colourized herself later in life. The book is fascinating. It gives the reader a small look into the life of Lucy Maud. The author scatters diary entries from her daily journals throughout the book. I learned that Lucy wrote quite a few books, 12 to be exact. I was surprised and saddened to learn that she committed suicide because she was despondent over her husband’s frail mental health and her son Chester’s poor life choices. The author wonders, and so do I after reading this book, if she would have recovered from her depression had she returned to her beloved Prince Edward Island.

All of the Anne of Green Gables themed books that I've received from NetGalley lately have been incredible, and this book was no exception. The stories are interesting, the photos are beautiful, and the book as a whole makes me want to explore more of my country (Canada, eh ;)). Thank you to Catherine Reid for my ARC. I truly loved this book, and I can't wait to share it with my children, who are also obsessed with all things Anne.

Are you an Anne of Green Gables fan? Have you enjoyed the delightful novels or watched miniseries interpretations of them? You are not alone. Over 50 million copies of Anne of Green Gables have been sold worldwide, and visiting the setting of the book, Prince Edward Island, has become a multimillion dollar tourist destination. I know that I have always dreamed of visiting there and seeing the Lake of Shining Waters and the beautiful landscapes described in the book, but have not yet had a chance to do so. So, when I had a chance to review an Advanced Readers Copy of the book The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables : The Enchanting Island That Inspired L. M. Montgomery by Catherine Reid, I jumped at the chance. And, I was not disappointed. The book is full of beautiful contemporary photographs and some of Montgomery’s historical photographs. The author uses excerpts from Montgomery’s actual journals and scrapbooks to draw parallels between Montgomery and her fictional character, Anne Shirley, and brings Anne’s world alive. It was the next best thing to an actual visit! Run—don’t walk—to your favorite bookstore or online site and preorder this delightful book which will be published April 18, 2018 today. You will not be disappointed! Thank you Timber Press and NetGalley for the ARC and for allowing me to review this title.

This is an absolute must for Lucy Maude Montgomery fans! It is a beautiful combination of photos of the sites that inspired LMM and the Anne of Green Gables series, writings from her journals and scrapbooks, excerpts from the books, and descriptions life on Prince Edward Island. It is a real treasure that will make reading and rereading the books come alive!

What a great title for an amazing place on earth. This book shows and describes the wonderful landscape that Lucy Maud Montgomery and Anne of Green Gables lived in. I read all of the Anne of Green Gables books when I was younger, and this book not only showed up the beautiful landscape, but made me realize that Anne was patterned after Lucy Maud Montgomery's life. Thank you for such a beautiful book! I will be ordered it in hardcopy when it comes out. It is a keeper.

Calling all kindred spirits! Did you know that because of the success of Anne of Green Gables the second most successful industry on Prince Edward Island is tourism? Once you look at the gorgeous landscape photography in this book you'll want to book your trip as well.

The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables has plenty of information about Anne's creator, Lucy Maud Montgomery, who preferred to be known as Maud (without an e). You'll gain insight into her childhood and love of Prince Edward Island. The quotes from Maud's journal are accompanied by her family photos and pages of Maud's scrapbooks. With personal insights from Maud you'll learn the parallels and differences between her life and Anne's and you'll be granted access to images of the 1908 version of Anne of Green Gables.

I felt like I'd stepped back in time while paging through this book. With photos of Prince Edward Island from the late 1800's to today you'll see what's changed and what remains as if time has stood still. I particularly loved seeing the photos of Prince Edward Island throughout the seasons. My favourite comparison photos are of Teapot Rock in the 1890's which, having eroded over time, is now known as Teacup Rock.

There's a rustic charm to this book that would make it a lovely gift for lifelong Anne fans who will enjoy revisiting their favourite locations.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley (thank you so much to NetGalley and Timber Press for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback.

*Frantically googles prices for plane tickets to Prince Edward Island* I can't really afford to travel, so I look at photobooks. If you're a fan of Anne of Green Gables, then you, too, will be frantically looking up ticket costs. Prince Edward Island really doesn't need to convince people to visit - you can just show them some pictures from this book and people will be flocking there.

Why are plane tickets so spendy?!

I remember reading the Anne books when I was about 10 years old and immediately connecting with the red-haired protagonist, being a precocious, red-haired kid myself. The beautifully descriptive luminous prose of the books have resonated with generations of readers. More than any other books I can think of, the setting of PEI and Avonlea, Green Gables and all the familiar places from the books are so vital to the narrative, they become characters themselves. L.M Montgomery's life shared many characteristics with her fictional protagonist, including practical orphan status, difficulty and hardship, but managed to maintain a positive attitude despite her challenges.

Even though I was always enchanted by the stories, I was not very familiar with the biography of Maud Montgomery and had never made a pilgrimage to visit the real settings themselves. Montgomery had such a gift of description that I felt as though I was there, walking in the same places and seeing the same settings as Anne (and Montgomery herself) did.

This book was a wonderful surprise for me. I was expecting photographs of PEI and the areas described in the Anne books, but there was so much more. The book is filled with beautiful photography and beautiful descriptions. In addition, there is a well written biography of Maud Montgomery herself, often in her own words in excerpts from her journals, interwoven into the text and photos. There are many period photos, many colorized by Montgomery herself, showing the landscapes and family which were part of her everyday life and provide context for her writing.

There is such a richness to this book. The style of writing suits Montgomery's prose and the parts written by the author, Catherine Reid, blend so seamlessly into the quoted and historical parts of the book that they are not at all distracting or jarring. She writes distinctly, but masterfully, and in a manner which complements but doesn't detract.

The photography is rich and varied. The scenery is beautiful. I can certainly see this book becoming a display/coffee table book for the photography, but the narrative is just as beautiful.

Lovely.

Four stars (and it makes me want to go revisit the original books, which I haven't read in many years).

The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables is a wonderful companion book to the Anne of Green Gables series. I would recommend the book for anyone who as read the series, young or old, or anyone who has the desire to read the series after watching the recent Netflix series "Anne with an E." Gorgeously photographed and informative, the book makes the reader want to go back and read Anne of Green Gables again.

The lush photos, the excerpts from LM Montgomery's writing, and the well chosen biographical tidbits make this book a true delight. After the first few pages, I was ready to pack my bags and run away to Prince Edward Island.
This book is a must read for all fans of Anne of Green Gables!

A lovely book for every reader (like me) who felt she and Anne are kindred spirits. I enjoyed so much re-visiting the Anne of Green Gables stories through this book as well as seeing the pretty landscape of Prince Edward Island for the first time. The addition of biographical details on the parallels between Montgomery and her character was also quite interesting. All fans of L.M. Montgomery's work will enjoy this book and everyone who wants to visit PEI will be inspired by the gorgeous photos.

I've been a fan of Anne of Green Gables for over 30 years. What a beautiful book - for fans of Anne's author, Lucy Maud Montgomery. This book makes you want to visit PEI to live the life Anne lived.

I loved the Anne of Green Gables books! Reading this brought be back to those days. I forgot what a lyrical writer Maud Montgomery was! Catherine Reid has taken Maud's prose and juxtaposed it with photographs of nature and the grounds that Anne and Maud both haunted. I loved the insight that Maud's life had on her writings and how Catherine illustrated that with both photographs from Maud's time, her scrapbooks, and the facts of her life.
The edition I read was from Net Galley, thank you for an early peek of this great book, and read on my computer. What was so cool about that was the clarity and the size of the photographs. I have always wanted to visit PEI and Nova Scotia and this book cemented the reasons why!
I highly recommend this book to old and new fans alike of Anne of Green Gables!

As a little girl, I thought Anne and I were kindred spirits. I still think we are kindred spirits. Doesn't matter where I go there is always a house with a name, a lake that shines and trees that talk to me. So, when I found out that there was a book, The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables by Catherine Reid, about to come out filled with the landscapes of Prince Edward Island and the inspiration for Avonlea. I had to take a chance and request to read it! I'm so glad to have been able to read and review this book.

The pages are beautifully filled with photos of the island taken by photographer Kerry Michaels others taken personally by Lucy Maud Montgomery. The inside journal snippets from Maud's journals are a delight.

My only dislike of the book is the repetitive nature of some of the journal entries. Even though they are lovely, and show Maud's kinsmanship with the forests, the trees and all the rest of nature surrounding her, the book tends to share the same memories over and over. I feel that the book would have been better served if there were less instead of more of the same and let Maud's words fill the pages simply.

If you are a fan of L.M. Montgomery's and haven't had the chance to visit Prince Edward Island this book is the perfect way to tamper the ache of not having visited. I know it did for me.

I was blessed to read this book courtesy of Timber Press via NetGalley for my honest opinion.

A Treasure That Will Make You Fall in Love All Over Again

Words fail me to describe how much I loved reading Catherine Reid’s newest book, The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables. I felt like I was opening a treasure each time I read from this book and gazed at the beautiful pictures of the breathtakingly beautiful Prince Edward Island.

I first read Anne of Green Gables as a young adult and loved Lucy Maud Montgomery’s writing so much so that I read all her books. What a gifted writer! Her poetic lyrical writing captured character’s thoughts and emotions and enabled readers to imagine the beautiful landscapes of God’s creation.

Who could not fall in love with Price Edward Island when reading Anne of Green Gables or seeing the wonderful TV mini-series by Sullivan Entertainment? With each page you turn in this book you will be entranced by the beauty of this island.

Catherine Reed does a wonderful job in telling about Maud Montgomery’s wonderful, yet hard life. She achieved success, but was not immune to tragedy. Catherine intertwines thoughts and experiences from Maud’s life and shows how they were reflected in the lives of characters she wrote about. The landscapes that inspired and moved Maud, where an integral part of her books and her life. Included in the book are numerous quotes from Maud’s writing, not only her personal journals, but also her beloved fiction books.

I forewarn you, after reading The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables, you may want to reread all of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s books. This book is a treasure; I wanted to savor each page. It will help you to see the beauty in nature in a new and fresh way. You may even be inspired to visit Prince Edward Island and behold it for yourself.

If you know someone, young or old, who loves Anne of Green Gables, or is enchanted by gardens and nature, you may want to get them a copy of The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables by Catherine Reid. I would like to thank NetGalley and Timber Press for the opportunity to read this book. I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.

Even though I got to read this book for free, I liked it so much that I may go ahead and purchase it. It’s a keeper that I would like to go back to again and again.

I loved this book.
The photos are wonderful and they add to the Anne story, as you can now picture the area more clearly.
A book that all lovers of the Anne of Green Gables series should read.

Please, if you are reading this review, get a copy of this book on your kindle or in hard copy form. With its stunning photography and beautiful tie in text to the classic book "Anne of Green Gables, "Landscapes" is a gem of a find for this reader. I wish I could share it with my Dad who actually took me to Prince Edward Island so I could experience this place in person. As someone who dearly loves this series and the characters within it, I was very pleased "The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables". It is a truly worthy companion to Lucy Maud Montgomery's beloved stories.

Timber Press in April is publishing The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables by Catherine Reid and I must insist we all gift this book to our favorite Anne Shirley bibliophile as it is simply perfection!

When I read landscapes in the title I wrongly assumed this would be in the style of a coffee table book with only beautiful photographs of Prince Edward Island. While that is true, the photography is stunning, it's the history and descriptions of the island, Maud and her rich family backstory that sets this book apart. It should be required reading when finishing the series for the first time.

I had the pleasure of cycling the island for 12 days with my family a few years back and seeing the island from the viewpoint of old railroad tracks, following bike paths along beaches and crossing through forests. It was such a unique way to stumble upon the Lake of Shining Waters or Haunted Woods and the intimate images in this book brought me right back to these memories.

I am going to have to purchase this book for my father-in-law as he planned out our cycling routes with the intention of seeing as much of the island as possible. These photos will bring him right back to those sun (and two rain) filled days. The descriptions and history behind these photos I hope will enrich his understanding of own my love/fandom for Lucy Maud Montgomery and remind him of an incredible adventure we all undertook. For your own gifting pleasure I would suggest finding the perfect picnic basket to fill with The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables, a bottle of raspberry cordial or tea and some scones for the Anne of Green Gables fan in your life.

https://decidedlyread.wordpress.com/2018/01/08/the-landscapes-of-anne-of-green-gables/

”As in the novels that preceded it, the strong draw of Anne’s story is due as much to the orphan’s charisma as to the setting where it takes place – in her case, the wooded paths, the orchards in bloom, the fields stretching out to the sea. But the lasting gift of Anne of Green Gables is how the landscape also fuels Anne’s prodigious imagination; it’s where she goes when she needs sustenance; it’s the example that she’ll hold onto for what is beautiful, what is possible.”

Born in the town of Clifton, which is now known as New London, in November of 1874, on Prince Edward Island, Maud Montgomery was not even two years old when her mother died of tuberculosis. Soon after, her father left Prince Edward Island, with a group of families migrating to western Canada. He left young Maud behind with her maternal grandparents.

”I was impulsive, warm-hearted, emotional; grandmother was cold and reserved, narrow in her affections and sensibilities.”
-- The Select Journals of L.M. Montgomery, VOL 1

After some time, she went to live with her father and his new wife - a woman who was extremely jealous of her loving relationship with her father, and had no interest in spending time with her stepdaughter. Soon her stepmother had a child, and Maud became the one responsible for cleaning the home, caring for the baby, and more. She was also attending school, and dreaming of Prince Edward Island.

I’ve never been to Prince Edward Island, but after reading this and looking over the pictures and photographs in this book off and on, I want to go there. Some original old photographs, and some newer, beautiful ones of the land there, the flowers and turn the page and there’s an old photograph of a horse and buggy on a dirt lane, photographs of places she included in her books, ‘The Lake of Shining Waters’ and ‘Lover’s Lane.’

The photographs are beautiful, my favourites were Montgomery’s photographs that she shot herself (c. 1917), and many more current ones, showing the beauty of the island, and then there are the ones with landscapes of the beautiful flowers or trees or lanes with quotes from her much beloved books.

”When I am asked if Anne herself is a ‘real person,’ I always answer ‘no’ with an odd reluctance and an uncomfortable feeling of not telling the truth. For she is and always has been, from the moment I first thought of her, so real to me that I feel I am doing violence to something when I deny her an existence anywhere save Dreamland … She is so real that, although I’ve never met her, I feel quite sure I shall do so some day – perhaps in a stroll through Lover’s Lane in the twilight – or in the moonlit Birch Path – I shall lift my eyes and find her, child or maiden, by my side. And I shall not be in the least surprised because I have always known that she was
somewhere.”

While this will undoubtedly delight fans of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables, it isn’t necessary to have read her books to appreciate these lovely photographs, or her story. It might also serve as an inspiration to read her books, but for those who have felt they shared a bond with Anne.


Pub Date: 18 Apr 2018

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Timber Press

As a child, I often imagined myself as the ginger-haired heroine of the "Anne of Green Gables" and "Anne of Avonlea" series. I grew up in the country and could easily picture the pastoral scenes and smell the home cooking that danced through the pages of Anne's life. As an avid reader, I would have loved to have a book like the one Catherine Reid has compiled, rich in period photos, landscapes of Prince Edward Island, and historical stories and information as it related to Anne's life. I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoy's sharing life with Anne Shirley and her misadventures.

A perfect mix of gorgeous photographs, pleasing visual layout, and interesting information about the author of Anne of Green Gables and her similarities to the character. Can't wait to get my copy!

"The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables" is a wonderful reading experience. One part nature photography, one part biography, and one part literary examination-this book is beautifully written and accompanied by often breathtaking images of PEI. I thought it was a perfect accompaniment for anyone that has spent time imagining the hills, flowers, and lanes Anne Shirley (L. Maud Montgomery) describes as she flabergasts Marilla and Mathew with her exuberance and imagination. Catherine Reid expertly integrates current photographs, archival photographs taken by Montgomery, quotes from Montgomery's novels, and quotes from Montgomery's own journals to create a book that brings to life the world of L. Maud Montgomery. It was wonderful to read how, even though she claimed to not use herself (or any real person) as inspiration for her novels, Lucy Maud Montgomery actually brought her own love and desire to be with and in nature into her stories. I was also surprised to see that even though time has allowed for progress to alter parts of Prince Edward Island, there are so many places that have been preserved and reserved because of the influence of L. M. Montgomery.
I would recommend this to those that enjoy nature photography and L. M. Montgomery fans.

In exchange for my honest review, I received an Egalley -ARC from NetGalley and Timber Press for which I am thankful.

Much more than I imagined, this book takes you far beyond the 'Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables'. Almost immediately the author draws your attention to the connection between Anne & Maud herself. I would suppose that Diana Barry & Anne Shirley were not the original 'kindred spirits', but rather Anne & Maud are. There is much to learn about the similarities of the circumstances and upbringing that Maud endured. Despite not being totally orphaned and being raised by extended family, it's clear to see that she has written about her own experiences. Creating alternate characters to the harsh ones she's left to live with, are, what made the more idyllic life in her mind and evidently found amongst the pages of her novels.

Of course there are numerous photographs of Prince Edward Island today. Tourism being its number 2 industry, fueled by the popularity of L.M. Montgomery's famous series, beginning with 'Anne of Green Gables'. While it explains that commercialism has replaced much of the natural and original beauty of the Island, it seems that PEI still maintains enough charm to draw the crowds. Maud documented her life through her journals and scrapbooks and many of her own photographs are included in this book.

Most visitors flock to the Island during the warm summer months, and they rarely experience the broad variety of the seasons on PEI. There is a whole chapter devoted to the array of beauty each season brings, and I think it may be my favourite. It is no surprise that Anne herself declares "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers"!! Just stunning and beautiful.

The natural world around her, the woodlands, gardens, broad fields, quiet dirt road lanes and the beauty of the coastline leaves no doubts that this influence on her life was her core source of inspiration and peace. It shines through in her writing, and again, another indication that Anne's character is based so heavily on her own life.

A real joy to read, this would make a beautiful gift to any 'Anne with a e' fan you know.

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC. This is my honest review.

One of the most beautiful books I have seen in a long time. Gorgeous photos of gardens and landscapes..Enjoy this book, it's fabulous! Thank you to NetGalley and Timber Press...WOW!!!

I’m a huge fan of Anne of Green Gables. I loved the stories and pictures that accompanied this book

For fans of the Anne of Green Gables series, this volume is a lovely armchair tour of Prince Edward Island and the places connected with Anne Shirley. Stories of Anne’s creator Maud Montgomery and how they parallel Anne’s story, excerpts from the novels as well as Montgomery’s journals, and tidbits about the author’s life comprise the enjoyable text. And if you’re not a fan? Viewing the artistic photos throughout this book may entice you to get reading!

This is a lovely, nostalgic look at the places that inspired Lucy Maud Montgomery and helped give her characters (particularly Anne Shirley) such endurance. For fans of Montgomery and Anne or those interested Montgomery's Canada.

I really enjoyed reading the comparisons between Anne and Lucy Maud Montgomery. Anne of Green Gables takes on a whole new meaning for me after reading how close to home her life was to Montgomery's. Not only is the writing illuminating, but the illustrations are beautiful. I had to force myself not to turn the pages ahead to look at the images.

I was given the opportunity to read The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables: the Enchanting Island that Inspired LM Montgomery by Catherine Reid, by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC! Ooooh, how I grew up loving all of LM Montgomery’s books, especially Anne of Green Gables. When this one popped up, I thought, why not? I mean, I once ordered materials from Prince Edward Island tourism just because it seemed like a magical place in her books. This book ended up being more than I planned. I thought it would be mostly about the island itself however, it contains a wonderful comparison between Anne and LM and their lives, which I didn’t realize were so similar. It also has beautiful pictures of the island and shows you how much LM loved the nature and the island itself. There were times it was loosing me a bit (I’m not a big flower lover, and many of the pictures seemed similar), but I still really enjoyed it, especially learning all the info about the author I never knew. Since I loved her books as a kid, I never researched her life. Now I have to go find my childhood collection and re-read all these beloved books!

As an admirer of L. M. Montgomery's brilliant Anne Shirley and the happiness reading the adventures and stories of the characters, I wasn't disappointed with this book. It was very insightful and interesting, especially as the photographs in the book compared real life places on Prince Edward Island to the fictionalised imaginings of Anne. As well as seeing the landscapes at the time of L. M. Montgomery actually lived in.
The added information and interesting little facts made the read even more compelling. It would be a great hardback book to skim through to look at the photos in accompaniment to reading the Anne series or whether to read in full to gain more of an insight in to the world of Lucy Maud.