KindredSpiritsBuddyRead

Finally getting a start on re-reading this favorite for #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead—in this gorgeous edition with cover by Elly MacKay!

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BarbaraJean

The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The PEI Years, 1901-1911 | L.M. Montgomery

“Strange, dead, tyrannous old year! Will I ever be free from you? Perhaps I don‘t really want to be free. Perhaps I cherish a secret hope that I shall meet you again—or the soul of you—in eternity, and that then you will give back to me all you ravished from me.”
—May 20, 1904

Same, Maud. I‘ve had years like that!

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMJournals

CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks For real! 6d

30 likes1 comment

BarbaraJean

The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The PEI Years, 1901-1911 | L.M. Montgomery

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMM Journals - Discussion

📚What are your thoughts on this week's reading?
📚What sections or quotes stand out to you?
📚Why do you think LMM chose to write in her journal about Anne of Green Gables and Ewan‘s courtship only after the fact?

This section closes with the publication of AoGG, so we‘ll start Anne of Green Gables next week! Next Saturday (July 27) we‘ll discuss chapters 1-19.

CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks This was a tough section to read. I felt so bad for Maud and the way that she was so isolated away from any intelligent, congenial company. I've been helping caregive for a difficult grandmother who sounds a lot like Maud's, and I can't imagine that being my only, constant company. I was surprised at how little she mentioned Anne, even after saying that the manuscript had been accepted she never mentions any updates after that until the book ⬇ 6d

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) arrives. As for Ewan, it was interesting that she doesn't mention him basically at all, considering how regularly she talks about other people in her life, and how (theoretically) open she was about her feelings for Edwin and Herman. Like we discussed briefly on your other post, there is definitely a sense of settling here. She's so lonely and so completely out of options. I think she viewed Ewan as a “safe“ choice to give her the home ⬇ 6d

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) and children she wanted. But it still seems like a minister is the last person she should have married, not just because of her own indifference towards organized religion, but because she KNEW all the demands that it would make on her and knew that it meant being somewhat homeless in the sense that you are at the mercy of what church “calls“ you or doesn't, never having your own real place. Out of the various people she could have ⬇ 6d

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) “settled“ for, a minister seems like a terrible choice.

Her descriptions of depression were very moving. I have never been that down before, but I do get mild seasonal depression (I think everyone in the midwest does... the sun just doesn't shine for five months!!!!) and I related to the joy she felt in being able to get outside, feel the sunshine, embrace some trees, and get her hands in the dirt. I was SO furious with her uncle for ⬇ 6d

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) taking away her garden! I know we are getting a somewhat biased account, but he just sounds like an absolutely terrible person.

So I'm glad we're breaking up the journals a bit with some warmer, more optimistic reading. I'm enjoying the journals, but some of the sections are tough sledding. :-/ 6d

23 likes5 comments

BarbaraJean

The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The PEI Years, 1901-1911 | L.M. Montgomery

There are highlights throughout this secondhand copy, which drives me just a little bit batty. I would have purchased a different copy if I‘d known this one was marked up! So I found this highlight very ironic. I wish this book‘s “not so wise” former owner had taken LMM‘s advice and used pencil!! (Blue highlights are my own, and are on the photo rather than the book!) #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMJournals

CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks I literally couldn't read the copy from the library that had all the randomly underlined letters. It was SO distracting, especially because it felt so random. I want to find this person and ask “Why did you underline every 'u' in EVERY instance of the word 'blue'??!?!?!“ 😂

As a side note, I feel so bad for Maud. Do you think her seasonal depression would have been as severe throughout her life if these early adult years hadn't been so isolated? 1w

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks 😂😂Are you still reading it or did you buy a copy? Because if you don‘t mind highlights, mine can be made available to you 😆

I‘m not sure how it would have affected her later life, but my heart breaks for her situation at this point. If she could just have had her own home & space, and/or a like-minded companion close by—Frede or Nora, etc. it would have made such a difference. Or maybe if she just went south for the winter 😆 (edited) 1w

TheAromaofBooks I caved and bought a copy. I think I could have dealt with it better if it felt like they were underlining with purpose instead of randomly 😂

The word I have for her life is just TRAPPED. But these diaries are also doing a way better job helping me see why she ended up marrying Ewan despite him not being a great match. 😕 7d

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Hahaha—yeah, I couldn't deal with that kind of nonsensical underlining, either! I HATE highlights, but at least these make sense.

Yes, trapped is a very apt descriptor. I agree about Ewan & it makes me so sad! She basically says she‘s settling for him because she wants a home, companionship, and children. Which I understand, and those are valid reasons to marry, but I wish she'd had the kind of love she wrote for Anne & Valancy!⬇ 6d

BarbaraJean This quote: “I shall never know the *fullness* of life—to love absolutely and give myself to the man I so loved, knowing he loved me as well. But I have not been cheated out of everything.“ 😭 6d

37 likes5 comments

BarbaraJean

Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The PEI Years, 1889-1900 | Mary Henley Rubio, Elizabeth Hillman Waterston

pick

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMJournals
Maybe it‘s a bit late to post a review here, now that I‘m into volume 2—and also it seems strange to review an author‘s journals! But I think it‘s worth mentioning that this presentation of LMM‘s journals is fantastic—there are photos and other images reproduced throughout, along with LMM‘s captions/notes, to show the format in which LMM herself put together her journals. ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) It‘s also extensively footnoted (sometimes too much so) to give further information on the people, books, and events LMM references. Especially after having read a few biographies, I really enjoyed reading LMM‘s own narration of the happenings of her life. 1w

29 likes1 comment

BarbaraJean

The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The PEI Years, 1901-1911 | L.M. Montgomery

“Oh, if I had nothing else to thank God for I would thank Him for flowers. There is more of His inspiration and revelation in them than in all the writings of Jew or Greek, bond or free. The Great Teacher knew that when he told his disciples to consider the lilies. But his disciples, then as now, would rather be disputing over place and power and their own interpretations of his words and works.”
—May 5, 1904
#LMMJournals #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead

CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks I feel like she has been way more into gardening in this section than she ever was before, which I mostly found funny because I also didn't get into gardening until my mid/late 20s and now I can't stop 😂 1w

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Ha! it seems like gardening really helped her nature-loving soul during this time of isolation and loneliness. And she HAS a garden since she‘s finally not boarding somewhere! At least grandma wasn‘t weird about LMM gardening like she was about having people over. 😆 1w

31 likes2 comments

CogsOfEncouragement

Anne of Green Gables | L M Montgomery

These beloved L.M. Montgomery classics are coming up in the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead

All are welcome! Hosted by @BarbaraJean

Green Gables:
7/27: Discuss chapters 1-19
8/3: Discuss chapter 20-end

Avonlea:
8/17: Discuss chapters 1-15
8/24: Discuss chapter 16-end

Roary47 Oooo I‘ll read the second one. I‘ll be too busy for a reread, but should be able to discuss it. 1w

28 likes1 comment

LitsyEvents

Anne of Green Gables | L.M. Montgomery

Repost for @BarbaraJean

Posting a separate blurb to highlight the readalong for Anne of Green Gables & Anne of Avonlea! These beloved L.M. Montgomery classics are coming up in the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead.

Green Gables:
7/27: Discuss chapters 1-19
8/3: Discuss chapter 20-end

Avonlea:
8/17: Discuss chapters 1-15
8/24: Discuss chapter 16-end

Original post - https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2755171
Cont. ⬇

LitsyEvents All are welcome: buddy readers, re-readers, or those new to Anne. Comment if you‘d like to be tagged for either or both books! 1w

41 likes1 comment

BarbaraJean

Anne of Green Gables | L. M. Montgomery

Posting a separate blurb to highlight the readalong for Anne of Green Gables & Anne of Avonlea! These beloved L.M. Montgomery classics are coming up in the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead.

Green Gables:
7/27: Discuss chapters 1-19
8/3: Discuss chapter 20-end

Avonlea:
8/17: Discuss chapters 1-15
8/24: Discuss chapter 16-end

All are welcome: buddy readers, re-readers, or those new to Anne. Comment if you‘d like to be tagged for either or both books!

rubyslippersreads, Daisey, LeahBergen, CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

AllDebooks @LitsyEvents 1w

BarbaraJean @AllDebooks Thank you!! I meant to tag Litsy Events and forgot! 1w

AllDebooks @BarbaraJean 💚 1w

See All 10 Comments

julieclair Yay! Please tag me for both books. I may not re-read Green Gables, but would like to be in on the discussion. And I definitely plan to read Avonlea, as I have never read it. 1w

julieclair If anyone needs copies, both of these are available to download for free on Faded Page. 1w

BarbaraJean @julieclair Yay! I‘m so interested to hear your thoughts on Anne of Avonlea! 1w

lauraisntwilder I'm in! Between shipping delays and life getting in the way, I'm so behind on LMM's journals that I'll probably still be catching up on that after we've started AoGG. I'm enjoying being back in Maud's inner world though. 1w

rubyslippersreads Please tag me for both. I‘ve read AOGG so many times that I‘ll have no trouble commenting, but I may reread Avonlea, since it‘s been awhile. 👒 1w

rubyslippersreads @lauraisntwilder I‘m behind too, although in my case it‘s life and small print getting in my way. 🔎 (edited) 1w

BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder @rubyslippersreads It's so hard to catch up with the journals when I get behind! I really enjoy them, but it's just harder to sink into and there's not that ongoing plotline to draw me back in. I will tag you both for AoGG and AoA! 1w

32 likes10 comments

BarbaraJean

The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The PEI Years, 1901-1911 | L.M. Montgomery

This is the copy of the schedule I meant to post last week! Here's what the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead is reading in July/August: continuing LMM's complete journals with volume 2, and then our first re-reads with Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea. All are welcome—feel free to pop in for any of the Saturday discussions you'd like!

rubyslippersreads, Daisey, LeahBergen, CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

TheAromaofBooks I'm so interested to reread Anne of Avonlea after a couple of the “analysis“ books we read really dunked on it 😂 1w

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Hahaha—I‘m planning to pull those books out and review their dunks as I read 😆 I remember being disappointed with Anne of Avonlea when I re-read it back at the beginning of this buddy read. I‘m interested to see if I like it better this time (with diminished expectations)! 1w

21 likes2 comments

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