anneofgreengables

FIVE years ago today I started the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead! We began with a chapter-a-day read of the Anne of Green Gables series, then decided we weren‘t done and continued on to read all of LMM‘s published novels + some short stories. There've been a few other iterations since; we‘re currently reading LMM‘s complete journals, interspersed with books LMM mentions in her journals, and re-reads of her books as they‘re mentioned being published. ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) I‘m thoroughly enjoying this deep dive into a beloved author from my childhood, and am so grateful for all of you who have come along on this buddy read with me!! Special shout-outs to @TheAromaofBooks, who has buddy read basically every one of these books with me so far (we won‘t talk about Pat), and @JenlovesJT47 and @rubyslippersreads, who have popped in and out of the buddy read since the beginning! 7d

BarbaraJean Tagging the original tag list + current tag list below in celebration! @JenlovesJT47 @Prairiegirl_reading @merelybookish @quietjenn @Liatrek @Centique @rjsthumbelina @meghathecloud @BookwormDownUnder @Jerdencon @Hooked_on_books @Bkwrm7 @Clare-Dragonfly @TheAromaofBooks @coffeewithbooks @StayCurious @Blackink_WhitePaper @AnneCecilie @EclecticBookLover @slategreyskies @Andrea313 @LeahBergen @dottie.floating.on.words @rubyslippersreads @MB1994 7d

BarbaraJean @Daisey @Desha @jewright @sblbooks @megnews @lauraisntwilder @CogsOfEncouragement @kwmg40 @julieclair @LeahBergen @Roary47 7d

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JenlovesJT47 Yay! I posted a couple of AOGG haikus yesterday and today. October is the perfect time to read Anne! I‘m hoping to pop back in with the buddy reads soon, I‘m so behind on everything 😭. And imo LMM isn‘t saccharine, that title goes to Miss Louisa May Alcott. Anne books are cozy. There‘s no cozier atmosphere than an LMM book in my humble opinion. 🧡🤎🧡 7d

BarbaraJean @JenLovesJT47 💜 No worries—pop in when you can! We're reading Blue Castle the next two weeks, if you have time for what feels (to me, anyway) like the absolute perfect cozy fall book! More & more I realize classic children's books criticized for being saccharine aren't saccharine at all (even Pollyanna!!). There's a coziness and an optimism that's refreshing to me, especially these days. There's a reason I started this buddy read in 2020 🙃 7d

JenlovesJT47 Well Blue Castle happens to be my absolute fave LMM book and this is the perfect time to read it! I‘m in! And I agree. Love Pollyanna, too (especially the movie, it brings me joy) — there‘s nothing wrong with wanting to read books with happy endings and cozy vibes. Going to start the Blue Castle today! 🩵 7d

CSeydel Well said! I think when people lob the criticism that something is “saccharine” it often says more about them than the art being criticized. 7d

CSeydel Although I confess I once referred to Alcott as “a bit treacly” 7d

BarbaraJean @JenLovesJT47 Yay! I'll add you to the tag list!! 7d

BarbaraJean @JenLovesJT47 @CSeydel I was just talking to a friend about this and she said she loves LMM because the joy feels like rebellion against all the dark things happening right now. And she shared this PERFECT LMM quote: “Don‘t be led away by those howls about realism. Remember - pine woods are just as real as pigsties and a darn sight pleasanter to be in.” (Mr. Carpenter, to Emily) 7d

JenlovesJT47 @BarbaraJean that‘s perfect, love it! And the quote 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 7d

JenlovesJT47 @CSeydel treacly is the perfect way to describe LMA. I love Little Women, don‘t get me wrong. But I tried to read some of her Christmas short stories last year and they were too syrupy sweet for me. I don‘t think that applies to LMM but I may be biased. 🤓 7d

CSeydel @JenlovesJT47 Agree! 7d

CSeydel @BarbaraJean Oh, I love that. Too often these days people think they‘re being rebellious or sophisticated by rejecting earnestness and even just pleasantness. But being joyful takes effort and intention; it‘s easy to be cynical. 7d

LeahBergen I loved rereading all of the Anne books with you! How can it be 5 years already? 😂 7d

Hooked_on_books Wow! I can‘t believe it‘s been 5 years! I enjoyed the few I joined in with. I‘m so glad you organized this. 7d

Jerdencon Wow - 5 years ago! I dropped after most of the novels were read but it was so much fun! 7d

rubyslippersreads I never dreamed, when my mom used to find me out-of-print LMM books in the used bookstore (and they were pretty much all out-of-print except AOGG), that someday I‘d have a whole group of Littens to discuss them with. 😄 7d

dabbe 💛💜🩶 7d

lauraisntwilder I'm so glad I jumped in on this! Reading LMM's journals, especially, has been a deeply meaningful experience -- and we're not done yet! It's always special discussing good books with kindred spirits, but even moreso when it's LMM! I can't wait to start The Blue Castle. This will be my first time reading it. 💙 7d

BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder I'm so glad you're reading along!! I love discussing all of these with this group--it really is a delight. The journals have been so rich and meaningful to me, too. And I love knowing we still have months & months of reading ahead (I have plans sketched out through at least August 2026)! 😁 You're in for a treat with Blue Castle!! I think it's my favorite by LMM (although it's harder and harder for me to choose just one favorite) 7d

quietjenn Thank you for making it happen! I loved reading my way through LMM's catalog with you all. Definitely one of my favorite pandemic+ experiences. 7d

TheAromaofBooks Five years! How?! I have LOVED LOVED LOVED being a part of this group so much! At first I was honestly a little nervous about learning more about LMM because I knew that a lot of her real life was tough, and I was afraid that it would take away some of the joy I get from reading her books. But it's actually been the opposite! I've come to admire her so much for her ability and her determination to write with a focus on the positive even during ⬇ 6d

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) dark times in her life! While I've read and loved her books since I was very young, rereading them within different contexts, discussing them with our group, and finding parallels between characters and author, has all greatly enriched my love and appreciation for her books. I can't thank you enough for not just coming up with this group, but continuing to host and plan for us for all this time!!! And I'm SO excited about rereading ⬇ 6d

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) The Blue Castle; I love it SO much. And as others have said, I can't believe how much I have gotten from reading her journals - even when they are sad I find myself getting completely caught up in them and reading just as eagerly as any fiction. Her writing is just compelling!

PS I feel like I should get at least half-credit for Pat... I skimmed it! 😂 AND I'm rereading Emily, which I said I would never do!! 😆 6d

BarbaraJean @LeahBergen @Hooked_on_books @Jerdencon @quietjenn I'm so glad you've all joined in to read along at various points along the way! @rubyslippersreads Right?! A whole group of Kindred Spirits! 2d

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Absolutely—I was nervous about reading the journals because I was worried it would be too rough to read, too depressing—kind of the opposite of why I originally started this buddy read! But the journals have been delightful even if they are sometimes really sad. And reading her books along with them has done just what you said—it enriches the experience of her books, but I'm also amazed at how it enriches and lifts up ⬇ 2d

BarbaraJean (Cont'd) the experience of reading the journals as well. Reading both together— and reading books she's mentioned along the way—gives such a fuller, richer view of her life and who she was (she's more than the sadness in the journals!). Thank you for reading all of this with me! Even Pat (yes, you definitely get credit for skimming) AND re-reading Emily!! 2d

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