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Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1909 to 1922
pubOne.info thank you for your continued support and wish to present you this new edition. The land dropped abruptly down from the gate, and a thick, shrubby growth of young apple orchard almost hid the little weather-grey house from the road. This was why the young man who opened the sagging gate could not see that it was boarded up, and did not cease his cheerful whistling until he had pressed through the crowding trees and found himself almost on the sunken stone doorstep over which in olden days honeysuckle had been wont to arch. Now only a few straggling, uncared-for vines clung forlornly to the shingles, and the windows were, as has been said, all boarded up.
448 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1922
64 people are currently reading
457 people want to read
About the author
L.M. Montgomery
1,861 books13.2k followersLucy Maud Montgomery was a Canadian author, best known for a series of novels beginning with Anne of Green Gables, published in 1908.
Montgomery was born at Clifton, Prince Edward Island, Nov. 30, 1874. She came to live at Leaskdale, north of Uxbridge Ontario, after her wedding with Rev. Ewen Macdonald on July 11, 1911. She had three children and wrote close to a dozen books while she was living in the Leaskdale Manse before the family moved to Norval, Ontario in 1926. She died in Toronto April 24, 1942 and was buried at Cavendish, Prince Edward Island.
Montgomery was born at Clifton, Prince Edward Island, Nov. 30, 1874. She came to live at Leaskdale, north of Uxbridge Ontario, after her wedding with Rev. Ewen Macdonald on July 11, 1911. She had three children and wrote close to a dozen books while she was living in the Leaskdale Manse before the family moved to Norval, Ontario in 1926. She died in Toronto April 24, 1942 and was buried at Cavendish, Prince Edward Island.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 4, 2020
Please do note that the one star rating for Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories: 1909-1922 is not in ANY manner, is not in ANY way meant to be a comment on L.M. Montgomery's fiction, on her writing (as for the most part, the collected and included stories deserve three to five stars), but rather on the annoyingly and supremely user-unfriendly way in which Dodo Press has presented and published them.
Now when I first became aware of the Dodo Press collection of Montgomery short stories (and there are six individual books in all) I was very much and pleasantly excited, because from the titles of the tomes, it appeared as though the stories would be arranged chronologically. However, while the stories contained in this here anthology are indeed those penned by L.M. Montgomery from 1909-1922, the tales themselves have been arranged in random (and therefore actually not in chronological) order. So if you were, if you are looking forward to finally being able to read L.M. Montgomery's short stories in actual order of appearance, this fact will of course make said desire much more difficult.
And yes, what I personally find even more problematic though in Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories: 1909-1922 (and of course in ALL of books in this series) is the lack of any type of usable table of contents. For while both the stories and their date of appearance are listed at the beginning of the book, Dodo Press somehow and strangely has not deemed it necessary to also supply the starting pages for the given stories. Thus, if you desire to read a particular story, or if you are actually trying to read the stories chronologically, you will need to guess on which page the story actually commences. And no, I really do not understand why Dodo Press could not have arranged the stories by year of appearance, and it is simply unacceptable that the table of contents is so user-unfriendly (for not supplying the starting pages of the stories, sorry, but for me that is an almost unforgivable and massively anger-producing shortcoming). And furthermore, the Dodo Press collection of L.M. Montgomery short stories is also not going to be of much if ANY use for those wishing to use it for academic (read research) purposes, as there is neither an introduction nor is any of the source material listed. And while an introduction would have been beneficial, but not really absoultely required, Dodo Press should really have listed the diverse magazines, journals etc. in which these stories originally appeared.
Yes, I still enjoyed the reading time spent with and for Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories: 1909-1922, but the set-up is certainly a major disappointment, and I feel that I should at least warn other fans of L.M. Montgomery's fiction about the shortcomings of this particular series. And while I do now realise that Dodo Press has probably just taken these stories from free online sites such As Project Gutenberg, that still does NOT in any way excuse the user unfriendly print format I have encountered.
Finally, I know I could just as easily (and much more cheaply) have downloaded the featured tales from Project Gutenberg and then formatted them myself. However, since I obtained this Dodo Press series as traditional paper format printed books (and that they were also a much appreciated gift), I can and do (or at least I should be able to) expect a reader and user friendly format, and this simply does not ever materialise. And potential readers should also be aware that ALL of the Dodo Press series books of L.M. Montgomery's short stories have the exact same issues, are similarly constructed (random chronological order, a patently unusable table of contents and with no publication information, period). And frankly, if you are indeed actively interested in L.M. Montgomery's short fiction, you should probably either download them from online sources (there are many possibilities, from Project Gutenberg to various Kindle and other e-book formats), or much better yet, seriously consider the late great Rea Wilmshurt's spectacular collection (the seven individual books might not contain every short story that L.M. Montgomery ever penned, but the individual tomes are extensive, beautifully structured, and ALWAYS include an introduction as well as the relevant source materials).
Now when I first became aware of the Dodo Press collection of Montgomery short stories (and there are six individual books in all) I was very much and pleasantly excited, because from the titles of the tomes, it appeared as though the stories would be arranged chronologically. However, while the stories contained in this here anthology are indeed those penned by L.M. Montgomery from 1909-1922, the tales themselves have been arranged in random (and therefore actually not in chronological) order. So if you were, if you are looking forward to finally being able to read L.M. Montgomery's short stories in actual order of appearance, this fact will of course make said desire much more difficult.
And yes, what I personally find even more problematic though in Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories: 1909-1922 (and of course in ALL of books in this series) is the lack of any type of usable table of contents. For while both the stories and their date of appearance are listed at the beginning of the book, Dodo Press somehow and strangely has not deemed it necessary to also supply the starting pages for the given stories. Thus, if you desire to read a particular story, or if you are actually trying to read the stories chronologically, you will need to guess on which page the story actually commences. And no, I really do not understand why Dodo Press could not have arranged the stories by year of appearance, and it is simply unacceptable that the table of contents is so user-unfriendly (for not supplying the starting pages of the stories, sorry, but for me that is an almost unforgivable and massively anger-producing shortcoming). And furthermore, the Dodo Press collection of L.M. Montgomery short stories is also not going to be of much if ANY use for those wishing to use it for academic (read research) purposes, as there is neither an introduction nor is any of the source material listed. And while an introduction would have been beneficial, but not really absoultely required, Dodo Press should really have listed the diverse magazines, journals etc. in which these stories originally appeared.
Yes, I still enjoyed the reading time spent with and for Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories: 1909-1922, but the set-up is certainly a major disappointment, and I feel that I should at least warn other fans of L.M. Montgomery's fiction about the shortcomings of this particular series. And while I do now realise that Dodo Press has probably just taken these stories from free online sites such As Project Gutenberg, that still does NOT in any way excuse the user unfriendly print format I have encountered.
Finally, I know I could just as easily (and much more cheaply) have downloaded the featured tales from Project Gutenberg and then formatted them myself. However, since I obtained this Dodo Press series as traditional paper format printed books (and that they were also a much appreciated gift), I can and do (or at least I should be able to) expect a reader and user friendly format, and this simply does not ever materialise. And potential readers should also be aware that ALL of the Dodo Press series books of L.M. Montgomery's short stories have the exact same issues, are similarly constructed (random chronological order, a patently unusable table of contents and with no publication information, period). And frankly, if you are indeed actively interested in L.M. Montgomery's short fiction, you should probably either download them from online sources (there are many possibilities, from Project Gutenberg to various Kindle and other e-book formats), or much better yet, seriously consider the late great Rea Wilmshurt's spectacular collection (the seven individual books might not contain every short story that L.M. Montgomery ever penned, but the individual tomes are extensive, beautifully structured, and ALWAYS include an introduction as well as the relevant source materials).
June 2, 2019
It was such a joy reading these stories, however simple, overromantic and silly they sometimes are.
March 2, 2012
L.M. Montgomery is a genius. Probably many people have said that, but I mean it. I've been absorbing all her short stories over the past four days, and though I like the 'him-her' ones best, they're all fantastic.
In the later ones there's hints of Anne's House of Dreams and Anne of Avonlea, and even an entire chapter from Anne of Green Gables, but I don't mind. And wouldn't it be funny if that 'short story' is what prompted all of Anne?
The stories are from 1899 to 1928, and there are certain threads that pass through all of them. There's the Christmassy stories— making Christmas cheerful for someone who can't afford it, women-haters or man-haters who become reconciled to the opposite sex in time, old maids getting married, long-lost loves that come back, orphans who find a family member after all (rich, at times), and all sorts of absolutely delicious things.
In the later ones there's hints of Anne's House of Dreams and Anne of Avonlea, and even an entire chapter from Anne of Green Gables, but I don't mind. And wouldn't it be funny if that 'short story' is what prompted all of Anne?
The stories are from 1899 to 1928, and there are certain threads that pass through all of them. There's the Christmassy stories— making Christmas cheerful for someone who can't afford it, women-haters or man-haters who become reconciled to the opposite sex in time, old maids getting married, long-lost loves that come back, orphans who find a family member after all (rich, at times), and all sorts of absolutely delicious things.
April 25, 2018
This book contains twenty-seven short stories by L.M. Montgomery. They were originally published from 1909-1922. The stories vary in length and quality but also in type. What they all have in common, perhaps, is a satisfying happily ever after ending. There are stories of romance, of friendship, of families coming together again, of young people finding their place in the world.
I have already reviewed twenty-five of short stories in my weekly 'Keep It Short' series.
The two stories I haven't reviewed yet are "Uncle Richard's New Year's Dinner" and "White Magic."
Uncle Richard's New Year Dinner.
First sentence: Prissy Baker was in Oscar Miller's store New Year's morning, buying matches—for New Year's was not kept as a business holiday in Quincy—when her uncle, Richard Baker, came in. He did not look at Prissy, nor did she wish him a happy New Year; she would not have dared. Uncle Richard had not been on speaking terms with her or her father, his only brother, for eight years.
Premise/plot: A family feud is mended when Prissy Baker sets out to secretly prepare a New Year's dinner for her uncle. She overhears that he will be away on business and will be returning to an empty house. (His housekeeper having the holiday off.) She doesn't think anyone--even someone as mean as Uncle Richard--should have to eat a cold dinner on New Year's Day. That's no way to start the New Year off! She plans to be gone by the time he returns, but, as chance would have it. He "catches" her and is DELIGHTED with her consideration. He's ready to mend things at last.
My thoughts: It was okay. I didn't dislike it. And I suppose the world needs stories set at New Year's just like it needs Christmas stories.
White Magic.
First sentence: One September afternoon in the year of grace 1840 Avery and Janet Sparhallow were picking apples in their Uncle Daniel Sparhallow's big orchard.
Premise/plot: Janet cannot understand why Avery isn't super-excited about her upcoming wedding to Randall Burnley. Who wouldn't want to marry Randall?!?! But Avery decidedly is NOT in love. She's marrying because she's twenty-two and afraid of being an old maid. As for why Randall, the Burnleys are the only local family "good enough" for the Sparhallows.
Janet does something DARING. She goes to the "local witch" and gets a love potion. Randall, in her opinion, deserves a wife who adores him. If she can make Avery fall in love with Randall, all will be well. She tries to follow the instructions, but, fate intervenes. The first person Avery sees is NOT Randall. Janet is the one who will have to confess to Randall that Avery is going to jilt him and marry someone else. How will he take the news?
My thoughts: I LOVE this story. I do. Janet and Randall were obviously meant to be. Readers can spot where this one is heading from the start. Janet LOVES Randall but isn't quite aware that she's in love with him. And even if she has her suspicions, her doubts, she's convinced that Randall could never, ever, ever, ever love her like that. After all, he's been "courting" her sister, Avery for years now. True Janet and Randall spend a great deal of time together talking and laughing. But it's Avery he's attached to, right?!
Randall could never fancy her—a little plain, brown thing, only half grown. Nobody could think of her beside beautiful, rose-faced Avery. Janet accepted this fact unquestioningly. She had never been jealous. She only felt that she wanted Randall to have everything he wanted—to be perfectly happy.
"Now I can tell you, Janet, how much I love you." "Me? Me!" choked Janet. "You. Why, you're in the very core of my heart, girl. Don't tell me you can't love me—you can—you must—why, Janet," for his eyes had caught and locked with hers for a minute, "you do!"
Three years ago you were a child. I did not think about you. I wanted a wife—and Avery was pretty. I thought I was in love with her. Then you grew up all at once—and we were such good friends—I never could talk to Avery—she wasn't interested in anything I said—and you have eyes that catch a man—I've always thought of your eyes.
Looking back at all the short stories in this one, here are my top eight.
Abel and His Great Adventure (read online)
If you can sit in silence with a person for half an hour and feel comfortable, you and that person can be friends. If you can't, friends you'll never be, and you needn't waste time in trying."
Aunt Philippa and the Men (read online)
"So you want to get married?" she said. "You'd better wait till you're grown up." "How old must a person be before she is grown up?" I asked gravely. "Humph! That depends. Some are grown up when they're born, and others ain't grown up when they're eighty."
Charlotte's Ladies (read online)
I wouldn't really like to be anybody but myself, even if I am homely. It's better to be yourself with mousy hair and freckles than somebody else who is ever so beautiful.
How We Went to the Wedding (read online)
The sergeant gave us the tent and stove, and sent a man down to the Reserve for Peter Crow. Moreover, he vindicated his title of friend by making us take a dozen prairie chickens and a large ham—besides any quantity of advice. We didn't want the advice but we hugely welcomed the ham.
Miss Sally's Letter (read online)
Prose, rightly written and read, is sometimes as beautiful as poetry.
The Garden of Spices (read online)
To love is easy, and therefore common; but to understand—how rare that is!
The Gossip of Valley View (read online)
Young Thomas looked rather serious, however, when the minister and his wife called that evening and referred to the report. Young Thomas gravely said that it was unfounded. The minister looked graver still and said he was sorry—he had hoped it was true. His wife glanced significantly about Young Thomas's big, untidy sitting-room, where there were cobwebs on the ceiling and fluff in the corners and dust on the mop-board, and said nothing, but looked volumes.
The Letters (read online)
The pain and suffering of the world never dies, and while it lives there will be work for such as you to do, and in the doing of it you will find comfort and strength and the highest joy of living. I believe in you. I believe you will make of your life a beautiful and worthy thing. I give you Godspeed for the years to come. Out of my own loneliness I, an unknown friend, who has never clasped your hand, send this message to you. I understand—I have always understood—and I say to you: "Be of good cheer."
I have already reviewed twenty-five of short stories in my weekly 'Keep It Short' series.
The two stories I haven't reviewed yet are "Uncle Richard's New Year's Dinner" and "White Magic."
Uncle Richard's New Year Dinner.
First sentence: Prissy Baker was in Oscar Miller's store New Year's morning, buying matches—for New Year's was not kept as a business holiday in Quincy—when her uncle, Richard Baker, came in. He did not look at Prissy, nor did she wish him a happy New Year; she would not have dared. Uncle Richard had not been on speaking terms with her or her father, his only brother, for eight years.
Premise/plot: A family feud is mended when Prissy Baker sets out to secretly prepare a New Year's dinner for her uncle. She overhears that he will be away on business and will be returning to an empty house. (His housekeeper having the holiday off.) She doesn't think anyone--even someone as mean as Uncle Richard--should have to eat a cold dinner on New Year's Day. That's no way to start the New Year off! She plans to be gone by the time he returns, but, as chance would have it. He "catches" her and is DELIGHTED with her consideration. He's ready to mend things at last.
My thoughts: It was okay. I didn't dislike it. And I suppose the world needs stories set at New Year's just like it needs Christmas stories.
White Magic.
First sentence: One September afternoon in the year of grace 1840 Avery and Janet Sparhallow were picking apples in their Uncle Daniel Sparhallow's big orchard.
Premise/plot: Janet cannot understand why Avery isn't super-excited about her upcoming wedding to Randall Burnley. Who wouldn't want to marry Randall?!?! But Avery decidedly is NOT in love. She's marrying because she's twenty-two and afraid of being an old maid. As for why Randall, the Burnleys are the only local family "good enough" for the Sparhallows.
Janet does something DARING. She goes to the "local witch" and gets a love potion. Randall, in her opinion, deserves a wife who adores him. If she can make Avery fall in love with Randall, all will be well. She tries to follow the instructions, but, fate intervenes. The first person Avery sees is NOT Randall. Janet is the one who will have to confess to Randall that Avery is going to jilt him and marry someone else. How will he take the news?
My thoughts: I LOVE this story. I do. Janet and Randall were obviously meant to be. Readers can spot where this one is heading from the start. Janet LOVES Randall but isn't quite aware that she's in love with him. And even if she has her suspicions, her doubts, she's convinced that Randall could never, ever, ever, ever love her like that. After all, he's been "courting" her sister, Avery for years now. True Janet and Randall spend a great deal of time together talking and laughing. But it's Avery he's attached to, right?!
Randall could never fancy her—a little plain, brown thing, only half grown. Nobody could think of her beside beautiful, rose-faced Avery. Janet accepted this fact unquestioningly. She had never been jealous. She only felt that she wanted Randall to have everything he wanted—to be perfectly happy.
"Now I can tell you, Janet, how much I love you." "Me? Me!" choked Janet. "You. Why, you're in the very core of my heart, girl. Don't tell me you can't love me—you can—you must—why, Janet," for his eyes had caught and locked with hers for a minute, "you do!"
Three years ago you were a child. I did not think about you. I wanted a wife—and Avery was pretty. I thought I was in love with her. Then you grew up all at once—and we were such good friends—I never could talk to Avery—she wasn't interested in anything I said—and you have eyes that catch a man—I've always thought of your eyes.
Looking back at all the short stories in this one, here are my top eight.
Abel and His Great Adventure (read online)
If you can sit in silence with a person for half an hour and feel comfortable, you and that person can be friends. If you can't, friends you'll never be, and you needn't waste time in trying."
Aunt Philippa and the Men (read online)
"So you want to get married?" she said. "You'd better wait till you're grown up." "How old must a person be before she is grown up?" I asked gravely. "Humph! That depends. Some are grown up when they're born, and others ain't grown up when they're eighty."
Charlotte's Ladies (read online)
I wouldn't really like to be anybody but myself, even if I am homely. It's better to be yourself with mousy hair and freckles than somebody else who is ever so beautiful.
How We Went to the Wedding (read online)
The sergeant gave us the tent and stove, and sent a man down to the Reserve for Peter Crow. Moreover, he vindicated his title of friend by making us take a dozen prairie chickens and a large ham—besides any quantity of advice. We didn't want the advice but we hugely welcomed the ham.
Miss Sally's Letter (read online)
Prose, rightly written and read, is sometimes as beautiful as poetry.
The Garden of Spices (read online)
To love is easy, and therefore common; but to understand—how rare that is!
The Gossip of Valley View (read online)
Young Thomas looked rather serious, however, when the minister and his wife called that evening and referred to the report. Young Thomas gravely said that it was unfounded. The minister looked graver still and said he was sorry—he had hoped it was true. His wife glanced significantly about Young Thomas's big, untidy sitting-room, where there were cobwebs on the ceiling and fluff in the corners and dust on the mop-board, and said nothing, but looked volumes.
The Letters (read online)
The pain and suffering of the world never dies, and while it lives there will be work for such as you to do, and in the doing of it you will find comfort and strength and the highest joy of living. I believe in you. I believe you will make of your life a beautiful and worthy thing. I give you Godspeed for the years to come. Out of my own loneliness I, an unknown friend, who has never clasped your hand, send this message to you. I understand—I have always understood—and I say to you: "Be of good cheer."
August 27, 2023
Greatly enjoyable short stories, most of them with a happy ending.
April 29, 2025
5 stars. The very last collection... sweet and funny and full of amazing characters. I really enjoyed these stories. ^_^
I. A Golden Wedding
5 stars. This is a very sweet little story, all about redemption and blessings coming home and heartwarming love. <33
II. A Redeeming Sacrifice
3 stars. Oh my heart. What a story. I’m so angry that she didn’t redeem Paul. I want a proper ending!!!
III. A Soul That Was Not at Home
5 stars. This is a delightful story! I loved Paul and Stephen and Miss Trevor. The descriptions were gorgeous and the storyline so sweet. I really enjoyed it.
IV. Abel & His Great Adventure
4 stars. Abel made me think of Captain Jim/Uncle Jesse. I really liked him and his garden. I didn’t quite like the whole part of him loving his brother’s wife, even if there was nothing inappropriate or anything. But I liked everything else. There were lovely descriptions and some very good lessons!
V. Akin to Love
4 stars. This is a really sweet, humorous story. Josephine and David were both super nice and really funny. It was just such a Canadian story, too. I don’t know how to describe it—it just was super Canadian. XD
Content: two kisses + a mention that if a woman goes keep house for a man people will gossip.
VI. Aunt Philippa & the Men
3 stars. Aunt Philippa is doubtless the ancestor of Miss Cornelia from the later Anne books. She’s also like Mrs. Rachel Lynde a little. Anyhow, she’s quite funny and enjoyable. Mark and Ursula are very nice, and overall it’s an enjoyable story.
Content: a few stories are mentioned of suicide & digging up a dead person.
VII. Bessie's Doll
4 stars. This is such a sweet story! I loved Tommy and I enjoyed that he wasn’t a perfect kid, by any means, but instead was redeemed. I loved Bessie too, who was super sweet. And I even loved Miss Octavia and how she was willing to get over her prejudice. What great morals this story has! :)
VIII. Charlotte's Ladies
3 stars. This is a sweet little story with some good characters. It’s a little poignant/wistful, all about orphans and widows and motherlessness and loneliness. <3
IX. Christmas at Red Butte
5 stars. I love this little story! It’s so sweet and delightful and Christmassy. Theodora is just so sweet and I loved Donald too, and all the other characters. There were a couple mentions of Santa Claus but other than that it was pretty near perfect!
X. How We Went to the Wedding
3 stars. This story is really very funny. I didn’t quite approve of everything Kate did, but she was overall a brick, and Phil was super sweet too. I liked the Mounted Police cameo, and also how Phil’s prejudice against Indians was challenge and eradicated. The only thing I felt didn’t quite feel was Mrs. Matilda simply because to me that it strictly a Rilla of Ingleside adventure. XD
XI. Jessamine
5 stars. I love this little story, and I wish it were published on its own. It’s just super sweet and delightful and adorable and refreshing and heartwarming in every way. <33
XII. Miss Sally's Letter
4 stars. This one made me go “awww” internally, if not outwardly, when I finished it. Miss Sally is, after all, quite lovely, and so are Joyce, and especially Willard. The story was super sweet and just about perfect. <33
XIII. My Lady Jane
3 stars. This story is pretty humorous, actually, and kind of cute. ;)
XIV. Robert Turner's Revenge
3 stars. This blessed my heart! <3 It was pretty sweet, after all, and a good lesson.
XV. The Fillmore Elderberries
3 stars. There’s a couple sober reminders in this story. I really liked Elliott, too.
XVI. The Finished Story
4 stars. What a sweet story this was! Poor Miss Sally was a sweetheart and so was A. And I really liked the narrator too. It was just a little story but very heartwarming and humorous and enjoyable. <3
XVII. The Garden of Spices
2.5 stars (3/10 hearts). This was a fun read. It was nice to see Jims put the romance back together, and Miss Avery was so sweet. So was Uncle Walter. However, I kind of disliked the subplot of Jims being bad on purpose…. although he was fairly goaded to it, too, so… not exactly sure what to think of that or how to rate it….
XVIII. The Girl & the Photograph
3 stars. This story reminds me of My Lady Jane a little bit. I enjoy the narration, and the predicament is so ridiculous it's hilarious!
XIX. The Gossip of Valley View
3 stars. An example of how bad turns to good? XD Anyhow, it's a fun and cute little romance that I enjoy reading.
XX. The Letters
4 stars. This is just a rich, lovely story of blooming and love overcoming hate. <33
XXI. The Life-Book of Uncle Jesse
5 stars. I love Uncle Jesse. He’s exactly Captain Jim from Anne’s House of Dreams and to me they’re the same. What lovely, wonderful men. I wish the Life Book actually existed… <33 Also, THE DESCRIPTIONS. <33 I want to read House of Dreams all over again now. <333
XXII. The Little Black Doll
3 stars. A very short but sweet little story.
XXIII. The Man on the Train
3 stars. Okay, so this is very funny, but also it's sweet and I would love to see M. redeemed. <3
XXIV. The Romance of Jedediah
3.5 stars (4/10 hearts). This is kind of a sweet, humorous little romance. I appreciated the reminder that we can’t judge people on appearances. Selena was so ridiculous she was funny, and Mattie and Jedediah were both funny and sweet.
XXV. The Tryst of the White Lady
1 star. So I liked how Montgomery added in a deaf girl. She was sweet. However, the whole premise of the story is built on a ghost and falling in love with a ghost. And it was kind of weird and passionate too. So… nah.
XXVI. Uncle Richard’s New Year’s Dinner
4 stars. Montgomery evidently liked this type of story, and she does it well. This one reminds me more of Nancy & Peter’s story in Chronicles of Avonlea than The End of the Young Family Feud and other similar stories in these short story collections. I quite enjoyed it. Prissy is sweet and Uncle Richard isn’t awful. ;)
XXVII. White Magic
2.5 stars (3/10 hearts). Okay, so this one does deal with Janet going to a witch to get a love potion. However, from the attitude/tone it’s obvious Granny isn’t actually a witch and even Janet figures that out. This is the story of star-crossed lovers sorting themselves. Not my favourite (Avery isn’t very nice especially) but I don’t hate it, either….
A Favourite Quote: The very first time she had seen Tommy she had smiled at him sweetly and said, ‘Good morning.’ From that moment Tommy was her devoted slave. Nobody had ever spoken like that to him before; nobody had ever smiled so at him.
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: The west was splendid in daffodil and rose; away to the north there was a mackerel sky of little fiery golden clouds; and across the water straight from Miss Trevor's feet ran a sparkling path of light to the sun, whose rim had just touched the throbbing edge of the purple sea. Off to the left were softly swelling violet hills and beyond the sandshore[,] little waves were crisping and silvering[.] Miss Trevor sighed with sheer happiness in all the wonderful, fleeting, elusive loveliness of sky and sea.
A Favourite Humorous Quote: ‘There was a company of Hudson Bay freighters ambushed and killed along that very trail by Blackfoot Indians in 1839,’ said Aunt Jennie dolefully.
‘Fifty years ago![’]
I. A Golden Wedding
5 stars. This is a very sweet little story, all about redemption and blessings coming home and heartwarming love. <33
II. A Redeeming Sacrifice
3 stars. Oh my heart. What a story. I’m so angry that she didn’t redeem Paul. I want a proper ending!!!
III. A Soul That Was Not at Home
5 stars. This is a delightful story! I loved Paul and Stephen and Miss Trevor. The descriptions were gorgeous and the storyline so sweet. I really enjoyed it.
IV. Abel & His Great Adventure
4 stars. Abel made me think of Captain Jim/Uncle Jesse. I really liked him and his garden. I didn’t quite like the whole part of him loving his brother’s wife, even if there was nothing inappropriate or anything. But I liked everything else. There were lovely descriptions and some very good lessons!
V. Akin to Love
4 stars. This is a really sweet, humorous story. Josephine and David were both super nice and really funny. It was just such a Canadian story, too. I don’t know how to describe it—it just was super Canadian. XD
Content: two kisses + a mention that if a woman goes keep house for a man people will gossip.
VI. Aunt Philippa & the Men
3 stars. Aunt Philippa is doubtless the ancestor of Miss Cornelia from the later Anne books. She’s also like Mrs. Rachel Lynde a little. Anyhow, she’s quite funny and enjoyable. Mark and Ursula are very nice, and overall it’s an enjoyable story.
Content: a few stories are mentioned of suicide & digging up a dead person.
VII. Bessie's Doll
4 stars. This is such a sweet story! I loved Tommy and I enjoyed that he wasn’t a perfect kid, by any means, but instead was redeemed. I loved Bessie too, who was super sweet. And I even loved Miss Octavia and how she was willing to get over her prejudice. What great morals this story has! :)
VIII. Charlotte's Ladies
3 stars. This is a sweet little story with some good characters. It’s a little poignant/wistful, all about orphans and widows and motherlessness and loneliness. <3
IX. Christmas at Red Butte
5 stars. I love this little story! It’s so sweet and delightful and Christmassy. Theodora is just so sweet and I loved Donald too, and all the other characters. There were a couple mentions of Santa Claus but other than that it was pretty near perfect!
X. How We Went to the Wedding
3 stars. This story is really very funny. I didn’t quite approve of everything Kate did, but she was overall a brick, and Phil was super sweet too. I liked the Mounted Police cameo, and also how Phil’s prejudice against Indians was challenge and eradicated. The only thing I felt didn’t quite feel was Mrs. Matilda simply because to me that it strictly a Rilla of Ingleside adventure. XD
XI. Jessamine
5 stars. I love this little story, and I wish it were published on its own. It’s just super sweet and delightful and adorable and refreshing and heartwarming in every way. <33
XII. Miss Sally's Letter
4 stars. This one made me go “awww” internally, if not outwardly, when I finished it. Miss Sally is, after all, quite lovely, and so are Joyce, and especially Willard. The story was super sweet and just about perfect. <33
XIII. My Lady Jane
3 stars. This story is pretty humorous, actually, and kind of cute. ;)
XIV. Robert Turner's Revenge
3 stars. This blessed my heart! <3 It was pretty sweet, after all, and a good lesson.
XV. The Fillmore Elderberries
3 stars. There’s a couple sober reminders in this story. I really liked Elliott, too.
XVI. The Finished Story
4 stars. What a sweet story this was! Poor Miss Sally was a sweetheart and so was A. And I really liked the narrator too. It was just a little story but very heartwarming and humorous and enjoyable. <3
XVII. The Garden of Spices
2.5 stars (3/10 hearts). This was a fun read. It was nice to see Jims put the romance back together, and Miss Avery was so sweet. So was Uncle Walter. However, I kind of disliked the subplot of Jims being bad on purpose…. although he was fairly goaded to it, too, so… not exactly sure what to think of that or how to rate it….
XVIII. The Girl & the Photograph
3 stars. This story reminds me of My Lady Jane a little bit. I enjoy the narration, and the predicament is so ridiculous it's hilarious!
XIX. The Gossip of Valley View
3 stars. An example of how bad turns to good? XD Anyhow, it's a fun and cute little romance that I enjoy reading.
XX. The Letters
4 stars. This is just a rich, lovely story of blooming and love overcoming hate. <33
XXI. The Life-Book of Uncle Jesse
5 stars. I love Uncle Jesse. He’s exactly Captain Jim from Anne’s House of Dreams and to me they’re the same. What lovely, wonderful men. I wish the Life Book actually existed… <33 Also, THE DESCRIPTIONS. <33 I want to read House of Dreams all over again now. <333
XXII. The Little Black Doll
3 stars. A very short but sweet little story.
XXIII. The Man on the Train
3 stars. Okay, so this is very funny, but also it's sweet and I would love to see M. redeemed. <3
XXIV. The Romance of Jedediah
3.5 stars (4/10 hearts). This is kind of a sweet, humorous little romance. I appreciated the reminder that we can’t judge people on appearances. Selena was so ridiculous she was funny, and Mattie and Jedediah were both funny and sweet.
XXV. The Tryst of the White Lady
1 star. So I liked how Montgomery added in a deaf girl. She was sweet. However, the whole premise of the story is built on a ghost and falling in love with a ghost. And it was kind of weird and passionate too. So… nah.
XXVI. Uncle Richard’s New Year’s Dinner
4 stars. Montgomery evidently liked this type of story, and she does it well. This one reminds me more of Nancy & Peter’s story in Chronicles of Avonlea than The End of the Young Family Feud and other similar stories in these short story collections. I quite enjoyed it. Prissy is sweet and Uncle Richard isn’t awful. ;)
XXVII. White Magic
2.5 stars (3/10 hearts). Okay, so this one does deal with Janet going to a witch to get a love potion. However, from the attitude/tone it’s obvious Granny isn’t actually a witch and even Janet figures that out. This is the story of star-crossed lovers sorting themselves. Not my favourite (Avery isn’t very nice especially) but I don’t hate it, either….
A Favourite Quote: The very first time she had seen Tommy she had smiled at him sweetly and said, ‘Good morning.’ From that moment Tommy was her devoted slave. Nobody had ever spoken like that to him before; nobody had ever smiled so at him.
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: The west was splendid in daffodil and rose; away to the north there was a mackerel sky of little fiery golden clouds; and across the water straight from Miss Trevor's feet ran a sparkling path of light to the sun, whose rim had just touched the throbbing edge of the purple sea. Off to the left were softly swelling violet hills and beyond the sandshore[,] little waves were crisping and silvering[.] Miss Trevor sighed with sheer happiness in all the wonderful, fleeting, elusive loveliness of sky and sea.
A Favourite Humorous Quote: ‘There was a company of Hudson Bay freighters ambushed and killed along that very trail by Blackfoot Indians in 1839,’ said Aunt Jennie dolefully.
‘Fifty years ago![’]
August 5, 2018
Foolishly I believed LMM had only written Anne books. Boy, was I wrong! When I was told she had penned hundreds of short stories, I had to go see if I could find any. I was so pleased to find, and read this collection. They all have the same style, breath, and feel of Anne, but with different characters. Sav one story. In one of these short stories, there is a character, and his imaginary friends, that show up in one of the later Anne stories. I was thrilled to find this, and I think I smiled all the way through the story.
Many of these have morals, and all complete themselves in one way or another by the end. This collection is as charming as the Anne books are, and if you only have a few minutes a day to read, pick any of these short stories and find out all over again why Lucy Maud Montgomery is a Canadian treasure.
Many of these have morals, and all complete themselves in one way or another by the end. This collection is as charming as the Anne books are, and if you only have a few minutes a day to read, pick any of these short stories and find out all over again why Lucy Maud Montgomery is a Canadian treasure.
November 30, 2015
I've finished the last of the L.M. Montgomery's short story collections! I didn't care for this one as much, although I thought the stories got better as the book progressed. I think my favorites were "The Garden of Spices" and "The Little Black Doll."
Also, I never noticed it before, but you can really see the evolution of L.M. Montgomery's writing style when reading these collections; while the earlier books reminded me more of Anne of Green Gables or Kilmeny of the Orchard, the writing in these stories felt more Blue Castle-ish to me. The change is slight, but there is something different there that I can't quite put my finger on.
Anyway, I'm glad I've read all of these, but I have to admit I'm excited about the prospect of reading something different now. :)
Also, I never noticed it before, but you can really see the evolution of L.M. Montgomery's writing style when reading these collections; while the earlier books reminded me more of Anne of Green Gables or Kilmeny of the Orchard, the writing in these stories felt more Blue Castle-ish to me. The change is slight, but there is something different there that I can't quite put my finger on.
Anyway, I'm glad I've read all of these, but I have to admit I'm excited about the prospect of reading something different now. :)
November 5, 2018
"It's better to be yourself with mousy hair and freckles than somebody else who is ever so beautiful."
I'm trying to read all of the Anne of Green Gables author's lesser-known works, and this is, I think, the final collection of short stories by L. M. Montgomery. Note: all of her short collections and a few of her novels are available for free on Kindle.
This is along the same lines of the others that I've previously reviewed, so I don't have too much new to say. Overall, they're light, predictable reading and an interesting window into the time period. I will note that one of the stories in particular was, disappointingly, pretty racist towards Native Americans - and it isn't the first time I've run across this in Montgomery's short story collections.
I'm trying to read all of the Anne of Green Gables author's lesser-known works, and this is, I think, the final collection of short stories by L. M. Montgomery. Note: all of her short collections and a few of her novels are available for free on Kindle.
This is along the same lines of the others that I've previously reviewed, so I don't have too much new to say. Overall, they're light, predictable reading and an interesting window into the time period. I will note that one of the stories in particular was, disappointingly, pretty racist towards Native Americans - and it isn't the first time I've run across this in Montgomery's short story collections.
September 29, 2014
I liked these a lot more than the earlier stories.
By the way all LM Montgomery's stories are on you tube as audio books. It's a librivox recording which means in this case the stories are read by people from all over the world.
By the way all LM Montgomery's stories are on you tube as audio books. It's a librivox recording which means in this case the stories are read by people from all over the world.
November 8, 2018
I love L. M. Montgomery's writing style. Long after finishing her Anne of Avonlea series, I comfort myself reading her short story collections and musing on them, wondering and believing that all these stories would have been great even if they were full length novels.
November 2, 2017
It was cute, but it was like her first draft stories that she ended up using in Anne's House of Dreams. Different character names, different surrounding plot, verbatim wording to certain stories. Just kind of got old.
May 20, 2011
more of these were set in western Canada than in PEI. Really great, but still, I missed PEI.
June 23, 2011
A couple of stories that were pretty original made this collection a fun read.
February 13, 2013
A nice collection of short stories, although slightly distracting when you find one that she later used parts of or fleshed out in the later Anne books with different names!
April 2, 2014
Wonderful read!
For those who enjoy short stories set in a more simpler time. L. M. Montgomery was quite gifted in making her characters come alive.
For those who enjoy short stories set in a more simpler time. L. M. Montgomery was quite gifted in making her characters come alive.
September 29, 2016
I love this collection and it contains what I think is one of my favorite Montgomery short stories - The Garden of Spices.
January 3, 2023
A great reading of Lucy Maud Mongomery's book by Alisa from librivox.org
August 15, 2017
Great stories with great morals to them. I enjoy listening to these on loyalbooks.com
March 22, 2018
a little too formulaic but still enjoyable.
April 22, 2019
A collection of stories written by Anne of Green Gables author L.M. Montgomery between 1909 and 1922. The stories were not ordered chronologically but that made little difference to my reading experience.
Staring with A Golden Wedding written in 1909, the collection boasts 27 short stories of varying length. Every last one of the stories has a feel-good ending which would not seem out of place in a Chicken Soup for the Soul. For the most part I enjoyed the stories, especially Bessie's Doll, A Golden Wedding and Charlotte's Ladies. I, however, found one or two of the stories too bland for my liking and the repetitive nature of some of the stories added an unwelcome element of predictability.
Many of the stories included romance, familial relationships or orphans as part of the narrative. I would definitely recommend this read to other's and have already included the rest of the Lucy Maus Montgomery Short Stories to my to-read list.
Staring with A Golden Wedding written in 1909, the collection boasts 27 short stories of varying length. Every last one of the stories has a feel-good ending which would not seem out of place in a Chicken Soup for the Soul. For the most part I enjoyed the stories, especially Bessie's Doll, A Golden Wedding and Charlotte's Ladies. I, however, found one or two of the stories too bland for my liking and the repetitive nature of some of the stories added an unwelcome element of predictability.
Many of the stories included romance, familial relationships or orphans as part of the narrative. I would definitely recommend this read to other's and have already included the rest of the Lucy Maus Montgomery Short Stories to my to-read list.
September 3, 2024
This went over better when I hadn't just surfeited myself on the previous six L.M. Montgomery short story collections. I will say, having read them all, that she does have maybe ten plots, which she embellishes for the sake of variety.
The thing that keeps me coming back to Montgomery, as sentimental and as moralizing as she can be, is that her characters do have what used to be called 'moral fibre.' It is mixed up with older ideas about masculinity and femininity and gender, but it's still there, the idea that we can become people of character by virtue of the choices we make, the idea that sacrifice for your community is worth it, the idea that faithfulness and steadfastness are things to be honoured and developed. In our mostly amoral cultural climate of today, I find it refreshing. In small doses ;)
The thing that keeps me coming back to Montgomery, as sentimental and as moralizing as she can be, is that her characters do have what used to be called 'moral fibre.' It is mixed up with older ideas about masculinity and femininity and gender, but it's still there, the idea that we can become people of character by virtue of the choices we make, the idea that sacrifice for your community is worth it, the idea that faithfulness and steadfastness are things to be honoured and developed. In our mostly amoral cultural climate of today, I find it refreshing. In small doses ;)
June 15, 2023
Such a creative, heartwarming collection of beautiful stories
I would recommend this book to everyone looking for a quick pick-me-up. L.M. Montgomery’s brilliant writing style and imaginative genius shine though on every page! She conveys warmth and emotion with such fluidity. Love this book!
I would recommend this book to everyone looking for a quick pick-me-up. L.M. Montgomery’s brilliant writing style and imaginative genius shine though on every page! She conveys warmth and emotion with such fluidity. Love this book!
May 3, 2020
After reading a collection of Montgomery's feel-good Christmas stories, I downloaded some of her other story collections to Kindle, and it proved a welcome choice in these strange times. This heartwarming collection is full of stories you know will end well with a nice variety of characters.
February 23, 2024
A lovely little collection of short stories. Some are almost exact repeats of parts of her novels, but most are originals. The library only had this one as an ebook, which is my least favorite way to enjoy a book, but it was nice having a Montgomery story with me everywhere I went this month.
May 20, 2020
I enjoy Lucy Maud Montgomery's charming stories about life on Prince Edward Island. Often predictable morality tales, but delightful nonetheless.
December 20, 2020
If you’ve read one, you’ve read them all. I’d recommend staying with the novels.
June 11, 2024
Silly stories, but sometimes silly is all you need, especially when it is written well.
February 1, 2025
Such sweet stories with happy endings.
November 15, 2023
The last of the Montgomery short story collections. While there were still 20 years between the last year of this collection and the year of Montgomery's death (1942), the rest of her short stories were related to the Green Gables universe and are read in specific collections for that universe. (The only one I have left for that is The Blythes are Quoted, which isn't available via any of my libraries, so it could be a while before I get to that one.)
Altogether, these were okay. By the time one gets around to reading these final stories, it's easy to feel that you've read them all before. Montgomery recycled a lot of ideas, and while these are all great, aspects of them all can be seen in her novel-length stories as well. Still, a nice read for an afternoon.
Altogether, these were okay. By the time one gets around to reading these final stories, it's easy to feel that you've read them all before. Montgomery recycled a lot of ideas, and while these are all great, aspects of them all can be seen in her novel-length stories as well. Still, a nice read for an afternoon.
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