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Twice upon a Time: Selected Stories, 1898–1939
Although L.M. Montgomery (1874–1942) is best remembered for the twenty-two book-length works of fiction that she published in her lifetime, from Anne of Green Gables (1908) to Anne of Ingleside (1939), she also contributed some five hundred short stories and serials to a wide range of North American and British periodicals from 1895 to 1940. While most of these stories demonstrate her ability to produce material that would fit the mainstream periodical fiction market as it evolved across almost half a century, many of them also contain early incarnations of characters, storylines, conversations, and settings that she would rework for inclusion in her novels and collections of linked short stories.
In Twice upon a Time, the third volume in The L.M. Montgomery Library, Benjamin Lefebvre collects and discusses over two dozen stories from across Montgomery’s career as a short fiction writer, many of them available in book form for the first time. The volume offers a rare glimpse into Montgomery’s creative process in adapting her periodical work for her books, which continue to fascinate readers all over the world.
In Twice upon a Time, the third volume in The L.M. Montgomery Library, Benjamin Lefebvre collects and discusses over two dozen stories from across Montgomery’s career as a short fiction writer, many of them available in book form for the first time. The volume offers a rare glimpse into Montgomery’s creative process in adapting her periodical work for her books, which continue to fascinate readers all over the world.
- GenresShort StoriesClassics
352 pages, Paperback
Published May 27, 2022
4 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
L.M. Montgomery
1,986 books13.4k followersLucy Maud Montgomery was a Canadian author whose novels, stories, essays and poems made her one of the most widely read writers in Canadian literary history. Publishing under the name L. M. Montgomery, she achieved international recognition with the novel Anne of Green Gables, released in 1908, which quickly became a bestseller and introduced readers to the imaginative orphan Anne Shirley. The success of the book transformed Montgomery from a schoolteacher and magazine contributor into a celebrated literary figure whose work reached audiences far beyond Canada. Raised on Prince Edward Island, she drew deeply on its landscapes, rural communities, and storytelling traditions, turning the island into the setting for many of her novels. The popularity of Anne of Green Gables led to numerous sequels, including Anne of Avonlea and Anne of the Island, establishing a beloved series that followed Anne from childhood to adulthood. Montgomery continued to write steadily throughout her life, producing twenty novels and more than a thousand short stories poems and essays. Her fiction often centered on young women, personal growth, and the emotional ties between people and place, combining gentle humor with reflections on memory, imagination, and belonging. Although she enjoyed enormous popularity, Montgomery also faced personal difficulties, including long periods of depression and the strain of caring for her husband, a Presbyterian minister who struggled with mental illness. Writing became both a profession and a refuge, allowing her to transform memories of childhood and observation of everyday life into vivid storytelling. In addition to the Anne series, she created other notable works, including the Emily novels and several stand alone stories that explored identity, creativity, and attachment to home. Her books were translated widely and attracted devoted readers around the world, helping shape the international image of Prince Edward Island as a place of pastoral beauty and warm community life. Scholars later studied her extensive journals letters and manuscripts, which revealed the complex inner life behind the cheerful tone of many of her books. By the time of her death in 1942, Montgomery had become one of the most successful and influential authors in Canadian literature. Her stories about imagination, resilience, and the search for belonging continue to inspire readers of all ages, and Anne Shirley remains one of the most recognizable characters in children's fiction. Through generations of readers, Montgomery's work has encouraged appreciation for storytelling, nature, and the emotional richness of ordinary life. Her legacy also includes a vast body of diaries and correspondence that document the challenges faced by a professional woman writer in the early twentieth century. Institutions such as the L. M. Montgomery Institute have continued to examine her influence on literature culture and tourism, particularly on Prince Edward Island, where sites associated with her fiction attract visitors from many countries. Adaptations of Anne of Green Gables for film, television, and theatre have introduced new audiences to her stories, ensuring that her characters remain part of global popular culture. Though critical opinion once dismissed her as merely a writer for children, later scholarship recognized the depth of her themes and the enduring craft of her storytelling. Today she is remembered as a central figure in Canadian literature whose imaginative vision gave voice to the beauty of rural life while celebrating the hopes of young dreamers who search for belonging.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 6, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and University of Toronto Press for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lucy Maud Montgomery and her Anne of Green Gables series are the reason that I found love for the written word. It was no question that I would request to read this volume of delicious short stories that helped inspire so many of her works( Anne books, Jane of Lantern Hill, Pat of Silver Bush, The Story Girl etc). This is certainly a book that will delight old and new fans.
Expected Publication 21/06/22
Goodreeads review published 06/06/22
#TwiceuponaTime #NetGalley
June 8, 2022
This volume of short stories by L.M. Montgomery examines how she re-worked characters, dialogue, and plots over the years and transferred bits of her work between stories and novels. For instance, some of Anne Shirley's most memorable adventures started out as standalone stories.
This newly published collection is mostly just the stories, with a small amount of commentary for context. So if you like LMM short stories, maybe pick this up, although do be aware that the whole point of it is to draw attention to what is already familiar to fans, so you won't read anything astonishingly new here. If your interest in Montgomery tends towards the scholarly, you may find this work helpful as a way to trace her creative process.
Thanks to Netgalley and University of Toronto Press for a digital review copy!
This newly published collection is mostly just the stories, with a small amount of commentary for context. So if you like LMM short stories, maybe pick this up, although do be aware that the whole point of it is to draw attention to what is already familiar to fans, so you won't read anything astonishingly new here. If your interest in Montgomery tends towards the scholarly, you may find this work helpful as a way to trace her creative process.
Thanks to Netgalley and University of Toronto Press for a digital review copy!
May 30, 2022
These selected stories are a pleasant read especially if like me, you remember the Anne of Green Gables series from childhood. Most of the stories inspire events in her novels or are modified to be used in them. My favourite story was ‘The Little Fellow’s Photograph’, I didn’t expect the turn this story took so it left an impression.
July 21, 2022
I enjoyed reading these unknown stories that played a part in shaping Montgomery's work. Before each story the reader gets background information on how the story came to be and how it shaped Montgomery's famous works.
Thank you NetGalley and University of Toronto Press for the opportunity to read these stories.
Thank you NetGalley and University of Toronto Press for the opportunity to read these stories.
June 10, 2022
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.
I have found Anne Shirley a kindred spirit since I was about eight years old, thus I have always considered L. M. Montgomery a favorite author. I was thrilled to discover that these short stories were being published, especially considering that they were advertised as "lesser-known" stories. What I did not realize, however, is that most of them are excerpts of novels or premature renderings of episodes from the Anne series. So many of these stories I found a bit boring, as I had already read them with different character names. I also found that because the stories are so short it was hard to fall in love with their characters in the same way that I could with Anne's friends and family. Three standout stories for me, though, were "The Indecision of Margaret", "Retribution", and "Tomorrow Comes". I especially loved "The Indecision of Margaret", as I could easily identify with the 'old maid' character who knew her own mind, wanted to marry, but didn't want to settle for just any man. I'm glad I read these stories, but I think I need to read more of Montgomery's published work and more of her biography before possibly returning to these stories.
I have found Anne Shirley a kindred spirit since I was about eight years old, thus I have always considered L. M. Montgomery a favorite author. I was thrilled to discover that these short stories were being published, especially considering that they were advertised as "lesser-known" stories. What I did not realize, however, is that most of them are excerpts of novels or premature renderings of episodes from the Anne series. So many of these stories I found a bit boring, as I had already read them with different character names. I also found that because the stories are so short it was hard to fall in love with their characters in the same way that I could with Anne's friends and family. Three standout stories for me, though, were "The Indecision of Margaret", "Retribution", and "Tomorrow Comes". I especially loved "The Indecision of Margaret", as I could easily identify with the 'old maid' character who knew her own mind, wanted to marry, but didn't want to settle for just any man. I'm glad I read these stories, but I think I need to read more of Montgomery's published work and more of her biography before possibly returning to these stories.
May 27, 2022
I have devoured and collected anything by or about LMM since I was 11 years old. Lefebvre has produced a third volume of selected LMM articles to delight readers. I liked how he provided context and background for each story. Most are recycled or altered by Montgomery and he points out where else readers can find them, especially in the Anne stories.
Curl up on the couch with a cup of tea and explore the classic world of LMM. She never goes out of style.
Thanks to the University of Toronto Press and NetGalley for the early copy.
Curl up on the couch with a cup of tea and explore the classic world of LMM. She never goes out of style.
Thanks to the University of Toronto Press and NetGalley for the early copy.
January 14, 2024
This book contains short stories by L.M. Montgomery, most well known for her Anne and Emily books. These stories are chosen because they contain early versions of scenes, characters, or full stories that would later play a part in her novels. Although these stories have elements that are familiar to readers of Montgomery's books, most of them are different enough from their later forms to still be engaging as stories, even beyond the academic merit of setting those later works in context.
For those who are familiar with Montgomery's extensive short story canon, this collection contains some stories that are gathered in other published collections, but most of the stories were new in that format. Most (if not all) of them can be found for free on Faded Page and the Ryrie Campbell Collection of digitized works, but without the additional commentary that Benjamin Lefebvre provides.
For those who are familiar with Montgomery's extensive short story canon, this collection contains some stories that are gathered in other published collections, but most of the stories were new in that format. Most (if not all) of them can be found for free on Faded Page and the Ryrie Campbell Collection of digitized works, but without the additional commentary that Benjamin Lefebvre provides.
June 6, 2023
I love short story collections as they allow me to fill in the gaps between books. Often times when I finish a novel, I'm not ready to jump head first into another book. These collections allow me to take a quick break or dip into another world. L.M.Montgomery has long been one of my favorite authors. I didn't enjoy this collection as much as I have previous collections, but I was happy to add this to my LMM library.
May 2, 2022
A comforting collection of short stories with a classics vibe overall. I think they’re read best if you’re super familiar with most of Montgomery’s works and/or are studying her writing. Lovely.
May 16, 2022
Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Reader copy of the ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I loved getting an insight into some of Maud's revisions but mostly reworking her short stories so they could be woven into her book manuscripts.
Each short story has an introduction to where we as fans of Montgomery's works have seen it in the books and where the short story was originally published, helping to put each shirt story into context.
At the end, there was a lengthy Afterword where Lefevbre discusses some of Maud's arguments with her publisher, but then goes into far too long detail discussing Maud's predecessors and contemporaries and the reasons for reworking periodical works into novel length works. That was why I gave the book only 4 stars. If there hadn't been such a long discussion that went on for pages and pages at the end, I would have given the book 5 stars.
I loved getting an insight into some of Maud's revisions but mostly reworking her short stories so they could be woven into her book manuscripts.
Each short story has an introduction to where we as fans of Montgomery's works have seen it in the books and where the short story was originally published, helping to put each shirt story into context.
At the end, there was a lengthy Afterword where Lefevbre discusses some of Maud's arguments with her publisher, but then goes into far too long detail discussing Maud's predecessors and contemporaries and the reasons for reworking periodical works into novel length works. That was why I gave the book only 4 stars. If there hadn't been such a long discussion that went on for pages and pages at the end, I would have given the book 5 stars.
April 27, 2022
Anne of Green Gables is a comfort read for me, one of my first favorites.
These stories are of similar fashion, many even pulled into Anne's story with some tweaking.
The character are lovable, well meaning, but prone to mistakes and missteps. However all own these and everything turns out right in the end.
These is an excellent collection for any LM Montgomery fans needing a happy little escape.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.
These stories are of similar fashion, many even pulled into Anne's story with some tweaking.
The character are lovable, well meaning, but prone to mistakes and missteps. However all own these and everything turns out right in the end.
These is an excellent collection for any LM Montgomery fans needing a happy little escape.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.
June 3, 2024
L.M. Montgomery, beloved author and prolific writer, not only published 22 works of fiction, but also hundreds of short stories and periodicals throughout her lifetime. Her short stories are just as lively and beautiful as her full-length works. In this collection of some of her short stories, Benjamin Lefebvre adds commentary and discussion of a selection of them.
Some of the stories would later make their way into her full-length novels as well, so it was reallt interesting to see her thought process, and the "works in progress" so to say. One doesn't always get a chance to take a peek into the writer's process, but these selections, along with their commentary were helpful in creating a window into Montgomery's mind.
The commentary and discussion were easy to follow, and enriched the reading.
Whether you are a Montgomery scholar, a long-time fan, or someone looking for writing insights, this volume offers insight into Montgomery's creative process. It is also just lovely to see her stories in a way not seen before.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC. All comments and opinions are my own.
Some of the stories would later make their way into her full-length novels as well, so it was reallt interesting to see her thought process, and the "works in progress" so to say. One doesn't always get a chance to take a peek into the writer's process, but these selections, along with their commentary were helpful in creating a window into Montgomery's mind.
The commentary and discussion were easy to follow, and enriched the reading.
Whether you are a Montgomery scholar, a long-time fan, or someone looking for writing insights, this volume offers insight into Montgomery's creative process. It is also just lovely to see her stories in a way not seen before.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC. All comments and opinions are my own.
August 24, 2022
My greatest bias as I approached this book was that Anne and her life were the first time I felt a thrill as I read. As a child who had been feeding on Famous Five and the like prior to finding these books, it was fun but not as emotionally rewarding as some of Anne's tales.
This collection helped me get a new perspective on the writing process. Many of the stories here were ones that were later repurposed as part of a larger series. Some names were changed, and some endings were tweaked for the final publication, but this is where the editor's notes helped provide more depth.
Each story is preceded by a very detailed background of when and where each story was published. This is a collection of some choice moments of the stories I adore. There were some scenes that I had forgotten or deemed not that touching, but when seen as an individual chapter here, I ended up appreciating it all the more.
I highly recommend this to fans of the author and/or Anne. It could also serve as a possible introduction to someone who has always been interested in the author but did not have the time to read a full-length novel.
The time and place these might have been originally written did play a part in the final presentation, and that was interesting all on its own.
I am not going into the separate chapters for two reasons, the first being that it would not serve much of a purpose since they are all stories of the kind of people she always writes about, and the mischief within is also pretty standard fare. The second and more important reason is that I no longer have the e-copy and did not take notes during and therefore cannot go into too many details.
I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience and the memories it threw up.
This collection helped me get a new perspective on the writing process. Many of the stories here were ones that were later repurposed as part of a larger series. Some names were changed, and some endings were tweaked for the final publication, but this is where the editor's notes helped provide more depth.
Each story is preceded by a very detailed background of when and where each story was published. This is a collection of some choice moments of the stories I adore. There were some scenes that I had forgotten or deemed not that touching, but when seen as an individual chapter here, I ended up appreciating it all the more.
I highly recommend this to fans of the author and/or Anne. It could also serve as a possible introduction to someone who has always been interested in the author but did not have the time to read a full-length novel.
The time and place these might have been originally written did play a part in the final presentation, and that was interesting all on its own.
I am not going into the separate chapters for two reasons, the first being that it would not serve much of a purpose since they are all stories of the kind of people she always writes about, and the mischief within is also pretty standard fare. The second and more important reason is that I no longer have the e-copy and did not take notes during and therefore cannot go into too many details.
I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience and the memories it threw up.
May 31, 2022
I have always been a fan of L.M. Montgomery's works and was thrilled to see this compilation of some of her short stories that were later re-worked into some of her novels. I enjoyed this glimpse into the author's creative process. This book was the perfect read for a rainy afternoon while curled up on the couch with a hot cup of tea. I finished the book on Memorial Day and the final story was very fitting.
While I loved the stories, the afterword went on too long for me so I ended up skimming it.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
While I loved the stories, the afterword went on too long for me so I ended up skimming it.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
May 31, 2022
I just reviewed Twice upon a Time by L.M. Montgomery Edited by Benjamin Lefebvre. #TwiceuponaTime #NetGalley
These selected stories are a great read especially if like me, you remember and love the Anne of Green Gables series from childhood. Most of the stories inspire events in her novels or are modified to be used in the novels. Each short story has an introduction to where fans of Montgomery's works have seen it in the books and where the short story was originally published,
Definitely buy it ! It’s great!!
These selected stories are a great read especially if like me, you remember and love the Anne of Green Gables series from childhood. Most of the stories inspire events in her novels or are modified to be used in the novels. Each short story has an introduction to where fans of Montgomery's works have seen it in the books and where the short story was originally published,
Definitely buy it ! It’s great!!
January 20, 2024
I saved this one for last because--it's L. M. Montgomery and I simply just love her.
Montgomery, mostly known for her Anne books, was also a master at the short story. I have several of her works already and so I knew, going in, that I would enjoy this book.
These stories showcase a lot of Montgomery's more famous work given that some of them were "recycled" into her popular books. So while none of these stories served as "new material", I thoroughly enjoyed reading them in their original form and the commentary from Lefebvre.
Montgomery, mostly known for her Anne books, was also a master at the short story. I have several of her works already and so I knew, going in, that I would enjoy this book.
These stories showcase a lot of Montgomery's more famous work given that some of them were "recycled" into her popular books. So while none of these stories served as "new material", I thoroughly enjoyed reading them in their original form and the commentary from Lefebvre.
May 28, 2022
I enjoyed the collection of short stories from this compilation. I would say its a good break when you used to big novels. A classic stories from each authors and each brings a cozy feel and simplicity of the atmosphere being delivered on each short stories.
3.5/5 stars.
3.5/5 stars.
January 9, 2023
I really enjoyed this book! The story was really good and I loved the characters! I hope to read more by this author in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and to the author for the ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and to the author for the ARC!
October 31, 2022
I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Beautiful cover. A good women's fiction novel. Recommend
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews