The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery

Poor poor woman. I could scarcely put it down. But it brings up many questions. Why did she think that Mr. Leard, the Love of her life, was not worthy of her? Why did no one ask her husband Mr. McDonald what the heck was bothering him? Why did she not know in 5 years of courtship that something was terribly wrong with him? Poor, poor woman. The synthesis of this book is when she asks herself why a woman that she felt was mean and hateful was happy and she was not. Indeed, why?

The third in the series, this journal continues to reveal L.M. Montongomery's life. Anyone with roots in Canada or an interest in history can enjoy this book as it documents the daily lives and routines of Canadians in the early 20th century by someone with a fluid pen who is right in the middle of it. It is as if you are reading your own grandparents or great grandparents diaries. Commenting on many aspects of the times, she very poiginately adresses the disinigration of the church body and the advances of science. A voracious reader herself, she revisits old favourites and reviews new literature and even addresses the point of pornography. She continually comments on the type of society she moves in as she hides her husbands meloncholia, attempts to hide a lost-lawsuit, and despite her great succes as an author, continues to be the minister's wife first. She writes more about the effects of her success in this volume and describes how it has affected tourism in her home in Cavendish. All the while, giving us insight into her very real daily life of her boys growing up and leaving for school, her older friends passing away, and her continual search for members of the race of Joseph--kindred spirits, real friends. It is a also a great book for people to read who are looking for mentors. L.M. Montgomery is a great Canadian woman and this series of her journals helps us see why without only seeing the perfect her. It is a charmer with great bits for dinner parties with friends. I eagerly await the final volumes.