I must say, I’m slightly sad that LM Montgomery month is coming to an end on the blog, with the last post going up tomorrow. It has been wonderful to take a theme and explore it, and to share my love of her. (And to have so many fantastic discussions with so many of you.) And I am happy to say, I am not the only person who loves Emily of New Moon and Anne of Green Gables. Today’s post is all about the famous fans of LM Montgomery, whose company we share!
If you have missed any of my other LM Montgomery Month posts, you can find them here!
May is L.M. Montgomery Month – An introduction to the month
Who Was L.M. Montgomery? – Looking at the woman behind these incredible books!
If You Like Anne of Green Gables, You Should Read… – My best book recommendations for anyone who loves Anne!
The Best L.M. Montgomery Resources – If you want to know more about Montgomery, her life, and her works, I’ve got you covered!
The Fashion of LM Montgomery– I explore some of the fashion trends during Montgomery’s life!
The Best LM Montgomery Adaptations – If you are in the mood to watch or listen rather than read, these LM Montgomery adaptations are for you!
Why I Choose Emily of New Moon Over Anne of Green Gables – Anne Shirley gets all of the attention, but I think that Emily Byrd Starr deserves far more!
Style History: Lucile – Lucile, aka Lady Duff-Gordon was one of LM Montgomery’s contemporaries, and one of the most fascinating women of the early twentieth century!
Famous Fans of LM Montgomery
Before I dive into specific people, I feel like I do need to give credit to all of the Anne of Green Gables fans in Japan. I think that they are often treated like they are ridiculous but I think that they deserve respect like any other fan! The series was originally brought to Japan in the 1930s by New Brunswick missionary Loretta Shaw, but she had to leave with the outbreak of World War II. Hanako Muraoko was a Japanese translator who met Shaw, and secretly translated Anne of Green Gables during the war, quietly sharing it with friends. After the war ended, it was chosen by the government for school curriculum, and is still required reading now. While the popularity of Anne in Japan does depend on whether or not there is a new project out (there was a boost in popularity because of Anne With an E), there are still Anne Shirley fan clubs, and there is even a recreated Green Gables in Japan.
The Journal of LM Montgomery Studies has a fantastic article on this!
Mindy Kaling
You might not immediately connect Mindy Kaling and LM Montgomery, but Kaling is apparently a big fan of Montgomery’s works. In a 2015 LA Times interview for the release of Why Not Me? she discussed her favourite books, characters, and literary worlds. And Prince Edward Island and Anne of Green Gables made the cut! “The other book world I would like to live in is “Anne of Green Gables.” Living on Prince Edward Island would be so badass.” (LA Times)
Kaling is an intelligent and creative writer, when you look at all of the television and film scripts she’s worked on, not to mention her books. It really is a perfect literary pairing!
Nadia from Russian Doll
Okay, I know that this is a fictional character. However, I can’t pass up an Emily of New Moon reference, and a prominent one at that! In the show, Nadia says “Everybody loves Anne. But I like Emily. She’s dark.” Emily’s story is embedded throughout the story of Russian Doll, and Nadia leans on her memories of Emily. I have to say, I didn’t expect LM Montgomery to show up in a fairly violent Netflix show, but I’m all for it introducing her to new fans.
Mark Twain
I’ve got to say, this is always one that shocks me. Mark Twain looks like he might be the grumpiest author I’ve seen. (At least in photos…) Born as Samuel Langhorne Clemens, he was best known for his novels, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He was a staunch Anti-Imperialist in his later years, and a strong supporter of abolition. I see similarities between Twain and Montgomery, in their very passionate views about world events.
Of Anne, he said: she “is the dearest and most loveable child in fiction since the immortal Alice”. Given that Twain’s own novels feature children facing difficult situations while growing up, it seems appropriate praise!
The Duchess of Cambridge
I fully admit my bias, but I think that the Duchess of Cambridge is one of the most influential Anne of Green Gables fans in the last decade. In 2011, shortly after their April wedding at Westminster Abbey, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge set out on a Canadian tour. And the Duchess apparently asked to visit Prince Edward Island because of her love for Anne!
While they weren’t able to visit Green Gables on their tour, Catherine did get to have an Anne of Green Gables moment. The couple met the actors who were playing Anne and Matthew in Anne of Green Gables: the Musical, the long-running favourite of the Charlottetown Festival. Here is hoping Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis also grow up reading about Anne Shirley and Emily Starr!
Were you surprised by any of these famous fans of LM Montgomery? Have I missed any?
Cheers,
The Historian
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
