Our ward book group read Anne of Green Gables for our April selection. It was my month to host. I had my doubts about how well the discussion would go--I've never considered Anne a discussion book. Besides, having read it so many times myself, I didn't expect to find any new insights.
Stilll, as it was my job to "lead" the discussion, I took my assignment to heart and tried to read the novel with different eyes--critical eyes. After all, Montgomery's book might very well be the most famous children's book of all time. Published in June 1908, after nearly 100 years this book is as relevant and beautiful as the day it was printed.
Suffice to say, I found myself saying again, "If Anne had known me, I would have been a kindred spirit--the dearest of her dear chums." As I read this time, I realized just how much of Anne is IN me, because I read this book at such an impressionable age. (View this clip at 5:30.) And though I've loved this book for many years, until Thursday I've always relegated it to the kids' shelf, but I think my perspective has changed. Labels like "juvenile" and "young adult" lose a lot of meaning when you are just talking about GREAT literature.
So, happy birthday Anne. Thanks for helping to make me who I am. If I ever have a daughter I promise to introduce you to her one day. And if I don't, then there may be grand-daughters.
2 comments:
Perhaps some day I should read this book. I hope my daughter reads stuff like this instead of some of the things I read as a kid. Hopefully one of these days we'll start reading stuff together like this.
My youngest daughter read Anne at eight and loved it. In fact, she saw me reading your post and noticed the picture and picked right up that it was Anne of Green Gables. (She's seen some of the DVDs too.) I, for one, am forever imprinted with the concept of "kindred spirits." Thanks for being one of mine.
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