Maud: The Life of LM Montgomery

Lori McLeod is a librarian with the Toronto Public Library.

Lucy Maud Montgomery has brought enjoyment to countless numbers through
her books and the films, musicals, and television programs that have
been based on her popular characters. Bruce introduces readers to the
woman who created one of Canada’s best-loved literary heroines, Anne
of Green Gables.

This biography is a portrait of a literary life. Bruce commences his
study in the winter of 1896–97, when Maud was teaching school in the
small village of Belmont. He demonstrates Maud’s discipline and her
need to write as a way of dealing with her troubled life. He then goes
back in time to examine her family roots. He discusses the influences
that shaped her writing: her lonely youth, her intense love of nature
and of her home province. Throughout the study, Bruce notes similarities
and differences between Maud and her fictional creations.

Bruce has made Maud as interesting as any of her own characters. Not
only do we learn about a literary life, we also gain an understanding of
the social history of Prince Edward Island. This enjoyable biography is
highly recommended for young people.