Montgomery's own letters, photographs and newspaper articles help illuminate the persona little known beyond the Anne of Green Gables legend - the young Dalhousie student, the nurturing mother and social arbiter, the cat lover, accomplished thespian and avid photographer.

We meet her many beaux and suitors, learn how she coped with economic difficulty during the Depression, and discover how she challenged the exploitive nature of her first publisher, L.C. Page.

Intriguing essays by leading experts shed new light on this fascinating and sometimes troubled genius. Maty Rubio tells us how the private journals of Prince Edward Island's most cherished treasure ended up in Guelph, Ontario alongside one of Maud's literary ancestors, Edith Katherine Smith explores the complex and often contradictory aspects of the passionate puritan, and Sandra Gwyn discusses Maud's influence on such widely-known contemporary authors, as Kit Pearson, Jane Urquhart, and winner of the 1998 Giller Prize, Alice Munro.

Rounding out this fascinating and eclectic treasure trove is a detailed account of Anne of Green Gables festivals world wide, e-mail addresses to all Lucy Maud Montgomery newsletters, web-sites, and much, much more.