Anne of Windy Poplars, L.M. Montgomery’s twenty-second book, was published in August 1936 by McClelland & Stewart and Frederick A. Stokes Company. It appeared in the UK and Australia as Anne of Windy Willows.
« Mistress Pat: A Novel of Silver Bush (1935) | Jane of Lantern Hill (1937) »
Contents
About Anne of Windy Poplars
Dedication
Chapters
Editions of Anne of Windy Poplars
Adaptations of Anne of Windy Poplars
Reviews of Anne of Windy Poplars
About Anne of Windy Poplars
Anne of Windy Poplars is the ninth of eleven books to feature Montgomery’s protagonist Anne Shirley Blythe, preceded by Anne of Green Gables (1908), Anne of Avonlea (1909), Chronicles of Avonlea (1912), Anne of the Island (1915), Anne’s House of Dreams (1917), Rainbow Valley (1919), Further Chronicles of Avonlea (1920), and Rilla of Ingleside (1921). Fifteen years after claiming publicly and privately that she was finished with Anne Shirley Blythe, she began the first of three books that fill in some of the gaps in the existing series: Anne of Windy Poplars, the first of these, was followed by Anne of Ingleside (1939) and The Blythes Are Quoted (2009). It was preceded by Mistress Pat: A Novel of Silver Bush (1935) and followed by Jane of Lantern Hill (1937).
Anne of Windy Poplars backtracks to the three-year period between Anne of the Island and Anne’s House of Dreams, during which time Anne works as the principal of Summerside High School. The novel is told partly in the form of letters to Gilbert at medical school, and because the overall continuity of Anne’s life has already been set, Montgomery had to be careful not to introduce elements that would be incompatible with the books already available. The book appeared with some minor textual differences as Anne of Windy Willows in the UK and Australia.
Dedication
To
the friends of Anne
everywhere
Chapters
Part I: The First Year
Part II: The Second Year
Part III: The Third Year
Editions of Anne of Windy Poplars
McClelland and Stewart (Toronto) published the first Canadian edition of Anne of Windy Poplars in 1936. Later McClelland and Stewart editions included a Cavendish Library edition in 1947, a Canadian Favourites edition in 1973, and a new edition in 1989.
Frederick A. Stokes Company (New York) published the first U.S. edition of Anne of Windy Poplars in 1936. It is identical to the first Canadian edition. Stokes licensed reprint editions to A.L. Burt Company (New York) and Grosset and Dunlap (New York).
George G. Harrap and Company (London) published the first UK edition of Anne of Windy Willows in 1936.
Angus and Robertson (Sydney) published the first Australian edition of Anne of Windy Willows in 1936.
Adaptations of Anne of Windy Poplars
A feature film adaptation of Anne of Windy Poplars, starring Anne Shirley as Anne, appeared in 1940, but it was not critically successful, especially compared to the 1934 Anne of Green Gables film that had preceded it. This book also formed part of the basis of Kevin Sullivan’s television miniseries Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987).
Reviews of Anne of Windy Poplars
Reviews of Anne of Windy Poplars that have been located so far appeared in periodicals from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Volume 3 of The L.M. Montgomery Reader includes the full text of eight reviews of Anne of Windy Poplars.
“The passing of time in no way dims the luster of the ‘Anne’ books’ shining popularity. Their refreshing wholesomeness, vivid description and splendid characterization have so long held fickle public favor that newer authors desirous of basking in the sun of success might take a tip from L.M. Montgomery, dipping their pens in ‘health and happiness’ which combined with a touch of humor and an alluring bit of romance makes an unbeatable combination.”
—Lewiston (ME) Daily Sun
“A light but fascinating tale which shows considerable power of characterisation.”
—The Saturday Review (London)
“Miss Montgomery has a definite flair for this type of novel, and her character studies are full of life and colour. . . . A number of readers will find it a welcome oasis in the arid desert of present-day realism.”
—The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
“One more best-seller example of native Canadian humor.”
—The Toronto Daily Star