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Anne of Green Gables and the Smooth Sounds of the 1980s

At age 13, I unsurprisingly had an Anne of Green Gables phase. What I mean by this is I saw the musical (yes, there's a musical) and promptly bought all the books and read them, mostly on a family road trip to Connecticut, and all while listening to "Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow: The Greatest Hits of Kenny Loggins" on my Discman. As a result of this, I cannot hear the soft rock ballad "Meet Me Halfway" without having a melange of puffed sleeves, currant wine and frustratingly unsexy letters to Gilbert (DAMN YOU, WINDY POPLARS) go whirling about in my head.

My friend and I eventually had an Anne of Green Gables day, which, if memory serves, consisted of my mother's tea set and dyeing our hair red. It was supposed to be highly impermanent, but because we didn't think it worked on me, we did it twice, and then permanent it was indeed.


Since I read this series about half a lifetime ago, these're mainly just impressions that've stuck with me. They are: 


Anne of Green Gables: Hey-hey, this was enjoyable.

Anne of Avonlea: She's...getting older? That's the main thing here, right? Does Gilbert propose for the first time? Surely not. I think some other dudes do, though (here or Anne of the Island which WE WILL GET TO), and the memory of her being like "Omg I thought my refusing them would be romantic but IT WAS THE OPPOSITE OF THAT" because truth. But....no, I'm pretty sure that happens in Island. Maybe this is just her not being 10 anymore.

Anne of the Island: Oh, you mean Sexy McHotpants? Because that's how my 13-year-old brain thinks of this book. "Anne of the Island, a.k.a. THE ONLY ONE WORTH READING?" it says. Because of this, I'm 90% sure Anne and Gilbert kiss. This is pretty much just the book where Anne gets hit on a lot and wants to keep her friendship with Gilbert in the friendship category until she realizes he is the BEST and they should have grownup sleepovers.

Anne of Windy Poplars:

"the murmur of the sea in your ears . . . a summer afternoon in Lover's Lane . . . and you!
"I have just the right kind of pen tonight, Gilbert, and so...


(Two pages omitted.)"


DAMN YOU, ANNE OF WINDY POPLARS. I HOPE THE MILK YOU BUY IS ALWAYS SOUR.

Anne's House of Dreams: There were two china dogs by the fireplace named Gog and Magog. That is the only thing I remember from this book.


Anne of Ingleside: OMG THIS IS THE WORST. But mainly in a "I AM 13 AND CANNOT HANDLE THESE FEELINGS" sort of way. Remember how Anne felt old and tired? And Gilbert was acting all young and sprightly and going out doing his doctor thing and then that girl was flirting with him and DID I MENTION ANNE "CARROTS" SHIRLEY FELT OLD AND TIRED but then it all turns out okay because Gilbert loves Anne for forever? Ugh no, book. Do not toy with my heart in such a way.



There're others, but they get into their kids and I do not care. I should re-read this series. By which I mean re-read the first and third. And that Kenny Loggins album is on Spotify, so I wouldn't even need to try to find my CD (hah, just kidding, I know where it is).

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