Author Gammel shows how a literary classic was born. Lucy Maud Montgomery's own life began in the rural Cavendish family farmhouse on Prince Edward Island, the place that became the inspiration for Green Gables. Mailmen brought the world to the farmhouse's kitchen door in the form of American mass market periodicals, sparking young Maud's imagination. She pored over these magazines, gleaning bits of information about how to dress, how to behave and how a proper young lady should grow. One photo that especially intrigued her was that of Evelyn Nesbit, model for painters and photographers and lover of Stanford White. That photo was the spark for what became Anne Shirley. Blending biography with cultural history, this book is a gold mine for fans of the novels.--From publisher description.