Since a couple of people are posting their stories of how Anne has inpacted their lives, I thought I'd do the same ...
I first read Anne of Green Gables (the original edition) when I was around eight or nine or so. I was always a bookworm, but I was at a bit of a loss at what to read at that point. We were at the local library and my mum found two books for me to read: Anne of Green Gables and What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge (that one's still one of my favourites). Since I live in Australia, the edition I borrowed from the library was this one (see picture):
The cover of the first Anne of Green Gables I read.
I didn't just read Anne of Green Gables: I devoured it. And when I was ten I was so infatuated with the series that I bought the first seven books for my birthday (unfortunately the shop didn't have a copy of Rilla of Ingleside). That was the first time I read Anne of Windy Poplars, actually -- after I bought it.
In Australia, as well as a few other countries, Anne of Windy Poplars is also available as an alternate edition titled Anne of Windy Willows (see that page for more info). I borrowed a copy of Anne of Windy Willows from the library and made up a list of the differences between Windy Poplars and Windy Willows, which I will publish on this wiki when I have time to format it properly.
Oh, I almost forgot! I have watched Kevin Sullivan's version of Anne of Green Gables, but none of its sequels (haven't gotten around to it, I'm afraid) and have seen the 1934 black-and-white version starring Anne Shirley and Tom Brown. It's available on YouTube if you want to see it.
Since I first discovered Anne I have read and enjoyed many other books (including the wonderful Harry Potter series), but Anne for me has never lost her spice and flavour. Every time I pick up the first book (or open it on Kobo on my phone) it's like the first time -- I'm back there, at Green Gables, watching a freckle-faced orphan find the home she always wanted.
-- *Ginny*leave a message 06:37, December 2, 2012 (UTC)