Perennials Podcast Book Club

In the last chapter of Anne of Green Gables, Marilla receives unwelcome news, and Anne makes a choice that changes the direction of her future. Anne and Gilbert share an exchange that has been years in the making.

In Chapter 37, Green Gables is marked by a heartbreaking death. Anne touches deep grief for the first time, and wrestles with enjoying life while holding space for what has been lost. 

In Chapter 36 of Anne of Green Gables, one of Anne's dreams comes true: she wins the Avery scholarship, which means that she can go to Redmond College in the fall. She returns to Green Gables for the summer, happy and satisfied but also exhausted by all of her hard work--and it turns out that Matthew and Marilla are exhausted too. Both are facing health problems and money worries, and Anne is worried too. 

In Chapter 35 of Anne of Green Gables, Anne notices that Gilbert has been spending a lot of time with Ruby Gillis, and we see the seeds planted for Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me." While Anne's friends worry themselves half to death over exams, Anne takes the longview and tells them to focus on the chestnut buds. Life is good, and Anne is here for it. After the chapter reading, you'll hear chapter reflections between me and my friend Katie Devine. Katie is a middle school teacher of language arts and social studies who has been my book club buddy for over six years now. In our conversation, we talk about the trope of "she's not like other girls," Anne's growing respect for Gilbert and the maturity she displays in her reverence for chestnut buds over anxiety. 

In Chapter 34 of Anne of Green Gables, Anne says goodbye to Diana, Matthew and Marilla and departs for her first semester at Queen's College. Though she'll be back at Green Gables in a week to visit, this goodbye is a doozy, especially for Marilla. Will Marilla tell Anne what she means to her? Will Anne make friends at Queen's? And will Anne realize that there's more to Gilbert than his splendid chin? After the chapter reading, stick around for reflections with my personal Diana, Melissa Adamo. Melissa is a longtime lover of Anne of Green Gables and a college writing instructor who shares what she'll be taking from this chapter of Anne back into her own college classroom. We talk about our first semesters at college, coping with transitions, and our thoughts on ambition.