Blair Water Literary Society: You're Invited

Episode Transcript

(00:06):
Dear friends, you are cordiallyinvited to join the Blair Water
Literary Society, hosted by me,Erin Keane.
On this show, we'll be readingand discussing Emily of New Moon
by L.
M.
Montgomery, Maud to her friends.
If you're new to Emily, you maybe familiar with Maud's more
famous heroine, one Anne ofGreen Gables.

(00:30):
Come with me back to 1899, tothe old North Shore of Prince
Edward Island, the smallest ofthe Canadian Maritime Provinces.
A motherless girl with a bigimagination who loves to read
and write has just learned thather beloved father is dying.
In a matter of weeks, Emily ByrdStarr will be sent to live with

(00:51):
her maiden aunts on the familyfarm.
A cozy, old fashioned placestill lit with candles.
No newfangled lamps for theMurrays of New Moon.
Here, she will become one cornerof an iconic friendship square,
let her big mouth and daydreamsget her into a lot of trouble,
and solve a painful mystery,while learning to become part of

(01:12):
the very proud family her motherran away from for love.
New Moon Farm runs ontraditions, and we're going to
talk about them.
We'll also dig into the clothesand food of New Moon and Blair
Water.
We'll talk about Emily'sambition, which defines her in
my eyes, and we'll also diveinto Maud's writing and how much

(01:32):
of her own life is infused intoEmily's story.
And for you, Emily fans, yes, wewill get into the Dean Priest of
it all.
I'm your host, Erin Keane.
I'm a journalist, a creativewriting professor, and the
author of Runaway, one of NPR'sfavorite books of 2022.
Emily of New Moon was myfavorite book when I was 12.

(01:56):
Emily is kind of weird, a littlepsychic, a little melancholy,
she has a temper, and a wickedtongue.
She decides one day to become apoet, and then just does it.
I feel an instant connection tofellow Emily girls, and a deep
desire to make more of us.
So whether you know all of AuntNancy's best gossip or you've
never even set foot in LoftyJohn's Bush, grab a copy of the

(02:20):
book and a candle.
We have an alpine path to climb.