LM Montgomery is best known for her novels, especially the Anne and Emily series, and I also really like The Blue Castle. But fewer people know that she was also a prolofic and competent short story writer to magazines, and she knew how to pen really interesting characters in her short fiction as well. A few of her stories are brilliant, some are more medicore, but all of them are enjoyable to read. This collection and Chronicles of Avonlea are my favorites.

I have read two other collection of LMM's short stories and find this one my favorite. First of all, I like the idea of how the writing of a journal, a letter or an invitation could change a person's life. I don't know if this is still possible in today's world anymore. But it all seems so true to me when I read stories that took place nearly a hundred years ago. I just wish I could live in those times when letter-writing was so much more common and treasured than now. Reading this book let me realize some of the important values that people nowadays have sometimes forgotten, for instance, the importance of a promise. Besides, what makes this book so neat is that all the stories in this collection are heart-warming and have good endings.

As with all of L.M. Montgomery's poignant short stories, many of these left me teary. Even though the endings may be predictable, Montgomery's words give depth to her characters and bring each story about love and loss a richness of feeling that sometimes -- in this age of irony-- we forget that each important event in a person's life deserves.

If you love Anne of Greengables and the rest of LM Montgomery's book, you'll love this one too. It's a great book for when you're curled up in your bed and it's cold out. Get it.

This heart warming book is a fabulous book. It makes readers think that there're lots of generous people who can help you when you feel sad or if you think that Christmas or New YEar is not that exicting.

This book is so charming and gentle. It is filled with lovely stories of Christmases past. All of them have a message of the true meanings of Christmas: giving, loving, sharing, forgiving, and family. The stories are so simple and fresh in today's day and age. Lucy Maud Montgomery is a treasure in any child's library. This is no exception. There is a light warm feeling that comes from reading this book. There are enough stories to count down the days of Christmas with your children with a story each night. What a lovely way to wind down a day, and tuck them in with a warm feeling inside!

This collection of Christmas and New Year stories full of the spirit of the season. It is a wonderful, heart-warming book to be treaured all year long. It lets it's readers know that at Christmas time, and at New Year's as well, anything can happen as long as their are kind and generous people in the world.

L.M. Montgomery is most likely the only author whose every book I relish. She can weave sentences together and ideas to make the most delicious plots. Being a VERY avid Montgomery reader, I read all her works. After Many Days has wonderful stories and does not lose that Avonlea-like feeling of the Anne Shirley books. You won't be disappointed if you ever read this book.

"After Many Days" is one of my favourite thematic volumes of LMM's short stories. These stories deal with people who set things "right" after years of misunderstanding or absence. "In the Old Valley" and "Between the Hill and the Valley", both stories of love which survives time and separation, are among my favourite LMM stories out of any collection. There are no surprises in this book - if you are familiar with LMM's work you will find more of the same here. This collection stands out from the others for its honest poignancy, which strikes me anew every time I read it.

After Many Days is an awesome book! If you liked the Anne series, you will probably love this book. It is full of short stories about events and times that have passed by. They are all extremely touching, and have an advantage over some of her other books, because you can read a whole story in a matter of a few minutes.

This book contains mysteries and spooky tales--not the kind of stories this author is famous for--but after reading the book I was pleasantly surprised! Lucy can write so many kinds of things. Also there are morals included which she does so well. There are stories that will make you laugh, cry, and shake your head at the actions the characters take! But also there are characters not unlike those in the Anne and Emily books Lucy created. The only part I didn't like was the one story called "Some Fools and a Saint", it just ran to long and some parts confused me (can't tell you got to read it) but I guess that's why their called fools! lol I loved the rest of the stories and its hard to pick the best b/c their all so good. But here are a few: "The House Party at Smoky Island" "The Tryst with the White Lady" (as seen on the cover) "White Magic" "The Closed Door" "A Redeeming Sacrafice" and many many more! 20 stories in all and I highly reccomend you get this book--it has totally sold me on getting more collections of short stories by this author!

One of the very very few chances to view Lucy Maud Montgomery in a darker light. These tales are all excellent and interesting, as L.M. touches on the supernatural, gothic, and mystery. "The Red Room," is L.M.'s attempt at a gothic story, and her powers of description and story-telling don't let her down. "Some Fools and a Saint," the longest story in the collection, is a truly wonderful mystery story - and you probably won't guess how this one turns out either.

This is my favorite collection of L.M. tales, because it's diverse and adult, and for once L.M. lets darker characters and events have their way, instead of her tales with the more upbeat, romantic, happily-ever-after plots. Although I love all of her other books, I think "Among the Shadows" is a compelling group of stories which shouldn't be missed - especially by any L.M. fan.

I have read most of the new collections of Lucy Maud Montgomery's short stories with enjoyment, but you do have to take the experience with a grain of salt. Due to the way that the short stories are being grouped - stories of orphans, stories of the sea, stories of marriage and etc - it can get rather tedious to read several stories all on the same theme. The best way to read most of these books in the first place is one story at a time - pick it up, flip to a story, and read it, then put it down. Some of the collections are worse than others - Akin to Anne, for example, is one of the most difficult. However, "Against the Odds" is one of the better ones. It's not half as exasperating as some of the others, as the struggles each person faces varies. One of my favorite stories features a boy who gets locked in the attic, and has to escape and walk a long distance in a dress in order to make a debate speech he promised his teacher he'd be there for. Another chronicles the journey of two girls who face bad weather and worse in order to reach a wedding they were invited to, while another features a young girl who must find some scheme to get money to send her brother and herself off to college. You'll admire the clever, stubborn and spirited characters in this book and as usual Montgomery's story-telling style is winesome and amusing. Her short stories, which previously have been lost, are great to discover if you just like light reading before bed (many of her stories are great to read to kids at bedtime too), and imperative to have if you're a Montgomery fan. She seldom lets you down.

This book was creative yet predictable..In it you will find a few funnys a few serious and a couple heartwarming storys... I reccomend you add it to your shopping cart.

The problem with putting together a collection of stories thatshare the same theme--in this case, overcoming obstacles--is that thestories tend to blend together and very quickly seem predictable. And, let's face it, LMM does tend to reuse plot elements, making sure, like one of her own thrifty characters, that she's getting all the wear out of her material. Even under these handicaps, however, some stories manage to shine. The book opens with one of the best in the collection, "A Patent Medicine Testimonial," which is funny and stands out because of the way in which the heroine accomplishes her aim. "Where There is a Will There is a Way," despite its prissily correct tile, is my favourite of the collection. It's a very simple, very short story about a boy whose guardian won't even let him take part in a debate, much less go to college. He defies her, humiliating himself deeply in the process, and in proving his mettle, wins his guardian's approval. Typical LMM, done in her best style. The last story in the book, "The Strike at Putney," is a close second. The elders of Putney's church decide to improve on Paul and say that not only can no woman preach in church, she can't even give a missionary talk. The women thereupon strike. As one of the characters says, "if women aren't good enough to speak in church they are not good enough to work for it either." It's a humourous take on the battle of sexes that raises some good questions about women's role in the church. These three stories alone make the book worth buying, for they are sure to be read and reread.

This book is a collection of several short stories, and all of them have happy endings - at least for the two people who get married at the end of each story! Some of the stories did have a third party, rejected by the bride or groom, who wasn't happy, of course.

As with all short story collections, this is a mix of some extremely good and some rather tepid stories. All are brought to life by the beauty of the writing and innocence of the characters. And yes, this is not - certainly NOT - a read for the cynicals or those in a dark mood. Read it when you are in cheerier mood -and you would find the whole set of stories pretty enjoyable. On the whole, its a good set of stories and a must for any LMM collection.

The key to Montgomery's writing is her ability to create likeable heroines, whether they are spunky like Anne Shirley or wispy and compulsively obedient old maids. It's clear that she recycles plots and characters, and yet each story is as delightful as all the others. There is something to be said about a vast compendium of short and sweet stories, and Montgomery has the rare gift being sentimental without triteness.

"Akin to Anne" is really boring, Yes,some stories are intresting,but most end in the same monotonous way:"Oh,your last name is ----!I had a half-sister/stepsister/sister who went out west and we never wrote to her because she married poorly!Her husband/middle name/grandmother's name was - (whatever the person's name)!" You may try to deny it,but it's true!

Reading this book, you will meet many orphans who are sweet and dreamy but haven't been loved. But you are assured of happy endings in these short stories just as in other Montgomery's works. If you have already read many of them, you'll find the same character traits, plots and dramatic events several times in this book, but her stories are enchanting even with similar plots. And I'm sure you'll feel happy and optimistic after reading those stories. Like myself you may feel happy to imagine how those characters and plots have been woven into Anne series.

As a girl, I read all of the Anne books, the Emily books, and many of the other books by Lucy Maud Montgomery. As a young woman, I re-read all these books and found more in them than I had ever found in childhood. They are all timeless stories. I found Akin To Anne by accident, and I grabbed it off the shelf. It was as wonderful as I thought it would be. The heartwarming and engaging stories will leave a lasting impression. You will not soon forget these children, and you will spend many happy hours reading this book.