Lucy Maud Montgomery, OBE (November 30, 1874 – April 24, 1942), sometimes known as L.M. Montgomery, was an English author who lived from 1874 to 1942. Montgomery was a Canadian author best known for the Anne of Green Gables series, which began in 1908. The book was a huge hit right away. Montgomery's core character, an orphaned child named Anne Shirley, made her famous during her lifetime and gained her an international following.