The Annals of Ann

In Short

Written as a series of diary entries by an observant and imaginative young girl, this episodic novel captures the humorous realities of small-town and city life. As Ann watches her older cousin, local neighbors, and visiting friends navigate complex courtships, she records their romantic missteps while trying on her own grand ideals of life, literature, and fame. Sharp-eyed yet delightfully naive, she offers candid commentary on everything from local gossip and medical advice to theatrical melodramas. The book endures for its warm, unpretentious humor, capturing the charming transition from child-like innocence to self-conscious adolescence in early twentieth-century America.

The Story

Ann begins her diary inspired by her Cousin Eunice, deciding to keep a record of her life for posterity. Armed with a vivid imagination fueled by Lord Byron and theatrical plays, she documents the everyday drama surrounding her family and neighbors. Her home life is lively: her elder cousin Eunice navigates a summer flirtation with Rufe, while local courtships twist into unexpected entanglements. Ann takes a keen interest in these adult affairs, often overhearing conversations and accidentally setting off misunderstandings or sudden reconciliations.

Domestic life shifts dramatically when Ann’s relative Bertha visits and gives birth to a baby boy, nicknamed Waterloo. Ann finds the child infinitely more interesting than dolls, though far less manageable. Meanwhile, local romance turns upside down when Aunt Laura attempts to win the affections of the local minister, Brother Sheffield. An unfortunate mix-up involving a face cosmetic leads to a public disaster during a medical scare, causing the horrified minister to call off the union and Aunt Laura to depart in anger.

Between visits from eccentric Bohemian couples trying out country living and the domestic upheaval of their beloved long-time cook Mammy Lou marrying a schoolteacher, Ann's world expands. Her parents eventually decide to relocate the family to the city so Ann can attend a proper school. In the city, Ann soaks up culture, frequenting the theater, swooning over dramatic heroes, and picking up romantic aspirations. Her sharp observations continue as she tracks the intricate love lives of those around her, including a misunderstanding involving a visitor named Miss Wilburn and a supposedly deceased lover who turns out to be very much alive.

As Ann grows older, her romantic fantasies shift from heroic stage figures to more personal reflections. She writes reams of dramatic poetry, tries homemade beauty remedies with her friend Jean, and participates in playful superstitious rituals like gazing into old wells at midnight to glimpse a future husband. Traveling down to Florida with her family, she marvels at the vibrant scenery, visits historic landmarks, and pokes good-natured fun at sight-seeing guides. Throughout every move and seasonal shift, Ann maintains her buoyant, inquisitive nature, gradually outgrowing her childish antics while retaining her sharp wit and love for life's endless melodramas.

How It Unfolds

A diary begins Ann starts recording her thoughts after peeking into her Cousin Eunice’s diary, resolving to become famous or at least leave a journal for her grandchildren. She observes the romantic disputes around her, inadvertently pushing her cousin and a local suitor back together.

New arrivals and broken matches The household expands when Bertha arrives and gives birth to baby Waterloo, bringing late nights and endless domestic commotion. Aunt Laura attempts to woo the local minister, but a comical mix-up with facial whitening cream destroys the courtship during a sudden scare.

Bohemians and city moves Ann observes the trials of married life through visiting city acquaintances who find country living far less idyllic than expected. To further Ann's education, her parents pack up the household and move to the city, exposing Ann to theater, grand plays, and city society.

Romantic entanglements Back in the country for holidays and social gatherings, Ann tracks complex romantic triangles among her older friends and visitors. She witnesses awkward introductions, overhears secret proposals, and records the hilarious missteps of suitors trying to impress local young women.

Growing up and looking ahead Ann begins writing poetry by the preserve jar, attempts beauty rituals with her friend Jean, and embarks on a family trip to Florida. Looking back over her journal entries, she realizes how much her tastes and outlook have matured since she first put pen to paper.

The People

• Ann, the young diarist and narrator, wants to become a famous opera singer or heroic figure. What stands in her way is her youthful lack of experience, her family's insistence that she learn practical housework, and her tendency to misunderstand adult situations; she ends up growing into a thoughtful, creative teenager who trades childish antics for writing poetry.
• Cousin Eunice, Ann's fashionable older cousin, wants a dignified romantic life and to be taken seriously by her suitors. Her progress is hampered by summer flirtations and local gossip, but she ultimately maintains her posture as the family's romantic ideal.
• Rufe, a family friend and suitor, wants to win Eunice's affections without being held back by past romantic misunderstandings. He struggles against Eunice's stubborn pride before successfully re-establishing his place in her favor.
• Mammy Lou, the family's long-serving cook, wants to maintain her authority in the kitchen while seizing an unexpected chance at city life and marriage. Though torn between family loyalty and her own desires, she marries an educated teacher to seek new opportunities.
• Bertha, a relative who stays with the family, wants a quiet place to recover and raise her newborn baby, Waterloo. She endures the chaos of a busy household and the playful interference of the younger children.

In Its Own Voice

"Nearly every page I turned to in hers was filled full of poetry, which stuff never did make good sense to me, besides the trouble it puts you to by having to start every line with a fresh capital."

Ann explains why her first attempt to copy her older cousin’s diary habits proved frustrating.

"A curious thing has happened in this family. It's happened a little to father, for he's kept awake by it; a good deal to mother, for she has to tell how to tend to it... but it has happened most of all to Bertha."

Ann introduces the unexpected arrival of baby Waterloo at the family home.

"When I first commenced keeping this diary I just despised poetry, and never cared about keeping my hair tied out of my eyes, nor my hands clean. You know that age!"

Looking back over her journal, Ann reflects on how much her tastes and habits have changed as she has grown up.

What It's Really About

Beneath its lightweight episodic format, the book explores the humorous gap between youthful romantic idealism and the unvarnished realities of adult life. Ann constantly compares real-world relationships—with their noisy babies, domestic chores, and practical arguments—to the heightened dramas of stage plays, Lord Byron's poetry, and popular novels. The narrative gently parodies the conventions of romantic fiction, showing how real people rarely match the grand poses of literary heroes. It also examines the process of growing up: Ann moves from mimicry of adult habits to developing her own genuine creative voice, illustrating how adolescence bridges naive observation and genuine self-awareness.

Why Read It Today

This novel appeals to readers who enjoy lighthearted period fiction, classic diary narratives, and charming slice-of-life humor. Sharber’s writing feels easy and conversational, driven entirely by Ann's bright, unpretentious voice. The narrative moves quickly through short chapters filled with domestic mishaps, theatrical outings, and small-town gossip.

Modern readers should keep in mind that the book reflects the social norms and racial terminology of 1910 American fiction, particularly in its depiction of household servants and traditional rural attitudes. Additionally, because the plot is structured as a casual personal diary rather than a tightly wound mystery or single dramatic arc, the story moves at a leisurely, episodic pace.

What stays with you is the warmth of Ann’s perspective. Her sharp observations about human nature—how adults rationalize their mistakes, how romance makes people act foolishly, and how childhood imagination adapts to the real world—remain fresh and amusing over a century later.