The Inheritance (Penguin Classics) [Paperback]

Louisa May Alcott (Author), Joel Myerson (Editor), Daniel Shealy (Editor)

Book Description

Release date: February 1, 1998 | Series: Penguin Classics

Louisa May Alcott, who spent much of her childhood amid an intellectual circle that included Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Thoreau, and Nathaniel Hawthorne, embarked on her own literary efforts at an early age. Her recently discovered first novel, The Inheritance, written when Alcott was just 17, offers readers a fascinating look at the birth of a remarkable career.

Influenced by the melodrama of the contemporary theater, the sentimental romances she read as a child, and the popular gothic novels of the time, Alcott weaves a tale far removed from the reality of her everyday life in Boston. The Inheritance, set in an English country manor, is the story of Edith Adelon, an Italian orphan brought to England by Lord Hamilton as a companion for his children. With a charm reminiscent of Jane Austen's novels, Alcott's plot sets love and courtesy against depravity and dishonor -- and with the help of a secret inheritance, allows virtue to prevail.

In their Introduction, Joel Myerson and Daniel Shealy relate their fortuitous discovery of Alcott's manuscript draft of The Inheritance (preserved at the Houghton Library of Harvard). They explore the forces -- both literary and personal -- that shaped the novel, and study how it foreshadowed Alcott's later work.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA. Alcott's first novel, written at age 17 and discovered in 1988, is a delightful rags-to-riches ramble in the life of orphan Edith Adelon, who is taken in by Lord and Lady Hamilton to serve as a companion to their young daughter, Amy. When Lord Hamilton dies, Edith is treated as a servant in the household?until she saves Amy's life. Purer than pure, young Edith takes the slights and verbal abuses of her jealous rival, Lady Ida, while Lord Percy, an older, wiser, and sadder friend of young Lord Arthur Hamilton and the reason for Lady Ida's jealousy, looks on in his attempts to love Edith from a distance. Set on an aristocratic English manor in the 19th century, the plot twists and turns its way to a "happily ever after" ending. Even though characters are stereotyped and the plot is at times contrived, this precursor of Little Women is sure to be popular among budding readers of Jane Austen or sprouting young writers looking for desirable role models. This squeaky-clean novel written by an outstanding author at the beginning of her career is a desirable addition to any YA collection.?Dottie Kraft, formerly at Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Alcott published lots of anonymous thrillers in her lifetime, as well as the March family stories that made her famous and wealthy, but she never published her first novel, written when she was 17. It was a smart move. Even as a commercial enterprise, this sentimental melodrama, written 20 years earlier than Little Women, is of ephemeral interest. It reads like the silliest romantic parody. Edith Adelon, a sweet, submissive, impoverished orphan is patronized by wealthy friends, loved for her sweet pure self by an honorable lord, and threatened by a jealous villainess. Then, through a series of absolutely miraculous coincidences, sweet Edith turns out to be the rightful heiress of the wealth her patrons now possess. Of course, it's everybody's Cinderella fantasy, and in a time when Jane Austen and Henry James thrive as drawing-room costume drama, it's not surprising that there will be a 150,000 first printing, packaged with gilt and lace, and a made-for-TV film scheduled for April. Expect demand followed quickly by disappointment. Hazel Rochman --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 149 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics; First Edition (1 in number line) edition (February 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140436669
• ISBN-13: 978-0140436662
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.5 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #459,727 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Louisa May Alcott was both an abolitionist and a feminist. She is best known for Little Women (1868), a semi-autobiographical account of her childhood years with her sisters in Concord, Massachusetts. Alcott, unlike Jo, never married: "... because I have fallen in love with so many pretty girls and never once the least bit with any man." She was an advocate of women's suffrage and was the first woman to register to vote in Concord, Massachusetts.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#70 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Classics

#70 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Classics

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Some rather harsh reviews...but what a piece of work! March 27, 2000

By Jenni Grubb

Format:Hardcover

I agree with the reader from Illinois...sure, it's not the best piece of work in the world, but you can see her talent and how she and her writing matured, making her one of the most popular authors. The story itself is very good, and the character development impressed me. It is somewhat predictable, but what do you expect from an aspiring 17 year old author?

I actually saw the TV movie first (that aired in 1997), and I enjoyed that so much that I wanted to read the book. I've been looking for the movie ever since, and finally just found it on video after searching for 3 years. (Drop me an email if you haven't found it yet...its hard to find) I would recommend both the book and the movie to anyone who enjoyed Alcott's "Little Women" and/or LM Montogmery's "Anne of Green Gables" series.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Charming Romance April 10, 2001

By "gingirl15"

Format:Mass Market Paperback

For a young lady at seventeen, I was impressed by the writing which obviously developed more as she grew up. This book was charming and it deserves five stars for the well character development and the plot which took me so far into the lives of everyone involved. As for the plot, I was astonished how much I was taken into each of the lives and empathized for the protagonists. The love and desire Lord Percy possessed for Edith was not only noble, but it encouraged me that there are still those who seek righteousness and purity. The story was simply delightful and I like to think Miss Alcott enjoyed the writing very much uplifting pure and innocent love. Bravo to the youth writer and to those who love sweet stories of true love or of classic writings, this is a charming romance to read.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Greatest Love December 3, 2003

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

Alcott's first novel is a tale of the greatest love one human being can show another--that of friendship, respect, and honor. I find Lord Percy and Edith model characters of the way men and women should treat each other (both sexes). Excellent picker-upper-of-a-story, too. How can you not helped but be inspired by their examples, especially in contrast to Lady Ida and Lord Arlington. 5-stars in my book--it's a keeper!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Alcott's First Novel July 18, 2005

By O. E. Small

Format:Paperback

This novel was a great find for Alcott fans. The very concept of a novel being discovered and published after the author's death is astounding! Here were get the opportunity to read the first work of the author of Little Women and a preview of LW. The moral concepts, within the fibre of this story, are very much the same. This is well written and I believe that readers will begin to care about what will happen to the main charactor, Edith Adelon. This story has all of the components of a great romance novel: impossible love, secrets, a villainess and a sweet ending. A must read for any Alcott fan!

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good youthful effort by Alcott May 22, 2003

By Michael J. Mazza HALL OF FAME

Format:Paperback

According to a note on the text in the Penguin Classics edition, "The Inheritance" was written by Louisa May Alcott when she was only 17 years old. This novel tells the story of Edith Adelon, an Italian orphan who lives with the aristocratic Hamilton family. This is a sentimental, romantic story about love, treachery, and a family secret. Class stratification is a significant theme.

Yes, the characters are fairly shallow, the plot is predictable, and the dialogue is often very stiff and corny. But I found "The Inheritance" quite charming and enjoyable. The mild suspense leads ultimately to a satisfying conclusion. Along the way are some memorable scenes, such as a sequence involving the creation of historical tableaux.

The Penguin Classics edition includes an excellent, substantial introduction by Joel Myerson and Daniel Shealy. They discuss Alcott's remarkable life and career and place "The Inheritance" in literary and cultural context.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book! August 17, 2001

By "jlhart"

Format:Mass Market Paperback

This book is one of the best I've read! The movie left out some bits, so as usual the book is better than the movie. I would recomend this book for any one between the ages of 10 - 99!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The Lost Book January 6, 2000

By "zta_redhead"

Format:Mass Market Paperback

The Inheritence is a must read for any Alcott reader. Since it is her first book out in a century, I think its an important book for any Alcott readers library. IF you are familiar with Alcott than you will be able to tell that this is one of her earliest works - it is not as refined, but it still holds the warmth that give her characters life. I'm so glad that this story was found in the archives and was published after years of dust.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It's Great... October 30, 1998

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I don't know why so many people put this book down! Well of course it's not as good as her other works... she was 17!! But I like to write stories too, and the amazing talent she had at 17 already surpasses mine as a college student! Quit reading it on the same level as the other books Louisa has written, and just enjoy the youthful simplicity of a budding talent! It's a great, simple, quick-reading story that people who are able to put their egos aside and get off their high horses can appreciate.