Little Women is one of the best loved books of all time. Lovely Meg, talented Jo, frail Beth, spoiled Amy: these are hard lessons of poverty and of growing up in New England during the Civil War. Through their dreams, plays, pranks, letters, illnesses, and courtships, women of all ages have become a part of this remarkable family and have felt the deep sadness when Meg leaves the circle of sisters to be married at the end of Part I. Part II, chronicles Meg's joys and mishaps as a young wife and mother, Jo's struggle to become a writer, Beth's tragedy, and Amy's artistic pursuits and unexpected romance. Based on Louise May Alcott's childhood, this lively portrait of nineteenth- century family life possesses a lasting vitality that has endeared it to generations of readers.
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Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Grade 7-12-Louisa May Alcott's story about the four March sisters who learn the hard lessons of poverty and of growing up in New England during the Civil War.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
How would one describe this latest recording of the classic story from Alcott (Little Men, Audio Reviews, LJ 11/15/96)? The answer must be, clear, competent, and unexciting. Laura Grafton is a precise reader, but her voice lacks expressiveness, and she makes little attempt to vocally differentiate (and/or animate) the characters. The result is an inoffensive and slightly dull rendering. There's nothing wrong; the tapes just won't grab the attention of the casual listener. The producer has made a praiseworthy attempt to reduce costs by having each cassette side carry double text. At $22.95, this tape set is an excellent value. Unfortunately, this double-track format requires a stereo cassette player with a fully functioning balance control. Most portable cassette players and some car stereo systems do not have this feature. Since, at least anecdotally, a large percentage of recreational audiocassette library borrowers are commuters or exercisers, one should consider whether this format would be used by patrons. Libraries purchasing this format might also consider purchasing (and lending) the associated headphone adaptor plugs. Recommended for libraries with limited audiobook budgets and/or appropriate user populations.AI. Pour-El, Iowa State Univ., Ames
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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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.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
190 of 201 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
Like the previous reviewer, I was surprised to find that he book I had been occasionally rereading for over 50 years was NOT the original novel. My own copy, much loved and well thumbed, has been with me since I was a ten year old. I bought the Kindle version just to have it in my portable library, since I thought I knew it almost by heart. To my surprise, when I started looking it over, I found that the book was not the same at all. My original copy must have been "modernized" at some point. All of the familiar passages were there, but there was a great deal that I didn't remember reading before. Some of that was a specifically Victorian kind of moralizing, but there was also some expansion of the story.. I'm not sure that I would have appreciated it all when I was younger, but I found it a delight to read now, as an example of a book of its times. Now I'm going to download the rest of the Alcott catalogue and see how it compares to the books I thought were the originals when I read them many years ago. This was still an exemplary book. It will always be one of the classics.
114 of 121 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I am a 14-year-old girl and just got around to reading Little Women about a year ago. It is a great American classic written by Louisa May Alcott. It is about the four March sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. They live in New England during the Civil War. They are poor, but they try to make the best of it as they grow and learn. We follow them through good times and bad as they, with help from Marmee and Laurie (their next-door neighbor), bear their own unique burdens. Meg's is poverty, Jo's is her temper, Beth's burden is not being able to play on a piano, and Amy's is her unaristocratic nose. (as funny as that sounds) You'll fall in love with Jo's oddities just as much as with Beth's gentil manners. It is a great book that everyone should read!
208 of 231 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I was so, so looking forward to reading "Little Women" to my daughter, so she could be caught up in it as I was at an early age. I particularly chose the "Whole Story" edition because of its broad margins, easy-to-scan pages, and charming illustrations and margin notes that add historical texture to the story.
Imagine my shock to discover that at the end of THIS edition, Jo has not written a book, Amy has not gone off to Europe, Professor Baer has not made an appearance of any kind and....you'll never believe this....Beth is still carrying on a conversation (I'm trying not to spoil the plot of the real thing here).
That's because, apparently, "Little Women" was initially published in two parts ("Little Women" and "Good Wives"), which are generally published as the same book. Whole Story has chosen to stop at the half-way point, so much of the story you remember, loved, cried, and laughed over is just not here.
Imagine getting only the first half of Tom Sawyer...leave him stranded on the island forever!
I feel completely conned. It's a five-star story - make that maybe even a seven-star story - but it's a one-star edition.
Imagine my shock to discover that at the end of THIS edition, Jo has not written a book, Amy has not gone off to Europe, Professor Baer has not made an appearance of any kind and....you'll never believe this....Beth is still carrying on a conversation (I'm trying not to spoil the plot of the real thing here).
That's because, apparently, "Little Women" was initially published in two parts ("Little Women" and "Good Wives"), which are generally published as the same book. Whole Story has chosen to stop at the half-way point, so much of the story you remember, loved, cried, and laughed over is just not here.
Imagine getting only the first half of Tom Sawyer...leave him stranded on the island forever!
I feel completely conned. It's a five-star story - make that maybe even a seven-star story - but it's a one-star edition.
37 of 38 people found the following review helpful
By Lexa Mor
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I bought this perennial favorite to add to my barely-started collection of these tiny Collector's Library books (sadly, B&N discontinued publication of these). I love that it's small and hardcover- perfect for traveling- especially for long hours on the plane or whatnot.
I was a bit disappointed to find that this book contains only part I of Little Women, ending with Chapter 23 ("Aunt March Settles the Question"). It does not have Good Wives (aka part 2 of Little Women). Luckily, I have what I call my "home copy" of the book which has both parts...so I don't feel like I've made a mistake in purchasing this one. But I thought I'd let you know this book only features part I so that you know what to expect!
I was a bit disappointed to find that this book contains only part I of Little Women, ending with Chapter 23 ("Aunt March Settles the Question"). It does not have Good Wives (aka part 2 of Little Women). Luckily, I have what I call my "home copy" of the book which has both parts...so I don't feel like I've made a mistake in purchasing this one. But I thought I'd let you know this book only features part I so that you know what to expect!
84 of 93 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Louisa May Alcott wrote many books, but "Little Women" retains a special place in the heart of American literature. Her warmly realistic stories, sense of comedy and tragedy, and insights into human nature make the romance, humor and sweet stories of "Little Women" come alive.
The four March girls -- practical Meg, rambunctious Jo, sweet Beth and childish artist Amy -- live in genteel poverty with their mother Marmee; their father is away in the Civil War. Despite having little money, the girls keep their spirits up with writing, gardening, homemade plays, and the occasional romp with wealthier pals. Their pal, "poor little rich boy" Laurie, joins in and becomes their adoptive brother, as the girls deal with Meg's first romance, Beth's life-threatening illness, and fears for their father's safety.
The second half of the book opens with Meg's wedding (if not to the man of her dreams, then to the man she loves). Things rapidly go awry after the wedding, when Laurie admits his true feelings to Jo -- only to be rejected. Distraught, he leaves; Amy also leaves on a trip to Europe with a picky old relative. Despite the deterioration of Beth's health, Jo makes her way into a job as a governess, seeking to put her treasured writing into print -- and finds her destiny as well.
There's a clearly autobiographical tone to "Little Women." Not surprising -- the March girls really are like the girls next door. Alcott wrote them with flaws and strengths, and their misadventures -- like Amy's embarrassing problem with her huge lobster -- have the feeling of authenticity. How much of it is real? A passage late in the book portrays Alcott -- in the form of Jo -- "scribbling" down the book itself, and getting it published because it feels so real and true.... Read more ›
The four March girls -- practical Meg, rambunctious Jo, sweet Beth and childish artist Amy -- live in genteel poverty with their mother Marmee; their father is away in the Civil War. Despite having little money, the girls keep their spirits up with writing, gardening, homemade plays, and the occasional romp with wealthier pals. Their pal, "poor little rich boy" Laurie, joins in and becomes their adoptive brother, as the girls deal with Meg's first romance, Beth's life-threatening illness, and fears for their father's safety.
The second half of the book opens with Meg's wedding (if not to the man of her dreams, then to the man she loves). Things rapidly go awry after the wedding, when Laurie admits his true feelings to Jo -- only to be rejected. Distraught, he leaves; Amy also leaves on a trip to Europe with a picky old relative. Despite the deterioration of Beth's health, Jo makes her way into a job as a governess, seeking to put her treasured writing into print -- and finds her destiny as well.
There's a clearly autobiographical tone to "Little Women." Not surprising -- the March girls really are like the girls next door. Alcott wrote them with flaws and strengths, and their misadventures -- like Amy's embarrassing problem with her huge lobster -- have the feeling of authenticity. How much of it is real? A passage late in the book portrays Alcott -- in the form of Jo -- "scribbling" down the book itself, and getting it published because it feels so real and true.... Read more ›
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
So wonderful
This is my favorite book. I read it once every year or two. The characters are timeless as are the lessons learned.
Published 4 hours ago by Rebecca M. Balich
5.0 out of 5 stars
SO TOUCHING
It is the most touching book I've ever read. Truly. It has a wonderful moral and is a book I will never forget. Read more
Published 5 hours ago by IMASTUPIDHIPPOANDIMPRETTIERTHANYOU
5.0 out of 5 stars
awsome
I loved this book. My favorite part is when aunt March makes Meg relise that she loves Mr. Brooke. I sooo recomend it.
Published 13 hours ago by NatalieM
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great!!!!
I have been reading this book for 7 months. But for an eleven year old that's good because I have trouble reading long books. It was a great book. Read more
Published 2 days ago by Ward Judson
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best
This book I can say is one of the best classics I have ever read at the age of 13.it was full of romance and was never very predictable. Read more
Published 2 days ago by Tracey Wright
4.0 out of 5 stars
A true classic.
Although the action is somewhat slow, the plot makes up for it. I especially enjoyed the fact that there is a resolution to all the major issues.
Published 5 days ago by avid reader
5.0 out of 5 stars
Little women
Wow I read it for the second time and it just is awesome still. I luv it even more that free 2. :P
Published 6 days ago by Ellie Naomi Miller
5.0 out of 5 stars
Has the Unabrideged book, with both sections, and Reader is Adequate
This copy has both the stories up to Meg's early marriage, and also the ones where more of the sisters are away from home the latter of which are sometimes published as a second... Read more
Published 6 days ago by M. E. Black
5.0 out of 5 stars
An amazing book
I am a 11 and many of my friends said it was boring and hard to get through:) I completely disagree it was so enjoyable to watch the girls grow up! Read more
Published 7 days ago by Kendall G Accetta
5.0 out of 5 stars
Little women
I love this book. It made me laugh and cry. I enjoyed the lessons taught about life. Life is not a l ways happy and everyone rich. The book felt like it could be real.
Published 7 days ago by Vikki
