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Louisa May Alcott

Bob Blaisdell

Little Women (Oxford World's Classics) Paperback – March 15, 2009

by Louisa May Alcott (Author), Valerie Alderson (Editor)

13,072 ratings

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This classic story of the March family women and their lives in New England during the Civil War has remained enduringly popular since its publication in 1868. Poor, argumentative, loving, and optimistic, the March sisters struggle to supplement their family's meager income and realize their
own dreams. This highly autobiographical novel shows us women who are strong-minded and independent in their determination to control their own destiny. The introduction to this edition provides a fascinating history of the Alcotts, and a biographical history of Louisa Alcott's own struggles as a
writer.

About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert
introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Print length

528 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Oxford University Press
Publication date

March 15, 2009
Reading age

13 years and up
Dimensions

7.7 x 1 x 5 inches
ISBN-10

0199538115
ISBN-13

978-0199538119
Lexile measure

AD1230L
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From the Publisher

oxford world's classics, literature, novels, myths, celebrated writing

oxford world's classics, OWC, features, leading scholars, literature

Editorial Reviews

Review

'this children's novel for all ages is vivid from the very first sentence. ... a children's classic ... lovers of the book will find Valerie Alderson's informed and enthusiastic introduction a valuable bonus, especially about the closely autobiographical nature of the book.' The Observer Review

About the Author

Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888)

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; 1st edition (March 15, 2009)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 528 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0199538115
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0199538119
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 years and up
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ AD1230L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.7 x 1 x 5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #781,344 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,589 in Teen & Young Adult Classic Literature
- #2,094 in Teen & Young Adult Girls & Women Fiction
- #2,720 in Deals in Books

Customer Reviews:
13,072 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		80%
4 star		10%
3 star		5%
2 star		2%
1 star		4%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Alex

Includes Both Volumes

Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2019

Verified Purchase

I saw a couple of reviews saying this didn't include both volumes but my copy included both (47 chapters)! I have a love for beautiful hardcovers that this is one of the most beautiful I've ever gotten. Large print so it's a thick book.

255 people found this helpful

Helpful

Amy Weeks

Don't be fooled!

Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2018

Verified Purchase

This is not the complete book. This is only the first part. Super annoying since I did not see it anywhere in the description. The book it self is wonder but this copy is a waste of your money.

331 people found this helpful

Helpful

C. Ryan

Usborne edition is only half the book

Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2018

Verified Purchase

My children LOVE all Usborne books so I was happy to see they had published this version of Little Women (it says original, meaning not abridged). However it's not in print any longer so I paid a bit more to buy a good used condition of the book. I'm in the process of reading it with my daughter and I realize it ends when Meg gets engaged. Which is really only half the book, leaving out Beth's death, Laurie and Amy, etc. Just FYI, since that probably explains why it is no longer in print and I would have purchase a different edition had I known that.

124 people found this helpful

Helpful

Mark A. Cooper

Do NOT buy this version

Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2019

Verified Purchase

Do NOT buy this version of Little Women. The first few lines are enough to show this one is completely unreadable. Here’s a quote from the first lines “ "Christmas may not be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, mendacity on the rug. "It's so dreadful to be terrible!" sighed Meg, searching down at her antique get dressed.”
And here is the correct text “ Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug. "It's so dreadful to be poor!" sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.

I don’t know how this version was created with completely wrong words, but avoid it all costs.

79 people found this helpful

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KindleCustomer451

Terrible Edition

Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2018

Verified Purchase

Kindle version is so bad, it's not worth the $.99. Literally could not follow the paragraphs, sentences, or line of text. This is a book I've read many times, and with a bit of nostalgia, decided to reread. Deleted after one or two chapters and repurchased a different edition. Don't waste your time.

94 people found this helpful

Helpful

Sheila Nielsen

DON'T BUY THIS PRODUCT!

Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2019

Verified Purchase

This is a horrible translation of a translation, or so it seems! Amazon should take this out of its stock. The opening line is wrong. In the Kindle version, it reads: "'Christmas may not be Christmas without any presents,' grumbled Jo, mendacity at the rug." It should be "grumbled Jo, lying on the rug." Sentence after sentence is poorly constructed and grammatically incorrect. For example, "We haven't were given Father, and shall not have him for a long term." It should say, "We haven't got Father, and shall not have him for a long time." Another: "You are antique sufficient to leave off boyish tricks." It should say, "You are old enough to leave off boyish tricks. This is a horrible representation of Louisa May Alcott. The most egregious error is making reference to "video games" in Chapt. 1, twice again in Chapt. 12, and again in Chapt. 13. This is a bad product and should be dropped by Amazon.

36 people found this helpful

Helpful

Just Sayin'

An old classic worthy of a spot in my library

Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2017

Verified Purchase

Little Women is an old classic that was simply begging to be re-read. I think I started the book so many times when I was in elementary school that I had actually memorized the opening chapter. Every word rang as familiar to my eyes and heart as a forgotten Christmas Carol. But, but I don't remember ever finishing the book -- until this time.

It's written in an old-fashioned style, and a little harder to follow than some more modern literature, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Even the rhythm of the words takes you back to a sweeter simpler time which was in reality a very harsh time in American history. For the uninitiated, LW details the life of four teen-aged sisters in the Civil War Era. Aside from their father being away from home during the first part of the book the war is not a main topic. It's all about the relationships between these sisters, their mother, their neighbor and later their budding romances.

Take your time with this one. Read it slowly and savor.

T

58 people found this helpful

Helpful

Peggy Geiger

I realised what it was like to become immersed in the characters of a novel ...

Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2018

Verified Purchase

This story opened my eyes as a very young girl to the awe and magic of books. For the first time, I realised what it was like to become immersed in the characters of a novel and enchanted with the loves and lives of Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy and of course, Laurie. As I was transported back to New England during the Civil War era, this book ignited a love of historical fiction that I have to this day at the old age of 69.
As a child with no sisters, I read with wonder the day to day relationship between the sisters, leaving me envious and longing for that kind of closeness. When I first read this book, my youngest brother was very ill and died soon after, I felt such sorrow and empathy for frail, gentle Beth.
"Little Women" has the grace and charm of the 18th century and is a sparkling look into the fascinating world of girls as they become women. I recommend this classic novel to readers of all ages.

42 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Jade

Puffin In Bloom

Reviewed in India on August 7, 2017

Verified Purchase

It is one of the most beautiful books I own. Anna Bond's illustrations are amazing. The classic does not need to be reviewed. It is an unabridged version of the classic. The book had beautiful endpapers and the binding is flexible.

125 people found this helpful

T. Wrycraft

Don’t re read this if you loved it as a child.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 13, 2019

Verified Purchase

I LOVED this book as a girl. Now, with an English degree and a job as a teacher I’m forced to re-read it to help a student with coursework. What a mistake. The writing style is florid and mawkish, the characters (always wanted to be Jo) suddenly took on two dimensional saintliness rivalled only by Jane Eyre in it’s goody two shoes delivery. It’s flipping awful and the 10 year old me is crying in the corner right now.

18 people found this helpful

Claire R

books were often my best friends. The odd-one-out in family order

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 12, 2016

Verified Purchase

As a child, books were often my best friends. The odd-one-out in family order, living the life of a military brat, moving frequently, real life allies were harder to find. So the characters of my favourite books, whether What Katy Did, Mallory Towers, The Chalet School or Little Women became like friends who I could always turn to, and always rely on. As an adult I still enjoy those books, but for me the first third are childhood favourites, whereas the latter is a great book, full stop. The four March sisters and their family and friends are truly part of me, and I've learned countless lessons about life and about myself through the gentle pages of Louisa May Alcott's masterpiece. This book often makes me smile, always makes me cry, and never fails to make me think. It is truly a work of beauty.

59 people found this helpful

Jules

Not The Whole Book Only Part 1

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 24, 2020

Verified Purchase

The reason I am giving this book 4 stars is because I thought it was the whole book. There should be 47 chapters in the whole book but there is only 23 chapters. Turns out it is only part one of the book what is a shame as I thought it was the whole thing. I should have checked properly to make sure it was the whole book before buying it. Still I plan on buying part two Little Women Good Wives once I am done reading part one. As I do love little women and wish to read all the series.

13 people found this helpful

The Cats Mother

UTTERLY BORING

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 25, 2020

Verified Purchase

I felt that I had to read this book as it is described as a classic . Now , I’ve read most of what I would consider to be novels in a similar vein but almost without exception , these books have been better conceived ,written written and without the nauseatingly sentimental prose .
Louisa May Alcott May have been considered a good writer amongst her peers but it’s writing that’s of its time and more importantly, it’s very American . For example , no young English lady would have been allowed to be in the company of a young man ( as the March sisters often were with Laurie Laurence ) without a chaperone as to do so would have been ruinous to the reputation of any young woman - so I found it peculiar that an American novelist writing at this time would not have known that the March sisters from the age of around 14 onwards , would never have been allowed to be in the company of any young man, never mind walk and talk alone with him, unless they were chaperoned or engaged to the young man in question.

The one episode in the two books that could have and indeed should have been written with sentimentality and sympathy, was the death of Beth , and yet this was barely mentioned - Beth died “ off screen” was buried without any honours or even a funeral and there wasn’t even a grave marker to mark her final resting place .......so much for Beth then.

Meg and Amy are shallow beyond belief and the only decent thing Jo does is sell her hair so her “ Marmee” ( I know, it’s nauseating isn’t it ?) gets enough money to travel to see her husband when he’s ill. Poor Mr March ( are Reverends Mr’s in 1860’s America ?) barely gets any worthwhile mentions throughout and is therefore a poorly drawn character with no light and shade who might as well have died in the war for all the influence he has ).

How Laurie Laurence could transfer his affections from one sister to the other so swiftly and without drawing breath, is a mystery to me - and yet people will condemn modern girls and boys are shallow and promiscuous - but as these people function only to marry well or marry , I suppose it’s better than being left on a shelf - after all , to be a man and not be married by 25 must have been scandalous .

The writer’s prose is astonishing and I’m not sure what all this “ petting” of one another was about at all - does it mean stroke ? If so, I again refer back to English women of similar class and age and it makes all the petting sound ludicrous - as to the scene where a 25 year old Amy is being cradled in her mother’s lap , well, words failed me as they did when the table was “ promiscuously laid” - what on earth can that mean ???

All in all, I’m glad that I have read it , listening to it didn’t work except as a means of falling asleep , the narrator was English and kept talking about “ mischieve-ee- ousness “ Laurie and Jo in stream of mischievousness - I hate it when spoken English is mangled , especially when the person in question speaks otherwise as though they have a rather large plum in the mouth they simply cannot move - well done to her though for reading 10 hours of meaningless pap out loud .

It’s an awful yawn of a novel - poorly written, poorly drawn characters not one of whom I’d want to sit down to a lively dinner with and yet, it’s a classic with 87% of people who read it ,loving it .

I should think there is a bit of pretension about claiming to live “ Little Women “ , maybe people are just too frightened to ‘dis’ a classic American novel written by a woman .

I would think I’m not the only non-feminist, feminist who has read this novel whilst grinding their teeth down to stumps .

Have I read worse books that are considered “ classical “ ? Err, no , this is by far the dullest of the lot and I kept going only to see how the death of Beth was swept under the March’s shabby carpet whereas an English writer would have reveled in every grave detail , right down to the mourning cards and letters of condolence ( think Mrs Gaskell or the Bronte Sisters ) .

It was one long yawn of a book that I’m relieved to see the end of . I won’t be reading Little Men , that’s for sure .

Disagree if you wish, I’m sure 87% of you have equally valid reasons for adoring this book, my late Mum, God bless, her , adored it and tried to make me read it when she was alive - I have a 1:1 English degree with honours - if I’d been made to read this by my tutors , I wouldn’t have hung around long enough to graduate .........( sorry celestial Mum, I hated it with a passion .x)