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Little Men (Little Women #2)

by Louisa May Alcott, J.T. Barbarese (New Afterword)

3.71 · rating details · 12,609 ratings · 504 reviews

"A natural source of stories...she is, and is to be, the poet of children." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

At Plumfield, an experimental school for boys, the little scholars can do very much as they please, even slide down banisters. For this is what writer Jo Bhaer, once Jo March of Little Women, always wanted: a house "swarming with boys...in all stages ...more

Mass Market Paperbound, 346 pages

Published May 4th 2004 by Signet Classic (first published January 1st 67)

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Mar 21, 2008

Abigail rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Anyone Who Loved "Little Women"

Shelves: childrens-fiction, literature-classics, school-stories

A sequel to Alcott's masterpiece, Little Women, and the author's second book chronicling the fortunes of the March family, Little Men follows the story of Jo, her husband Professor Bhaer, and their school for boys at Plumfield. Here the reader will encounter some of the beloved figures of the first book. And here the reader will also have the pleasure of meeting a host of new characters - many of them the sort of mischievous, but essentially good-hearted, young boys so dear to "Mrs. Jo's"...more

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Sep 30, 2009

Kathy rated it

· review of another edition

I have always enjoyed these classic books. They were originally written for older children and the easy language and innocent themes reflect this. This is the 3rd in the Little Women series and follows the lives of grown-up Jo, her husband and the 12 boys and 2 girls that she teaches in her boarding school. It is full of traditional morals and is highly didactic. It is essentially a collection of short stories. As a mother, these books remind me of some of the traditional values that I want...more

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Sep 16, 2007

Chicklet rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classics, historical

Someone once told me that Little Men was written before Little Women. When she tried to get it published she was refused. She was told that the public wanted a story about young ladies from a woman, not young men. It was after that, that she wrote Little Women. Sometime after that became a huge success she published Little Men...I'm not certain if she found someone to publish it for finally resorted to doing it herself. This motivated me to find and read Little Men which was good....and w...more

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Jan 04, 2012

John Kenworthy rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Children, folks seeking inner calm...

Growing up, my great-grandmother Irene would regale us with stories of the history of our family. Among the historic treasures she told us - was that genealogically speaking, we were related not only to several Revolutionary War heroes, but also to the guy who hid the charter in the Charter Oak. More exciting to us was a connection made to the illustrious Louisa May Alcott. As a youth, armed with that knowledge I forced myself to read the decidedly girly Little Women, which I thought was okay, b...moreGrowing up, my great-grandmother Irene would regale us with stories of the history of our family. Among the historic treasures she told us - was that genealogically speaking, we were related not only to several Revolutionary War heroes, but also to the guy who hid the charter in the Charter Oak. More exciting to us was a connection made to the illustrious Louisa May Alcott. As a youth, armed with that knowledge I forced myself to read the decidedly girly Little Women, which I thought was okay, but just so. I see why it deserves its place in literature, but it lacked a certain personal connection to me

Little Men, however, was much more in line with all my sentiments. Ostensibly it is the tale of Jo March now grown up and married with children. Based to a large degree on her own life, Little Men was a beautifully written - though episodic - look at life in Plumfield. Jo March and her husband taught a group of young boys - and a few girls - in her home where they boarded.

The beauty of the book is the obvious love that Jo had for her boys - all of them. And each brought a different - though not stereotypically so - dynamic to Plumfield. There was constantly someone with whom I as a young male reader could identify. The sensitive musician side of me reveled in Nat. The nature-lover was drawn to Dan. The mischievous side leaned ever so slightly to naughty Tommy.

The stories are bucolic but not Pollyanna-ish. There is a peace and calm and a constant reinforcement of academics and morality that is welcomed without being cloying. Although it is indeed a childrens book, it is written in a way that does not talk down. Alcott was unabashedly a rebel in her life and her writing has always reflected that intelligent and unique outlook.

It is perhaps too bad that Alcott got stuck with the stigma of being classified as a childrens author. In recent years some of her adult writing has come out - and it is quite beautifully rendered. Writing under the pseudonym AM Barnard, her writing in "A Modern Mephisopheles" demonstrates where her secret interest and passion would have gone.

In any event, Little Men is highly recommended. Clear the mind of expectations and just enjoy it for the lovely romp that it is. (less)

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Dec 30, 2011

Kara rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: People making a point to read classics

Shelves: classic, i-own-it, reviewed

This would have easily recieved 5 stars from me if it didn't waver so much. The author made a point in saying there was no certain direction for this story- but even so, I was really sad when there was no real "main character". At first it was pretty obvious it was Nat, but then it just went all over. I guess it's just a different style of writing. I still throughly enjoyed it. I read Little Women a long time ago but never realized there were sequels. The things you learn when you've g...more

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May 02, 2011

Chelsea rated it

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Little Men is, technically, the sequel to Little Women and picks up a good numbers of years later, after Jo March and her husband, Professor Bhaer, as they start their school at Plumfield, the house that originally was owned by Jo’s Aunt March. The novel opens when Nat, a street-bound boy with an amazing ability to play the violin beautifully, shows up on Jo’s doorstep, and from then on out the story features a stable but large group of kids and their kind and guiding adult influences. The Bhaer...moreLittle Men is, technically, the sequel to Little Women and picks up a good numbers of years later, after Jo March and her husband, Professor Bhaer, as they start their school at Plumfield, the house that originally was owned by Jo’s Aunt March. The novel opens when Nat, a street-bound boy with an amazing ability to play the violin beautifully, shows up on Jo’s doorstep, and from then on out the story features a stable but large group of kids and their kind and guiding adult influences. The Bhaer’s host about ten boys in their school and two girls, and I have to say that, despite the fact that this book should be everything I hate, I can’t help but be in love with it!

First of all, there are a number of things about this book that I SHOULDN’T like: It’s highly, HIGHLY moralizing (as in, every time a small speech is made or a story is told, you can be damn sure that there is a moral behind it), it’s saccharin sweet, only a few of the main children are fully developed, and the writing style has the wonderfully early 19th-century aspect where, if you don’t catch the subject and verb right away, you’re going to be lost by the end of a VERY long sentence! But, even with all of these things, I LOVE this book!

Perhaps it’s because it’s a sequel to one of my top five favorite books of all time, and, even more than that, follows my favorite character out of said book (what tom-boyish, bookish little girl wouldn’t find a heroine in Jo March), or perhaps it’s because I liked so many of the morals that were being jammed down my throat on almost every page – morals on things like trusting yourself, believing in love, investing in the goodness of people, continuing to believe, having faith – all things that I find extremely important in addition to extremely true! It also has to be said that the morals are taught in some very interesting ways, through some really involved metaphors, that made it fun to learn the lesson, whether the learner by nine or ten (as the ones within the book) or much, much older than that (as the reader was, this particular time).

All in all, it has to be said that the book is worth reading, especially if you at all enjoyed Little Women (if you didn’t like Little Women, please, PLEASE don’t ever tell me that. We won’t be able to be friends anymore. I can deal with a lot, but not that). It wasn’t necessarily the best book I’ve ever read, but I didn’t end feeling at all disappointed, and in fact am rather looking forward to reading the last book in the ‘Little Women series’, Jo’s Boys, which follows the children of Little Men into their adult lives. It was a wonderful little book to bring me in to 2010, and be prepared – if you can get through this book without shedding a tear, you’re a far more stony person than I am
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Jan 23, 2011

Truly rated it

· review of another edition

Setelah mengenal para gadis yang paling dicintai dalam sastra Amerika, Meg, Jo,Amy dan Beth. Kita mengetahui kisah romantis mereka menuju gerbang pernikahan dalam Goodwives yang mengharu-biru. Maka dalam little man, kita akan melihat bagaimana Nona Jo March yang tomboi sekarang sudah menjadi Nyonya Jo Bhaer yang ceria. Bersama Profesor Bhaer suami terkasih, ia mengelola Sekolah Plumfield, sekolah khusus laki-laki . Awalnya Plumfield adalalah sebuah rumah tinggal yang diwarisinya dari san...more

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Apr 10, 2010

SailingByAshBreeze rated it

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I found this book to be even more entertaining and heart-warming than Little Women (and I loved, loved, loved that book!). Little Women, of course, is a pre-requisite to Little Men. However, my 10 year old boy read Little Men first and still absolutely fell in love with the book and all the characters. Now, he is inspired to read Little Women (something he felt sure boys would not read)
My 13 year old girl read Jo's boys (sequel to Little Men)---loved it as well!

Here is my Li...more

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Jan 30, 2010

Venla Tuominen rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: People who've read Little Women

Recommended to Venla by: Myself

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 18, 2009

Jesse rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: on-our-bookshelf, american-lit, favorites, formative

There is not another book in all of literature that I hold as dear as this one; I never expect to find another that gives me half as much pleasure. It would be impossible to count how many times I've read it over the years (it has to be dozens and dozens by now), and it remains a locale of constant pilgrimage, as I still return to it at least once a year. I'm always a bit nervous whenever I take it up again that my education of postmodern "isms" will have made me suddenly immune to i...moreThere is not another book in all of literature that I hold as dear as this one; I never expect to find another that gives me half as much pleasure. It would be impossible to count how many times I've read it over the years (it has to be dozens and dozens by now), and it remains a locale of constant pilgrimage, as I still return to it at least once a year. I'm always a bit nervous whenever I take it up again that my education of postmodern "isms" will have made me suddenly immune to its charms (and if that day ever does come, it will honestly make me seriously reconsider a possible future in higher education). Thankfully, from the very first pages, where poor, bereft little Nat Blake arrives at Plumfield and is taken in with open arms by "jolly Mrs. Jo" and ushered into her and her husband's experimental school for boys, it never fails to win me over as quickly and completely as the warm hospitality does the sensitive little homeless boy.

At this point I know all the tales—because that's all the book is, really—by heart, and as each chapter presents itself I can't help but smile with pleasure and recognition at the story I know is about to unfold. This time around it particularly struck me how much the stories have become an integral part of me—they're as much my memories as if I had actually experienced them "in the flesh," and if I'm honest I probably treasure them more than I do many many of the "legitimate" memories of my past. And every time I revisit it is striking how much it tells me about who I've become and who I am today—it's easy to comprehend now why the lonely little boy I was was so receptive to its vision of a utopian child society where shy and bookish boys have a place just as legitimate as the others; I can understand my complete identification with the character of Nat, because, that was me at that age.

Needless to say, I can't help but chuckle now over Mr. and Mrs. Bhaer's asides to each other about Nat behind closed doors--whether intentionally or not (and I'd probably lean towards the latter), Alcott was implying an awful lot when writing that Mr. Bhaer considered Nat "his 'daughter,'" finding him "as docile and affectionate as a girl." Inevitably, I can't help but wonder if some facets of my own personality are rooted in this initial identification with Nat, if my attraction now to extroverted boys has some basis in Nat's relationship with the exuberant Tommy Bangs; it's kind of odd observing now how the symbiotic Nat/Dan relationship play out through the book, as it so eerily parallels a friendship I had in high school (and my own intense emotional attachment to it).

Stepping outside myself for a moment, I will make clear that I don't at all make any great claims for this book—it's no undiscovered masterpiece, or even comes within striking distance of such a characterization. It takes the basic formula of Little Women and, for better or worse, amplifies it in some ways, particularly the moralizing stance it often takes. After the first several chapters where Nat is introduced into Plumfield (serving as a narrative device to introduce the reader to its many characters and establishes the locale), the rest of the book is more or less a ramshackle collection of mostly unrelated anecdotes with a genial "don't kids say/do the darndest things?" tone, with Jo assuming Marmee's place in locating a moral or truth in every turn of events.

And that's not at all a knock at all towards Alcott or her literary abilities—as I wrote in my review of Little Women, which I read for the first time last year, reading Alcott's work does make me ponder over the loss of what I called "the unsentimental Postmodern dumping of didactic literature." For my money, the "Damon and Pythias" chapter of the book is about as stellar an example of mixing a moral lesson with suspense as I've ever encountered—even though I know exactly how it all turns out, I still read it with my heart at the back of my throat.

What can I say? I love this book completely, unreservedly, and perhaps a bit too nonjudgmentally. So it goes. I will continue to treasure the "Illustrated Junior Library" edition I have always had and read, and with each read its corners grow ever more worn, as much from love as from use. If I am remembering correctly I found this book in an abandoned house on a piece of property my family bought when I was a child, lending my discovery of it a bit of an aura of fate; I had also failed to notice until this time around that this is the 1984 reprint edition, making us exactly the same age. I'm not exactly sure what I think about the idea of fate, but if there is such a thing, then yes, this qualifies just as much as anything possibly could. I'm already looking forward to my next rereading.
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Sep 23, 2009

Moira rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2009-50-new-books-challenge

I think the last time I read this book was about in 1989 and was surprised at how much of it I remembered. It is rag-tag and episodic, as the author herself freely admits, but genuinely involving. It gets dreadfully sentimental at many points, but so does Dickens. To a modern reader, or at any rate this one, it's interesting how much of it is an apologia for her father and his educational theories (famously his school was closed down; after Louisa's novel became best-seller, his own Record of a...moreI think the last time I read this book was about in 1989 and was surprised at how much of it I remembered. It is rag-tag and episodic, as the author herself freely admits, but genuinely involving. It gets dreadfully sentimental at many points, but so does Dickens. To a modern reader, or at any rate this one, it's interesting how much of it is an apologia for her father and his educational theories (famously his school was closed down; after Louisa's novel became best-seller, his own Record of a School was republished to take advantage of her popularity), altho Louisa wisely skips over most of their actual content and focuses more on the entertaining day-to-day activities of the children. I still really like Nat, Dan and Nan, found Daisy and Demi creepy (sort of a G-rated version of 'Tis Pity She's a Whore), and Bess the Princess horrifying. Jo is less sympathetic than she was in the earlier March book(s) because she's been thoroughly domesticated -- she is the 'mother' to the dozen or so boys and takes care of their emotional needs, as well as moralizing a lot -- and married off to Bronson's alter ego, Professor Bhaer, who of course does all the educating, at tedious length.

'Naughty Nan' remains my favourite character; she's like an even wilder and unliterary Jo, and it is sad to see her tamed from being a tomboy (in one especially awful sequence she strikes out on her own and gets lost during an outing and is punished by being tethered to a chair the whole rest of the day afterwards, as Jo had been punished for 'running away' by her own mother in her youth). IIRC in the last book she doesn't get married at all and becomes a doctor, and thus Louisa rewards the two characters we most identify her with: Jo finds extreme domestic bliss despite her early rebellion and writing, and Nan remains independent with a respected career. It's sad to contrast their ends with the actual life of their creator, forced to turn out domestic potboilers to support her extended family and dying just days after her beloved, dotty despot, Bronson Alcott.

Possibly next I'll read some of her Gothic thrillers, altho I don't know exactly where they are in the house. Amusingly enough Little Women, like Catcher in the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird, Jane Eyre, and a few other cherished childhood books, is always in reach of my bedside.(less)

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Aug 13, 2009

Kimberly rated it

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For those of you who many not be familiar with Alcott, Little Men and Jo’s Boys are the sequels to the beloved Little Women. Telling the story of Jo’s life after her marriage to Professor Bhear, Little Men introduces us to Plumfield School where boys, and girls, are taught not only the important lessons learned from books, but the important lessons of life as well. Jo’s Boys takes the chronicles of the students to new heights, as the students reach adulthood and choose their future paths, all...more

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Jul 24, 2009

Rachel rated it

· review of another edition

Read this while I was down with Bronchitis recently.

Well, Louisa May Alcott certainly packed a lot of adventures and little scares into this book. There was a lot more fun, and a little more danger here compared to Little Women. There were also several very charming bits in the story that at times would make me laugh out-loud.

I quite adored the character Tommy! What a feisty little lad he was! To me his was very, very real, and so was little Bess, Amy Lawrence's daughter...moreRead this while I was down with Bronchitis recently.

Well, Louisa May Alcott certainly packed a lot of adventures and little scares into this book. There was a lot more fun, and a little more danger here compared to Little Women. There were also several very charming bits in the story that at times would make me laugh out-loud.

I quite adored the character Tommy! What a feisty little lad he was! To me his was very, very real, and so was little Bess, Amy Lawrence's daughter. (Yes, yes, I'm glad their pairing didn't turn out as badly as I'd expected. Whatever.)

I broke the rules again. It always happens with Louisa May Alcott's books. I skipped a little bit, because I wanted to know what happened in the big drama with Nat, Tommy and Dan and the shillings.

The only problems I had with her were regarding these...Billy, Jo March, Prof Bhaer, John Brooke, and her need to spoil the ending.

We'll start with Billy first. The character Billy is introduced as a mentally handicapped boy with the mind of a five-year-old. He was, an unnecessary character, wallpaper and Louisa May often forgot all about him. When the boys were frolicking and otherwise doing grown-up boy stuff, where was Billy? What did HE feel? What was HIS growth? Why was no mention made of him? In fact, Louisa May only alluded to him 2, 3...maybe 4 times throughout the book, and always very briefly. Why create such a character in the first place? It was pointless, if only to underline the Bhaers' compassion and tolerance.

I can't believe she did this to poor Jo! She turned the plucky, audacious Jo March into a...a...dare I say it, a frazzled housewife! A woman who puts away clean sheets and hangs up curtains and, and...*sobs* she gave up her career in writing because she was too busy to pursue it! Too busy, too busy for everything. Puir, puir Jo. But...she's happy, I suppose.

If one has read Little Women, one will know that Prof Bhaer uses fancy words like "thee and thou". I rather liked it, actually. It was a defining quirk of his. But then half-way through it's gone! Completely! It was like the author, as she was writing along, threw up her hands, sighed exasperatedly and said, "Oh, Thunder turtles! I shan't keep my sanity if I go on like this!" translated in modern day lingo: "Blech. What the heck. This is stupid. He should've grown more American by then, anyway, so he'll talk that way!" Ugh...why, LMA, why?

Here we come to John Brooke. **spoiler alert**
We're meandering along, quite enjoying the antics of Jo's little men, when suddenly, LMA realizes that we're MEANDERING! Oh NO! Something must be done! Something to excite us! Get us moving! (presumably she encountered Writer's Block at this point) In desperation, she up and kills an innocent bystander--John Brooke. And why not? He's never mentioned in the book (only his son), he's also really morally upright, and quite young, too, making him the perfect candidate for a pathetic death. Remember Beth?

LMA conveniently uses this part of the book to pile on some moral values, and how wonderful it is to be good. I do agree with her to a point...but then it's hard to disagree or agree, when this stuff is being shoved down your throat whether you want it or not. LMA makes it very clear that it is fatally hazardous to be a flawless, innocent person in her book.

Right...I won't linger on the ending of the book, because it would mean having to dig up what she wrote and feed it to you, so you can enjoy gagging as well. I'll just say this: Her conversation with Laurie at the very end was saturated with enough good values and morals to fill a dozen children's books. I've never come across books as syrupy with goodness as LMA's. Whether that's a compliment is up to her. It gets to the point where you stop SEEING the words. So I sped read to the second last page (which wasn't very far away, so I didn't feel guilty), and everything was readable again.
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Nov 12, 2010

Heather Lapinsky rated it

· review of another edition

First of all, the version I read was the free version from Project Gutenberg on iBooks. I'm not sure if it was just transcribed badly, but there were more than a few glaring spelling mistakes and a lot of funkiness with commas either being overused or being dropped completely. That really drives me insane.

As for the book itself... it was... cute?

It had me smiling often, while imagining the antics of the boys. And there were lots of occasions to get some morals wrapped up in ...more

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Apr 07, 2009

BJ Rose rated it

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Recommended to BJ Rose by: my mother

Shelves: classics, young-adult, keepers

At one point in this delightful book, the author states plainly that there is no particular plan to her story, other than to describe events at Plumfield, but also tells us that most of these happenings are taken from real life, which I can easily believe. By the time you reach the end of the book, it is both difficult and easy to realize that all of these events took place in just six months.

There are so many gems here that are true-to-life: her descriptions of the glaringly mismatc...more

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Oct 03, 2008

JoAnn rated it

Shelves: 2008-books, classics, family-parenting

Wow, how does Jo do it!? So charming and wonderful. So practical, pragmatic, selfless and perfect for a romping house full of boys. Gotta love her and Alcott tells an amazing storyline that kept me intrigued and fascinated by it's wholesome goodness. Through her toil, insight and sacrifice Jo learns and is able to enjoy the law of the harvest with relationships, primarily those of the young ones she is trying to mold. Excellent read!

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May 31, 2010

Christina Stind rated it

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Shelves: 2010, fiction, kindle

After finishing Little Women, I dove straight into Little Men, the second volume of the series. Little Men continues some years after Little Women left of and details the life of Jo as she and her husband runs a school for young boys.
This is a charming book, almost as charming as Little Women but not quite. It also lacks the depth of the latter and reads more like a series of short stories detailing the lives of the boys attending the school.
I really liked Dan, the young wild boy who...more

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Sep 21, 2010

Marilyn rated it

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This book introduces an issue in each chapter and then wraps it up neatly with the corresponding moral by the end. My sis calls it a cute little preachy book. I liked the TJ ed theory made practice (fictional, but you feel like you know the characters and sense that their actions and reactions are plausible--true to my own experience of myself and others). I think the greatest thing I sense for myself after reading this book is how much I need to focus on treating my children and others as I ...more

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Jan 13, 2010

Kelly rated it

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I really like Louisa May Alcott, and for a classic book, Little Men is a surprisingly easy read. Normally it takes me a while to adjust to the language in classics but I'm able to get right into Louisa's books without any adjustment.

This book was similar to Little Women in that it's epic, filled with little simple moral stories and simply written, but I didn't like this book as much as Little Women. Little Men covers probably a year or so in the lives of the characters, so there aren...more

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Nov 22, 2011

Corley rated it

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And so we pick up where we left off in Little Women, with Jo and Professor Bhaer now happily married and running a school for boys. Little Men begins with orphan Nat Blake coming into Plumbfield, which introduces us to a lot of interesting young characters, including Mrs. Bhaers young sons Rob and Teddy, and Meg's twins Demi and Daisy. The book covers the adventures at the school, from the arrival of firebrand Dan and Naughty Nan to the celebrating of Thanksgiving as a family.
I loved t...more

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Jan 19, 2010

Deborah rated it

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I have read "Little Women" many times and loved it when I was young, and recently as an adult. It could be cutesy at times and a bit mushy but was still a good story.
That being said I thought I'd enjoy "Little Men" nearly as much.
A lot of things bothered me about this book though. I know I have to account for the era it was written in, but still there are a lot of annoying things about it.
It was way more goody-goody than "Little Women", and Jo was ...more

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Jul 18, 2009

Jody rated it

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I was craving a little more Alcott, and, even after reading this one, am craving a little more still. I wonder if it was Alcott I was craving or just Jo, the character. In reading this one, though, I was surprised how much I had forgotten from Little Women. In my own defense it has been 15 years since I read it. (Maybe soon it will be time to read again!)
Regardless, the story is the continuation of Little Women focused on Jo's world. She and her husband, Herr Bhaer, are now running ...more

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Jan 03, 2009

Kristen rated it

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Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: classics

Well, you can't go wrong with Louisa May Alcott. I read Little Women many years ago and have had this on my shelf for several years. It was fun to revisit many of the same characters from Little Women, with the addition of a number of wonderful new ones.

Jo and her husband run an unusual boy's boarding school, where they focus as much on love, self-discipline, and life skills as they do on the three R's. Not surprisingly, they are very successful in their endeavors. Although the chara...more

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Aug 04, 2009

Lydia rated it

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It has been a long time since I read Little Men and Little Women. I am glad to have re-read this book and I wonder about the influence it had on me when I was younger. Mrs. Jo's "experimental" school embraced a number of the philosophies and practices I used in raising my own two daughters: not focusing on grades but on learning; allowing their personalities to express themselves; encouraging exploration; and the basic tenet that you can do anything (thought like Jo, there were times I...more

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May 17, 2007

Casey rated it

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Shelves: children-or-young-adult

I actually preferred this to Little Women. Unlike seemingly everyone else, I was totally pleased when Jo married Fritz. I always thought Laurie was a bit of a prat. Although the morality lessons in this book can be a bit too syrupy, I loved reading about the adventures at Plumfield.

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May 23, 2009

Braden rated it

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I think this is the best of Alcott's novels (the ones I've read, anyway). I could do without much of the narrator's sentimentality... I am especially annoyed by the frequency with which little girls are seen as future domestic goddesses whose chief role is to play moral guardians to little boys....and yet I sense in this novel a tension between that impulse and the desire to round out the girl-children (Daisy and Nan....Bess, not so much).

I think that parents (esp. those with 3-12 y...more

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Oct 18, 2011

Ira Garcia rated it

· review of another edition

Little Men is the sequel to Little Women which I haven't read yet. Thus it gave me a fair difficulty accustoming myself with the characters and their relationships, their names and their nicknames. But what a shameful act I did; I rummaged in Google and perused WIkipedia's synopsis for Little Women. And it did benefit me a lot, as heaps of spoilers, and I had discovered that Aunt Jo's surname was March until she got married and became a Bhaer. And Uncle Fritz and Father Bhaer were the same peopl...moreLittle Men is the sequel to Little Women which I haven't read yet. Thus it gave me a fair difficulty accustoming myself with the characters and their relationships, their names and their nicknames. But what a shameful act I did; I rummaged in Google and perused WIkipedia's synopsis for Little Women. And it did benefit me a lot, as heaps of spoilers, and I had discovered that Aunt Jo's surname was March until she got married and became a Bhaer. And Uncle Fritz and Father Bhaer were the same people- my suspicions were right - and his real first name was Friedrich. And whose son or daughter is this child and so on.

Reading Little Men reminded me of the Japanese animation Little Women II: Jo's Boys I loved to watch in TV with my younger sister when I was young, probably of the same age and naughtiness as Nan. It was a nostalgic journey as I read from every page as I recalled the scenes from the TV episodes buried at the dormant parts of my memory.

Jo Bhaer and his professor husband had put up an informal and unconventional school for boys, teaching not only education in the books but of hard work and good values. Plumfield School had a total of 12 boys, 2 girls, plus Jo's own two little boys. The story started when Nat, an orphan boy at 12, was admitted in the school under the recommendation of Uncle Laurie. The other boys were Franz, the oldest and the most responsible one, Emil who was was Franz's younger brother and had a penchant for seafaring, Jack who was a natural businessman, Tommy, the king of mischief, Ned, the clumsy one, Billy, the thirteen-year-old kid who seemingly had an innocent mind of a six-year old, Dick, the hunchbacked eight year old, Dolly who stutters a lot, Demi the bookworm, Dan, the hooligan, and Rob and Teddy who were Jo's own. The two girls had quite helped Jo straighten up the boys in Plumfield; Daisy was Demi's twin and became the gentle and domestic element and Nan was the energetic and strong-minded girl whom the boys are challenged with. Each chapter was rich in stories of the children's adventures and mischiefs which at the end there were always apology and a lesson learned. Aunt Jo and Uncle Fritz had also learned a lot from their lovely children.

As what have effected me, you might also find a certain child or combinations of in the story who may best represent your childhood. I am a little bit of Nan and Ned when I was young but never was a Jack or Demi. And as a young adult, I have found myself recalling some simple life lessons and values I've learned when I was young that are seemingly complicated to implement square and straight in these times, yet still handy to bear in mind.(less)

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Feb 15, 2011

Aline rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: louisa-may-alcott, classic, translated, all-time-favorite, buntelan-contest-giveaway-swap

Juni 1995, saya berkenalan dengan Meg, Jo, Beth & Amy March yang diciptakan oleh Louisa May Alcott dalam Little Women, kisah empat gadis bersaudara dengan kehidupan sederhana di masa perang yang segera menjadi salah satu buku favorit saya. Kisah mereka kemudian dilanjutkan dalam Good Wives, mengisahkan kehidupan gadis-gadis March setelah menikah. Setelah menanti sekitar 15 tahun, akhirnya saya kembali bertemu dengan tokoh-tokoh kesayangan saya, secara khusus Jo, yang telah menikah dengan Prof. F...moreJuni 1995, saya berkenalan dengan Meg, Jo, Beth & Amy March yang diciptakan oleh Louisa May Alcott dalam Little Women, kisah empat gadis bersaudara dengan kehidupan sederhana di masa perang yang segera menjadi salah satu buku favorit saya. Kisah mereka kemudian dilanjutkan dalam Good Wives, mengisahkan kehidupan gadis-gadis March setelah menikah. Setelah menanti sekitar 15 tahun, akhirnya saya kembali bertemu dengan tokoh-tokoh kesayangan saya, secara khusus Jo, yang telah menikah dengan Prof. Fritz Bhaer dan memiliki dua anak laki-laki. Dalam Little Men, Jo yang mewarisi Plumfield mengubah rumah warisan bibinya itu menjadi sebuah sekolah asrama khusus untuk anak laki-laki.

Sekarang, mari kita berkenalan dengan anak-anak Plumfield. Yang pertama adalah Franz, keponakan tertua Prof. Bhaer yang berusia enam belas tahun. Emil, adik laki-laki Franz yang bercita-cita menjadi pelaut. Ada pula Demi, keponakan Jo yang pintar dan senang sekali membaca serta adik kembarnya Daisy, si lembut yang senang menjahit dan memasak. Rob, putra tertua Jo dan Prof. Bhaer yang tak bisa diam serta adik bayinya Teddy yang menggemaskan. Dick dengan punggung bungkuk namun jiwanya yang lurus, serta Dolly yang awalnya gagap. Ada Jack yang cerdas dan agak lihai, Ned, si “slebor”, dan George yang terlalu suka makan hingga dijuluki “Stuffy”. Kemudian ada Billy yang berusia tiga belas namun terlihat seperti anak enam tahun, dan akhirnya Tommy si pembuat onar tapi baik hati.

Kisah diawali dengan kedatangan Nat, seorang anak jalanan yang pandai memainkan biola. Nat dikirim oleh Tuan Laurence atau yang lebih dikenal sebagai Paman Laurie oleh anak-anak Plumfield. Awalnya, Nat yang terbiasa hidup sebagai pemusik jalanan cukup sulit beradaptasi di sekolah itu namun berkat kesabaran dan kegigihan Jo serta suaminya, Nat segera menjadi anak yang dapat diandalkan bahkan ia membawa pula temannya sesama anak jalanan, Dan. Proses adaptasi Dan di Plumfield bahkan lebih sulit daripada Nat tapi kasih sayang, kesabaran dan sikap pantang menyerah pasangan Bhaer akhirnya berhasil memenangkan anak ini. Bukan hanya tergerak menolong anak laki-laki, Jo juga membawa Nan, seorang anak perempuan tomboy yang menjadi teman Daisy.

Plumfield mungkin adalah sekolah impian setiap anak di dunia. Di sekolah ini, anak-anak bukan hanya diajarkan untuk bertumbuh secara intelektual namun juga menjadi seseorang yang bermoral, percaya kepada Tuhan dan diri sendiri. Anak-anak bukan hanya belajar di kelas, namun juga dari kehidupan sehari-hari. Mereka memiliki kebun untuk ditanami, binatang peliharaan, dan museum tempat menyimpan barang-barang yang dianggap sebagai harta karun mereka. Bahkan mereka juga boleh “perang bantal” sekali seminggu selama 15 menit! Benar-benar sekolah yang luar biasa, kan?

Banyak keisengan dan hal-hal menarik terjadi di Plumfield. Hal-hal yang dijamin membuat pembaca tersenyum bahkan tertawa. Ada-ada saja memang tingkah lucu dan lugu anak-anak yang sering kali membuat pusing Bapak & Ibu Bhaer, bahkan tak jarang menimbulkan masalah. Tapi, tidak ada masalah yang tak dapat diselesaikan dengan cinta, kesabaran dan kegigihan.

Namun, Louisa May Alcott mengingatkan saya bahwa hidup bukan hanya tentang senyum dan tawa, tapi juga air mata. Saat ayah Demi, John Brooke, meninggalkan keluarganya untuk selama-lamanya adalah bagian yang membuat saya berurai air mata. Mungkin karena telah mengenal tokoh John dari buku sebelumnya, saya turut merasakan kesedihan keluarga ini. Turut berduka untuk seorang lelaki yang jujur, suami penuh kasih dan ayah penyayang yang harus dipisahkan dari istri & anak-anaknya dengan begitu cepat. Sepertinya sangat kejam, tapi itulah hidup, dan budi baik seseorang akan terus dikenang bahkan saat ia tidak lagi ada di dunia. Mengutip kata-kata Emil, “Paman Fritz memang paling bijaksana, dan Paman Laurie paling menyenangkan, tapi Paman John-lah yang terbaik, dan aku ingin jadi seperti dia daripada jadi pria lain yang pernah kutemui.” Tokoh John Brooke memang tak banyak diceritakan dalam Little Men, tapi bagi yang mengenalnya dalam Little Women & Good Wives pasti akan setuju dengan ucapan Emil tadi.

Little Men adalah kisah klasik yang indah. Banyak pelajaran tentang kehidupan yang saya peroleh, lewat ucapan-ucapan bocah-bocah Plumfield, ungkapan-ungkapan bijaksana Jo dan Prof. Bhaer, bahkan sekelumit kehidupan John Brooke. Ada banyak cinta, kasih sayang, kesabaran, kegigihan, dan sikap pantang menyerah yang dilukiskan dengan sederhana namun indah sehingga tidak terkesan menggurui. Bacalah, dan nikmati pelajaran kehidupan yang disampaikannya.(less)

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Apr 04, 2011

Jane Lee rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classics

This is a sequel to Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, following the life of Jo and her husband Professor Bhaer in running a school for boys.

The boys are quirky characters, with an enchanting attractiveness that will make you quickly flip through pages. I found this novel so much more entertaining than the Little Women, probably because the book followed a kinder and a more enjoyable approach in writing and describing the characters.

Plus, the characters in this book were a...more

· see review

Jan 28, 2012

Melody rated it

· review of another edition

Listening to an old favorite on audio is a wonderful experience. There's something so comforting about somehow sharing this with the narrator, who whispers softly into my ear as I fall contentedly asleep. This one's my second favorite of the series, behind Jo's Boys. I love the boys, I love the grown Little Women. I don't like The Princess, though, I find her unbelievable and repellent. Dan, on the other hand, is my beau ideal in every particular. And I think that it's in this book I found my ju...more

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About Louisa May Alcott

Louisa May Alcott was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania on November 29, 1832. She and her three sisters, Anna, Elizabeth and May were educated by their father, philosopher/ teacher, Bronson Alcott and raised on the practical Christianity of their mother, Abigail May.

Louisa spent her childhood in Boston and in Concord, Massachusetts, where her days were enlightened by visits to Ralph Wal...moreLouisa May Alcott was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania on November 29, 1832. She and her three sisters, Anna, Elizabeth and May were educated by their father, philosopher/ teacher, Bronson Alcott and raised on the practical Christianity of their mother, Abigail May.

Louisa spent her childhood in Boston and in Concord, Massachusetts, where her days were enlightened by visits to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s library, excursions into nature with Henry David Thoreau and theatricals in the barn at Hillside (now Hawthorne’s "Wayside").

Like her character, Jo March in Little Women, young Louisa was a tomboy: "No boy could be my friend till I had beaten him in a race," she claimed, " and no girl if she refused to climb trees, leap fences...."

For Louisa, writing was an early passion. She had a rich imagination and often her stories became melodramas that she and her sisters would act out for friends. Louisa preferred to play the "lurid" parts in these plays, "the villains, ghosts, bandits, and disdainful queens."

At age 15, troubled by the poverty that plagued her family, she vowed: "I will do something by and by. Don’t care what, teach, sew, act, write, anything to help the family; and I’ll be rich and famous and happy before I die, see if I won’t!"

Confronting a society that offered little opportunity to women seeking employment, Louisa determined "...I will make a battering-ram of my head and make my way through this rough and tumble world." Whether as a teacher, seamstress, governess, or household servant, for many years Louisa did any work she could find.

Louisa’s career as an author began with poetry and short stories that appeared in popular magazines. In 1854, when she was 22, her first book Flower Fables was published. A milestone along her literary path was Hospital Sketches (1863) based on the letters she had written home from her post as a nurse in Washington, DC as a nurse during the Civil War.

When Louisa was 35 years old, her publisher Thomas Niles in Boston asked her to write "a book for girls." Little Women was written at Orchard House from May to July 1868. The novel is based on Louisa and her sisters’ coming of age and is set in Civil War New England. Jo March was the first American juvenile heroine to act from her own individuality; a living, breathing person rather than the idealized stereotype then prevalent in children’s fiction.

In all, Louisa published over 30 books and collections of stories. She died on March 6, 1888, only two days after her father, and is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord.(less)

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Quotes from Little Men

“Simple, genuine goodness is the best capital to found the business of this life upon. It lasts when fame and money fail, and is the only riches we can take out of this world with us.” — 45 people liked it

“Love is a flower that grows in any soil, works its sweet miracles undaunted by autumn frost or winter snow, blooming fair and fragrant all the year, and blessing those who give and those who receive.” — 29 people liked it

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