Little Women (The Classic Collection)

by Louisa May Alcott

Little Women (The Classic Collection)

published	2005 by Brilliance Audio on CD Unabridged
first published	2004
binding	Audio CD
isbn	1597371378 (isbn13: 9781597371377)
description	Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy manage to lead interesting lives despite Father's absence at war and the family's lack of money. Whether they're putting on a pl...more [close] Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy manage to lead interesting lives despite Father's absence at war and the family's lack of money. Whether they're putting on a play or forming a secret society, their gaiety is infectious. Written from Louisa May Alcott's own experiences, this remarkable novel has been treasured for generations.
date added	09-25-06 edit book

find at: Amazon | Half.com | Barnes & Noble | Abebooks | more...

Sign in to Goodreads to see your friends' reviews of Little Women.

discuss this book

topics	replies	last activity
Little Women	9	26 days ago, 10:57AM

new topic

groups with this book

view all groups »

friend reviews (0)

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

other reviews (showing 1-20 of 28472)

Corrie

Corrie rated it:

(review of isbn 0451529308)

05/08/08

The book begins:

"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 think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all, added little Amy, with an injured sniff.

We've got Father and Mother, and each other, said Beth contentedly from her corner."

There's an undercurrent of anger in this book and I think Louisa May Al...more

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

add a comment

Susan

Susan rated it:

(review of isbn 0451529308)

10/04/07

bookshelves: juvenile

Read in January, 1989

Someone I know claimed this no longer has value, that she would never recommend it because it's saccharine, has a religious agenda, and sends a bad message to girls that they should all be little domestic homebodies. I say she's wrong on all counts. This is high on my reread list along with Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, and a Tree Grows in Brooklyn--you could say that I'm pretty familiar with it.

Let's see--there's a heroine who not only writes, but is proud of the fact and makes a profit ...more Someone I know claimed this no longer has value, that she would never recommend it because it's saccharine, has a religious agenda, and sends a bad message to girls that they should all be little domestic homebodies. I say she's wrong on all counts. This is high on my reread list along with Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, and a Tree Grows in Brooklyn--you could say that I'm pretty familiar with it.

Let's see--there's a heroine who not only writes, but is proud of the fact and makes a profit from it in a time that this was somewhat out-of-the-ordinary. Reading this, and especially knowing later that the main character is (for all practical purposes) Alcott herself, inspired me to write myself, and I haven't forgotten the writing lessons even today: don't let money cloud your vision, write for yourself first, take criticism, write what you know. Still wise even today. Also in this book, we see the perspective of a family coping with the financial and emotional strain of having a loved one away at war, something that is unfortunately all too relatable today. There's also (extraordinary in those times, common in ours)a platonic, though not uncomplicated, friendship between a man and a woman that is sort of a different kind of love story in a way and a powerful one at that. We see people getting married, but marriage is never portrayed as The Answer to Everything--many of the matches involve sacrifice and struggling. The girls, though good at heart, aren't a picture-perfect family of saints. They're flawed and human. The paragon Beth would seem the exception, but the message with her is more about how even the quietest among us can make an impact on the world--not parading her isolated life as an example, only her kindness.

I won't lie. Someone dies, there's a war and a father's away--so yes, God is mentioned: I think there's a few Pilgrim's Progress references in passing and there's some talk of faith at moments when the characters most need it. To contemporary readers, this may seem like a lot, but heavy-handed it is not. It was probably somewhat unusual for its time. The thought that everyone's relationship and perception of God could greatly vary, and that to be true to your religion was entirely non judgmental and meant being kind to other people and trying to make yourself better, not other people? The thought that each person must be allowed to deal with these feelings in their own time in their own way? Wacky stuff.

I admit it seems like a tough sell to today's kids, packaged in somewhat formal sounding-language, and bearing every indication of being literary broccoli, but this book is a classic for a reason. It might be a tough sell, but I don't think we should give up on trying to think of ways to do it anyway. What's inside still counts. Don't write it off....less

Like this review? yes (9 people liked it)

1 comments

Karschtl

Karschtl rated it:

(review of isbn 0451529308)

09/11/07

bookshelves: children_teenie, classic, drama, movie, part_of_series

Read in November, 2002

I once did a short presentation on this book, the following text was part of it.

Louisa May Alcott was born in Germantown, which is now a part of Philadelphia, in 1832. But soon she moved with her family to the Boston-area, where she and her three sisters Anna, Elizabeth and May grew up. The four girls were educated by their father Bronson Alcott, who was a member of the New England Transcendentalists. Through him Louisa met other Transcendentalists like Theodore Parker, Henry David Thoreau a...more I once did a short presentation on this book, the following text was part of it.

Louisa May Alcott was born in Germantown, which is now a part of Philadelphia, in 1832. But soon she moved with her family to the Boston-area, where she and her three sisters Anna, Elizabeth and May grew up. The four girls were educated by their father Bronson Alcott, who was a member of the New England Transcendentalists. Through him Louisa met other Transcendentalists like Theodore Parker, Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Influenced by these great writers it is not surprising that Lousias greatest passion was writing. She had a rich imagination and often made up stories that she and her sisters act out for their parents or friends. She started her career as a serious author partly because she needed to earn some money to support the family who was not always wealthy. In the beginning, Louisa wrote poetry and short stories, later on the novels.

At the age of 35 her publisher asked her to write a novel for children. That’s how she wrote „Little Women“ where she describes the four March sisters coming of age in New England at the time of the Civil War. The father serves as a preacher in the war, the girls are left alone with their loving mother. The five women live in poverty but try to make the best of it.
The story is very autobiographical. Lousia resembles Jo, who is a tomboy only interested in literature. The eldest sister Anna was the model for Meg, who is pretty and rather vain about that. Elizabeth is portrayed as the gentle Beth, she is the quiet and shy one who enjoys playing the piano. The equivalent of the youngest sister May is Amy, the little girl that often wants to be the center of the attraction. You can see the similarities even in the names: Elizabeth and Beth; May and Amy. „Little Women“ was followed by several other novels about the March family, such as: Good Wives, Little Men and Jo’s Boys.

Especially children books always have a moral (or even more than one). Here for example in the second chapter, where the sisters give their Christmas breakfast to a hungry family and content themselves with bread and milk. They were really looking forward to this breakfast, because they are not rich and don't get all those good things regularly. But they saw that this other family was suffering a lot more. They are rewarded for this altruistic act on the same evening with a delicious dinner, donated by their neighbour who has heard of their generous gift. Only who gives something, gets something in return....less

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Abigail

Abigail rated it:

(review of isbn 0448060191)

03/21/08

bookshelves: childrens-fiction, literature-classics

recommends it for: Anyone Who Reads...

A book that both defines and transcends the sentimental literature of the nineteenth century, Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" is one of those lifelong companions that I have read and re-read, in whole and in part, too many times to count...

The story of the four March sisters, their adventures and friends, their joys and sorrows as they come of age during the tumultuous period of the American Civil War, is as relevant today as when it was first written. Here we see both the warmt...more A book that both defines and transcends the sentimental literature of the nineteenth century, Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" is one of those lifelong companions that I have read and re-read, in whole and in part, too many times to count...

The story of the four March sisters, their adventures and friends, their joys and sorrows as they come of age during the tumultuous period of the American Civil War, is as relevant today as when it was first written. Here we see both the warmth and strength of family love, and the bitter rivalries that can arise between siblings. As someone who grew up in a house with three girls, I could enter fully into many of the characters' feelings, whether it was Amy's pique at being left out, or Jo's righteous indignation at the burning of her precious papers, and subsequent ecstasy of repentance when her anger almost costs her something far more dear. Who hasn't longed, like Meg at Vanity Fair, to be popular? And who hasn't secretly wished that, like Beth, they had a kindly benefactor?

Like the March girls, many children today must cope with the absence of a parent, whether through military service or other causes; and like the March girls, children have always been forced to confront difficult moral choices as they struggle to become adults. I have sometimes seen this book described as very "modern" in its appreciation of the many different kinds of friendship and love possible between men and women. Frankly, I tend to think that every generation overestimates its distinctness, and that what some read as "modern," are simply observations about the human animal that were as true in the 1860s as they are today...

There are so many aspects of Alcott's masterpiece that I love, that it would be impossible to list them all. Suffice it to say that this is a beautiful book, both in its overarching themes and structure, and in its particular characters and narratives incidents. Finally, I should note that although this book has been published in a seemingly endless variety of editions, I myself grew up on the Illustrated Junior Library edition, with illustrations by Louis Jambor....less

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Santh

Santh rated it:

(review of isbn 0451529308)

03/17/08

bookshelves: classic_fiction, my-collections

The tale of March family in 1800 setting of Civil War. Mr. March – clergyman –was sent to Washington to fulfill his duty as chaplain in the army. Mrs. March – a very spending mother – was as social worker and spent all her free time helping the poor and needy. The first daughter – Margaret “Meg” March – was pretty at sixteen, with large eyes, soft, brown hair, a sweet mouth, and white hands, of which she was very proud. Jo – Josephine March – was the second daughter, she was ...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

add a comment

Amy

Amy rated it:

(review of isbn 0451529308)

03/11/08

bookshelves: classic, favorites

Read in January, 1987

recommends it for: Those who have retained their innocence in this materialistic world we live in.

I absolutely cannot read this again or it will be ruined from my 10-year-old remembrance of it. I really don't want that to happen. You need to be a bit naive yourself to truly appreciate the nunnish thoughts and adventures of 4 perfectly innocent preteens and teenagers of the 1860s. I remember reading it and wishing that I had sisters to perform plays with and write newspapers with and that I had a next door neighbor to fall in love with. But trying to read the book again when I'm in my 30s, I ...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Ashley

Ashley rated it:

(review of isbn 0451529308)

02/22/08

Read in February, 2008

recommended to Ashley by: my mother's childhood favorite

so, in the back of my copy there was the study guide question: is this a feminine or a feminist work?

as someone who wears skirts as much as humanly possible, is frequently rocking (fake) pearls, and would really like for more things to be pink, but damn i'm a feminist. i don't think that this is an 'either or' answer.

yes, all of the characters do get married, but their mother encourages them-even though poor-to mary for love and not money. (marmie is a HUGE feminist) and ultimately, eac...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Carter

Carter rated it:

(review of isbn 1402714580)

12/13/07

bookshelves: general-fiction, young-adult

Read in December, 2007

I can't believe how much I loved this book. But it's so good. While I read it, I tried to keep in mind the time in which it was written. Perhaps it helped. Because all of the things that seem so out-dated I didn't mind so much. A couple of times, I went to Wikipedia to find out something or another concerning the book (scarlet fever for example) and every time I did, there was a secret about the book I was reading. I suppose for many, it's not that big of a deal because they know the story...more

Like this review? yes

6 comments

Anna

Anna rated it:

(review of isbn 0451529308)

04/11/08

Read in January, 1994

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

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

add a comment

Carmen

Carmen rated it:

(review of isbn 0451529308)

10/22/07

Read in January, 1994

The story of four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy is one that will forever be a part of American liteary culture. Set in the mid-1800s in a small New England town, Louisa May Alcott invites the reader into the home of these four sisters as they deal with the struggles of having a father off fighting in the Civil War, having to mature and grow up supporting themselves with little jobs here and there and finding out about the joys of love, children, and the sadness of death. This coming of age nov...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Chris

Chris rated it:

(review of isbn 1402714580)

08/25/07

Read in January, 2007

Little Women is the story of The Marches--a family of four daughters (Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy), their Mother (Marmee), the next door neighbors (Mr. Laurence and his grandson Theodore, a.k.a Laurie) and other assorted characters that come into their lives. The story begins at the time of the Civil War, in which Father March is serving, and follows the family over several years. Through good times, bad times and hard times, the sisters are close and stick together, along with Laurie, who becomes so ...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Rory

Rory rated it:

(review of isbn 0451529308)

07/30/07

Read in July, 2007

I hated this book.

I can't even begin to go into all the reasons I dislike this novel. It's dull and preachy through out most of it--aside from Jo who is a truly inspired character. But everyone else seems one note, most of the chapters play like morality plays than a solid plot. And just when Miss Alcott has something seemingly interesting she breaks it for no other reason than to do something.

Whether its the pairing of Amy and Laurie (huh?), the point made CONSTANTLY that Beth's life is...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

1 comments

Lilas

Lilas rated it:

(review of isbn 0451529308)

09/29/07

Honestly, I don't like Little Women that much, at least not after a certain point in the story. I don't hate it, but much of it doesn't ring true for me. I never understood why Jo didn't love Laurie, or how on earth shallow Amy would attract him. The characters are contradictory in acting their age - they act like children playing together yet are proposing to one another the next page. Are these grown ups or middle schoolers? It's hard to tell at times. Jo speaks belittlingly of Laurie as her b...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Judi

Judi rated it:

(review of isbn 0451529308)

08/30/07

bookshelves: lovedit

Read in January, 1989

recommends it for: anyone

We had this old hardcover edition with gold leaf when I was young and I loved it because it had those great illustration in it, including full page color ones every now and then. I'm guessing I was about eight when I read it the first time.

My favorite character was Meg because she was the beautiful one, even though I am Jo through and through, from the writing to the temper to ending up with an old German professor (ok maybe not the last part). What did I love so much about Little Women? I ...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Tori

Tori rated it:

(review of isbn 0451529308)

02/26/08

bookshelves: favorites

In 5th grade I was the class bookworm. We had an AR chart where whenever you read a book you took a test on it and got a certain amount of points depending on how long it was. For example, I remember the Harry Potter books were all around 13. Anyways, for every 5 points you earned, you got a sticker next to your name on the AR chart, most people had about 6 stickers by the end of the year, but I took up 3 rows, almost 4, (almost 400 points) and my teacher had to give me all of the extra rows, xD...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

add a comment

Patricia

Patricia rated it:

(review of isbn 0451529308)

12/15/07

bookshelves: to-re-read

Read in January, 1992

recommends it for: young girls

This is another one of those books that was just SUCH A BIG PART of my childhood, that I don't even know where to begin.

Jo March reminds me so much of myself, even to this day (and I'm 26 now). She was awkward, tomboyish, and, at times, inappropriately funny. She loved to write. She was independent, almost to a fault. She loved her family. She was REAL, and she was wonderful. She made ME want to write, and I still carry that hope and dream to one day be able to put something out there ...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Claire

Claire rated it:

(review of isbn 0451529308)

02/15/08

Read in January, 2008

I read this book a few times when I was in late elementary/ middle school. My mom got me the book "March" for Christmas, which is the story of Little Women, but from the dad's perspective. I read the book over Winter Break and decided to reread Little Women. I forgot how well Louisa May Alcott could write! There were times at the end of each chapter when she would tend to "preach" but she was able to entertain as well. I often found it difficult as a young girl to relate...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Megan

Megan rated it:

(review of isbn 0451529308)

03/09/08

Read in January, 2008

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

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

add a comment

Jane

Jane rated it:

(review of isbn 0451529308)

03/11/08

bookshelves: adultfiction, classics, youngadultbooks

Read in March, 2008

For whatever reason this book never came under my nose as I grew. Now, as I read it through with my daughter I'm delighted to know these characters who have been a part of the fabric of our society for years.

I'm sure there are those who would argue that this book is no longer relevant for our time. Fine manners are passe, as are long evenings spent darning by the fire. But the truths of life and death, of sisterhood and motherhood are still with us and I was inspired by these characters to b...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Angie

Angie rated it:

(review of isbn 0451529308)

12/14/07

Read in December, 2007

I read this book years and years ago (prior to the movie, probably in Junior High). As I was choosing which book to read recently, I decided to reread this one, especially since I did not recall everything that had happened when I read it before.

I have about 20 pages to go now and still enjoy this fine little novel. The story of the March sisters really brings me down to earth and gets me to think about my own life, struggles, and happinesses. Truly, we are all blessed if we can but see b...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 1423 1424 next »

book data (includes all editions)

avg rating (all editions): 4.09 (26411 ratings)
avg rating (this edition): 4.29 (7 ratings)
number of reviews: 1393

recommend it | blog it