Large Format for easy reading. By the author of Little Women. Tells the story of Polly, the old-fashioned girl, her friendship with the wealthy Sha...
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Jul 16, 2011
Kwesi 章英狮
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I'm one of the biggest fans of Louisa May Alcott after reading her Little Women when I was in high school. It was an amazing book that every girls and boys would love and cherish until end and it was one of the greatest classics that I read since I started reading. This time, Louisa May Alcott turned the old pages of this book into a magnificent old-fashioned story. Real and fluent in a way that every reader will appreciate the old ways and life of Polly Milton.
Me, myself is an old- More...
Me, myself is an old- More...
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May 13, 2009
Chandra
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This book surprised me. I enjoyed it both more and less than I was expecting. The book centers around Polly Milton, the titular 'old-fashioned girl', and her interactions with the her wealthy Boston cousins, the Shaws. I was worried that this would be the story of a wide-eyed country bumpkin who humbles her worldly and arrogant cousins with her innocence and folksy ways. Thankfully, this isn't quite the set up. Although, it’s not too terribly far off either....
For starters, I ac More...
For starters, I ac More...
22 comments
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(5 people liked it)
Sep 19, 2007
Retna
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This book left me with such a happy feeling as a kid and I know I would still love this book when I read it again. It's like watching "The Sound of Music", you want to find comfort in it when the world dissapoints you, because you will be reminded that no matter what, being sincere and true to yourself will pay (and surely will get the boy/ the man you fall for!). Of course when you went to high school, you might learn another thing, that inner beauty didn't always prevail, thanks to t
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(3 people liked it)
Nov 09, 2007
"Aubri"/Lisa
rated it:
This particular novel by Ms. Alcott falls behind the Rose Campbell books and "Little Women" as my favorite, but there are parts of it that I find almost revolutionary. In particular the scene where grown-up Polly take Fanny to meet her artistic friends and they show her what it's like to be independent and make your way in the world on your own terms is quite "modern" in an age where womens' suffrage was just making its mark on the country. Many good lessons to be learned i
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Jan 10, 2012
Lauren
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I read this because LMA's 'A Rose in Bloom' is one of my favorite books ever. I didn't find this book nearly as well-written, well-designed or satisfactory as Rose, but I still enjoyed what it had to offer. I think it seemed a bit disjointed and inconsistent because the first third of the novel (which I found pretty dull - reading about boring school children doing very little is not my thing) was serialized and the rest of the book was written later. The rest of the book was strange in that
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Jan 05, 2012
Kristine
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Louisa May Alcott has written another generally uplifting book where inner substance ("character") matters; in fact, strength of character brings satisfaction and joy to the fictional young people who do struggle to determine and execute "right" behavior at various times-- and, whether realistic or not, readers who stick to the end will learn that the most-featured young people do find happy endings.
The book has two distinct parts -- with a jolting disconnecti More...
The book has two distinct parts -- with a jolting disconnecti More...
Aug 08, 2011
Kris
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Louisa May Alcott, why so awesome?! I mean really, how did I never know about LMA's awesomeness before I entered my 20s? This is ridiculous and someone, somewhere along the line, has failed me. Personally I blame my mother (because that's what mothers are for, right?)
This is the second LMA book I have read and the second one that I have been sucked into and unable to put down. This one felt a bit like "Eight Cousins," but I think it's just because LMA's style is so...not More...
This is the second LMA book I have read and the second one that I have been sucked into and unable to put down. This one felt a bit like "Eight Cousins," but I think it's just because LMA's style is so...not More...
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May 03, 2011
Nix
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Oct 27, 2010
Mimi
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This is exactly the style of writing that I grew up reading and the kind of book that I love. I am not sure how I missed it previously when in Louisa May Alcott stages, but I had never even heard of it. Luckily for me, the librarians had it on display at my library a week or so ago.
I appreciated many aspects of this novel. Most of what I love is summed up by Alcott herself in the preface: "If the history of Polly's girlish experiences suggests a hint or insinuates a lesson, I sh More...
I appreciated many aspects of this novel. Most of what I love is summed up by Alcott herself in the preface: "If the history of Polly's girlish experiences suggests a hint or insinuates a lesson, I sh More...
Aug 30, 2009
Meredith (Austenesque Reviews)
rated it:
Do you ever feel like you are tied up in our times? Worrying too much about cell phones, fashions, and the latest whatevers? This book can set you straight. It gives you a peace of mind and fills you with simple pleasures.
The stories main character, Polly, we meet at the age of 14. She has come to stay with rich friends for a while. THey do everything so differently from she. The family has two daughters. One that is two years older than Polly called Fan, who cares for fashion, ball More...
The stories main character, Polly, we meet at the age of 14. She has come to stay with rich friends for a while. THey do everything so differently from she. The family has two daughters. One that is two years older than Polly called Fan, who cares for fashion, ball More...
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Nov 28, 2010
Bagaimana cara terbaik mengatakan seseorang kuno atau tidak?
Tentu saja dengan melakukan perbandingan, apakah orang-orang zaman sekarang masih melakukan hal-hal yang dulu dilakukan orang tua mereka atau tidak.
Polly Milton, dalam usianya yang masih empat belas tahun, pergi mengunjungi salah satu kerabatnya, keluarga Shaw, di kota. Keluarga yang terdiri atas Mr. dan Mrs. Shaw, seorang nenek, dan tiga bersaudara Fanny (enam belas tahun), Tom (empat belas tahun) dan Maud (s More...
Tentu saja dengan melakukan perbandingan, apakah orang-orang zaman sekarang masih melakukan hal-hal yang dulu dilakukan orang tua mereka atau tidak.
Polly Milton, dalam usianya yang masih empat belas tahun, pergi mengunjungi salah satu kerabatnya, keluarga Shaw, di kota. Keluarga yang terdiri atas Mr. dan Mrs. Shaw, seorang nenek, dan tiga bersaudara Fanny (enam belas tahun), Tom (empat belas tahun) dan Maud (s More...
Aug 06, 2007
Dayna
rated it:
This is one of Louisa May Alcott's lesser known novels, but it is a good one ... in my opinion it's one of her best. I read it back when I was thirteen and I think it really shaped my adolescence. I kind of embraced being old fashioned because of this book. Polly is so thrifty and I loved the idea of being creative and saving money, especially as a poor teenager.
It's a good book ... especially for younger girls, or older ones that like remembering simpler times.
It's a good book ... especially for younger girls, or older ones that like remembering simpler times.
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Mar 04, 2011
Julie
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Polly Milton doesn't fit in from the moment she arrives at the wealthy Shaw household to visit her friend, Fanny. She's odd, dresses too simply, and is as innocent as a child - in one term, "old-fashioned." While Fanny's rich, party-loving friends don't quite accept her and Fanny's brother Tom pokes fun at her strange ways, what these shallow, dissipated people can't predict is the way in which Polly will bring love and sunshine into their gloomy lives.
I've had this Pollyanna More...
I've had this Pollyanna More...
Dec 16, 2009
Ann
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I confess I've only read Part One a few times, but I must have read Part Two at least a dozen. I'm not sure I can quite explain why a piece of juvenile fiction that suffers from no pretensions of being a great work of art is one of my absolute favorite books, but it is. There is something beautiful to me about the simplicity of the characters, the straightforward and unapologetic morality, and the everyday historical tidbits sprinkled through this book.
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Feb 20, 2009
Brooke
rated it: 
OK, it's official, I DO NOT LIKE Louisa May Alcott books. I seriously can't figure out the hype. I couldn't finish Little Women because I was bored to tears. I was so irritated with The Inheritance's main character's eyes "filling with tears" every 6.3 seconds I wanted to cry myself. But, I figured, she has to have at least 1 good book, let's give it one more shot. NOPE!!! If I have to hear one more alliterated description of Polly (poor Polly, precious Polly, patient Polly, etc,
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Jan 10, 2012
I loved this book and I am so glad I bought it because I can't wait to read it again but next time I will make sure I have a highlighter because there was so much wisdom in this book. If we could all be more like Polly the world would be a better and much less selfish place. Thanks Sarah for the suggestion! I can't wait to read more things by Louisa May Alcott.
I am reading this one again I love it!!
I am reading this one again I love it!!
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Aug 24, 2011
Nabila
rated it: 
Ternyata tak butuh waktu sedikit untuk menyelesaikan buku ini. Padahal ekspektasi saya cukup besar untuk Old Fashioned Girl. Ide ceritanya menarik. Bercerita tentang bagaimana tokoh utama, Polly yang bergaya klasik, sederhana dan tulus menjalani kehidupannya diantara lingkungan kota yang sudah 'meminggirkan' karakter-karakter layaknya yang dimiliki Polly. Namun justru dengan kegigihan, Polly dapat membuktikan bahwa sifat-sifat istimewanya adalah sesuatu yang baik dan dapat mengingatkan kembali b
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Feb 22, 2011
Our Intrepid Heroine
rated it:
I read this book when I was about 12, 14, and I remembered it being hard to get into but blandly nice. When I found a copy in an antique shop, I had to get it and try again.
I love this book. I love the main character's modesty and reserve, and her interest in the substance of things rather than the fashionable nonsense around her. I was too young the first time I read this to really grasp the juxtaposition Alcott made between Polly and her fashionably useless friends. Got it this tim More...
I love this book. I love the main character's modesty and reserve, and her interest in the substance of things rather than the fashionable nonsense around her. I was too young the first time I read this to really grasp the juxtaposition Alcott made between Polly and her fashionably useless friends. Got it this tim More...
Oct 31, 2010
Aisa
rated it:
It is a first Alcott's book I read.
First of all, Polly is the most angelic character I’ve ever encountered. There is her inner dialogue and script from her journal and so on but it is like she’s just too good to be true. But I do believe there is a person like that in the world. Her story is simple but sweet. A very down-to-earth story about a girl and her daily struggles as a young woman.
But there is one thing I have to complain. I bought the translated version and found More...
First of all, Polly is the most angelic character I’ve ever encountered. There is her inner dialogue and script from her journal and so on but it is like she’s just too good to be true. But I do believe there is a person like that in the world. Her story is simple but sweet. A very down-to-earth story about a girl and her daily struggles as a young woman.
But there is one thing I have to complain. I bought the translated version and found More...
Jul 29, 2009
skein
rated it:
I cannot in good conscience give this more than two stars - it's still 'moral pap for the young' as Alcott once described some of her own writing - but it's a far work, less episodic, more ambiguous, better written, and less goody-two-shoes than Little Women. & I totally enjoyed the snarky asides referencing that first book - my favorite being - when "intimidated by the threats, denunciations, and complaints showered upon me in consequence of taking the liberty to end a certain story as I l
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Apr 07, 2011
Belum selesai baca. Tapi, benar-benar berharap, buku ini dibaca oleh remaja dan orangtua.
Keluarga Shaw mungkin banyak ditemukan sekarang ini. Keluarga tanpa kehangatan antar anggota.
Fanny, ABG yang masih belum menemukan dirinya sendiri, dan selalu berusaha mengikuti arus saja, tanpa tahu arah hidupnya.
Tampak usaha penerjemah untuk membuat bahasa sedikit lebih cair (bisa nggak ya diartikan lebih 'gaul'), namun tetap berasa 'klasiknya'.
Hal ini membuat saya berpiki More...
Keluarga Shaw mungkin banyak ditemukan sekarang ini. Keluarga tanpa kehangatan antar anggota.
Fanny, ABG yang masih belum menemukan dirinya sendiri, dan selalu berusaha mengikuti arus saja, tanpa tahu arah hidupnya.
Tampak usaha penerjemah untuk membuat bahasa sedikit lebih cair (bisa nggak ya diartikan lebih 'gaul'), namun tetap berasa 'klasiknya'.
Hal ini membuat saya berpiki More...
Jun 25, 2009
What a pleasure to read!
I enjoyed Little Women at 9 or 10 and swiftly moved to enjoy Eight Cousins, Rose in Bloom, and the continuations of the March sisters' story. This book, however, was blessedly left out of my reading until now–not in the least because it was a bad read, but purely because had I read it sooner, I would have had only a fraction of the appreciation for it that I had now!
The title says it all here. Polly is an 'old-fashioned country girl', lamenting the More...
I enjoyed Little Women at 9 or 10 and swiftly moved to enjoy Eight Cousins, Rose in Bloom, and the continuations of the March sisters' story. This book, however, was blessedly left out of my reading until now–not in the least because it was a bad read, but purely because had I read it sooner, I would have had only a fraction of the appreciation for it that I had now!
The title says it all here. Polly is an 'old-fashioned country girl', lamenting the More...
Sep 25, 2007
Jessica
rated it:
This children's book is preachy and the heroine is a slightly insufferable goody-goody; nevertheless I love this book. My favorite Alcott (after Little Women of course). I think the lessons this story tells ring true over a century after it was written.
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Jul 05, 2011
Maggie
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So far, I am really liking this book. Yes, Polly is a bit of a Mary Sue at times, but she is so genuine, sweet, and kind, you can't help but like her. Just a really nice, gentle book that makes me happy. Some things about this book made me realize the culture clash: like, what the heck is a velocipede? Oh, it's a bike. What's drifting? Sledding, it turns out. And some of the names also made me laugh. I don't think anyone would name a baby "Maud" anymore, and "Fanny" is also o
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Jul 31, 2011
Jenny
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An Old Fashioned Girl has always been one of my favorites of LM Alcott's works, and when I picked it up last night, I wondered if it would hold up well against adulthood and a literature degree and still resonate the same way it did when I was a pre-teen.
And it did. I can recognize a little bit of heavy-handedness in Alcott's dishing out of the moral, and there are certainly those who would scoff at the main character as ridiculously good, but I think the message Alcott tries to imp More...
And it did. I can recognize a little bit of heavy-handedness in Alcott's dishing out of the moral, and there are certainly those who would scoff at the main character as ridiculously good, but I think the message Alcott tries to imp More...
Apr 12, 2008
Catie
rated it:
Beautiful story- I immediately think of the song 'Innocent' by Stellar Kart. Innocence doesn't mean ignorance, but rather, implies a truer understanding of real meaning of life.
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Jun 03, 2009
Carolyn
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I read this book because I'm going to visit Lousia May Alcott's home in a couple of weeks and I fell in love with Lousia's writing all over again. The main character, Polly, is delightful and reminds me a lot of Anne of Green Gables. Here is one of my favorite phrases from the book, "Things worry me sometimes, but I just catch up a broom and sweep, or wash hard, or walk, or go at something with all my might, and I usually find that by the time I get through the worry is gone, or I've got
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Feb 06, 2011
Tracy
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I found myself getting rather annoyed with this book until I remembered that it was a young adult book. Suddenly, I began to compare it to young adult books from today and it wasn't half bad. I would lump it into the category of young adult books with the characters that re self-absorbed, whiny, and/or seemingly perfect to their peers. Once I had this realization, it struck me that Alcott pretty much summed up adolescence! I still found it annoying, but with compassion for the author's attention
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Nov 01, 2009
SerahRose
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This morning I got to do what I rarely have time for these days. I opened my eyes to the sun, yawned, rolled over, grabbed my book and went right back to reading. Morning reading is my favorite. This was a good book for it. Nice, easy read. Alcott is one of my old favorites from childhood but I never actually read this one before. It would probably be slow for some. Certainly doesn't live up to Little Women and Jo's Boys but it's still got her style, grace and simplicity. As usual, I fou
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May 13, 2011
Jennifer
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Like all the books I've read by Alcott, this is a simple, inspiring story of how doing what is right will eventually lead to good fortune and happiness. The protagonist, Polly, is a poor country girl who is thrown into elegant society when she goes to stay with her friend Fanny. Polly is at first criticized for her lack of fashion or flirtatious ways, but she stays true to her values and influences everyone around her for good. There's a sweet love story, and lots of speeches (by Polly mostly) a
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