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Daddy-Long-Legs (Daddy-Long-Legs #1)

4.04 of 5 stars 4.04 · rating details · 11,439 ratings · 1,219 reviews

All sorts of things begin to happen when an orphaned boarding school student finally meets the wealthy guardian with whom she has corresponded for years sight unseen.

Paperback, 192 pages

Published July 1st 1995 by Puffin (first published 1912)

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Jun 22, 2011 Mariel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: it's easy when you're big in Iran

Recommended to Mariel by: whorephans

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. It's probably one of those sad things about me that I take rootless interest in people I don't know and do a whole lot of aimless wondering. It feels creepy on bad days. Daddy Long Legs is weird for me 'cause it felt both not creepy and totally creepy. It must have been delicious for "Daddy" to get letters from someone who didn't know who she was writing to, be privy to hopes and desires and not have to figure his own out. (Too bad the sense that he knew them too well was creepy.) He had eight l...more

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Sep 04, 2008 Mahsa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: به نظرم براي نوجوانان و كساني كه داستان نويسي را شروع ميكنند بيشتر از همه مناسب باشه

يادمه سال 70 فضای دبيرستان ما از زندان هم بدتر بود شايد شما يادتون نياد که اونزمان چقدر محدوديت و فشار زياد بود ولی اينطوری بگم که من خودم از دبيرستانم هيچ خاطره خوبی غير از كتابهاي جين وبستر ندارم! تفتيش شديد عقايد و ارعاب بچه ها . ديوارهای کلاسهااز دوده شوفاژ سياه و کثيف بودند و گچ ديوارها هم جا به جا كنده شده بود طوريكه آدم سالمو دو ساعت ميگذاشتی اونجا افسردگی می گرفت !!! پنجره ها هم که از بيرون کلی محافظ و ميله و سيم خاردار داشت که يك وقت عابران پياده سه طبقه قلاب نگيرند و ما رو توی طبقه سوم...more يادمه سال 70 فضای دبيرستان ما از زندان هم بدتر بود شايد شما يادتون نياد که اونزمان چقدر محدوديت و فشار زياد بود ولی اينطوری بگم که من خودم از دبيرستانم هيچ خاطره خوبی غير از كتابهاي جين وبستر ندارم! تفتيش شديد عقايد و ارعاب بچه ها . ديوارهای کلاسهااز دوده شوفاژ سياه و کثيف بودند و گچ ديوارها هم جا به جا كنده شده بود طوريكه آدم سالمو دو ساعت ميگذاشتی اونجا افسردگی می گرفت !!! پنجره ها هم که از بيرون کلی محافظ و ميله و سيم خاردار داشت که يك وقت عابران پياده سه طبقه قلاب نگيرند و ما رو توی طبقه سوم با مانتو و مقنعه نبينند !!! البته يك پروژه در دست اقدام داشتند که به ميله پنجره ها برق وصل کنند تا اگه کسی هم خواست ما رو ببينه فورا به لقاء الله برسه !!! رفتار دبير و ناظمها با بچه ها مثل قاتلها بود و اغلب معلمها دست کم چند عقدهء روحی / روانی و خانوادگی داشتند احتمالا آموزش پرورش داشتن چند عقده روانی را در فرم استخداميش لحاظ کرده بود که هر چی آدم عصبی و رواني و از همه جا رانده و مانده بود ميرفت معلم ميشد!!!

انروزها من و يكي از دوستانم تصميم گرفتيم خودمان دست بكار بشيم و دبيرستان ايده آل خودمونو بسازيم البته در داستان ! اون موقع بدون اينترنت و ماهواره و اين همه وسايل ارتباط جمعي اين كتاب بهترين وسيله براي من بود كه زندگي هم سن و سالهاي خودم را خارج از اين ديوارها درك كنم. موضوع داستان ما ماجراهاي چند تا دختر در خوابگاه يک کالج مختلط و چند مليتي انتخاب شد که شخصيتهاشون همکلاسيهامون و خودمون بوديم ولي در يک کالج اروپايي و با فضا و امکانات ايده ال خودمون ! به هر کدام از بچه هاي کلاس هم گفتيم اسم و مليتشان را خودشان انتخاب کنند ... اتفاقا خيلي داستانهاي جالبي از آب درامد .بچه ها از سر صبح مي پرسيدن فصل جديدي نوشته شده يا نه و بي صبرانه منتظر زنگ تفريح بودند . بعدها شخصيتهاي داستان اونقدر بين خودمون معروف و ملموس شدند که به فکر افتاديم چهره شخصيتها رو هم نقاشي کنيم ...

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Jun 09, 2007 Zen Cho rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: oldschool, comfortreading, kidslit

Man, I love this book. It was my first introduction to epistolary fiction, and it's just so adorable. Now the fact that she called her romantic interest Daddy throughout the entire book wigs me a bit, and Jervis is so high-handed and lacking in candour that I'm deeply suspicious of him, but I'm gonna put down Judy's trilling that he's right most of the time because he's years older than her to the mushy-brainedness of the first flush of love, and believe that she's going to be able to handle him...more

9 likes · like · see review

Jul 01, 2010 Adi (Reading in the Windowseat) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: classics, 2010-read-list, movie-tv-adapted, own-on-paper, all-time-best, class-children, class-young-adult, genre-romance

Beautiful, hilarious and endearing! A timeless classic that has the easy going page-turner plot of a modern relaxing read alongside the emotional and philosophical depth of the most renowned jewels of literature.

A read for both young and old, that will induce you with new awareness for the beauty of life and those little, everyday happy moments, while laughing at all the oddities of people and their tempers.

6 likes · like · see review

Feb 01, 2008 Christy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I highly recommend that men DON'T read this, and I highly recommend that women - particularly girls who enjoy Little Women, Jane Eyre, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, etc. (basically old-fashioned chick flick books with substance) - DO read this. It's sweet and funny and different, not hard to get through in a day or two, and leaves you with a good feeling.

22 likes · like · see review

Nov 12, 2008 Wendy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I've been reading comments here and there about how this book is not that good and the central relationship is creepy and it is anti-feminist. THIS IS SO NOT TRUE.

(Well, of course if you think it's not that good, that's your prerogative; I won't go that far; but I don't understand, either.)

This book is amazing. Judy is so completely accessible, and her roommates and college friends are so funny. It's a joy to read about someone who is just so excited to do EVERYTHING, but not, of course, in a ph...more I've been reading comments here and there about how this book is not that good and the central relationship is creepy and it is anti-feminist. THIS IS SO NOT TRUE.

(Well, of course if you think it's not that good, that's your prerogative; I won't go that far; but I don't understand, either.)

This book is amazing. Judy is so completely accessible, and her roommates and college friends are so funny. It's a joy to read about someone who is just so excited to do EVERYTHING, but not, of course, in a phony way. But she isn't happy all the time, and she isn't fake; she has days of deep depression, as you might expect from someone with her upbringing. I loved it every time I read it when I was a kid, but then when I went to college and reread it, I appreciated it even more; because lots of what Judy experienced, I identified with, though on a different level--my educational background was also different from most of my classmates, I also felt like I had to watch what I said about pre-college life because I quickly found that people didn't get it, and I also wasn't used to having my own money to spend (my own fault, because I never worked in high school).

The relationship between Jervis and Judy (this is why it's under a spoiler; I've been annoyed by people spoiling this to people who haven't read it, too) could seem creepy if one only looked at it on a shallow level, and with 21st century eyes. For one thing, he wasn't THAT old. It doesn't seem like an age difference that would have been creepy at the time, and I actually have met a few couples with similar age differences today. For another, she got to know him on normal terms; it wasn't like he was grooming her or anything--it wasn't GIGI. Or PRETTY WOMAN. Or whatever.

Finally, it is so not anti-feminist. I guess it bothers some people that she gets married right out of college and never "does" anything with her education, and that Jervis tells her what to do. Yes, it was totally wrong for Jervis to tell her where she was allowed to go on her summer vacations, and Judy KNOWS IT. She calls him on it, thoroughly. He learns his lesson. And one can only assume that after they're married, they continue with all the philanthropy (that refurbishing of the John Grier Home in the second book wasn't cheap).

Also--many of you know that this is pretty much my highest praise for a book--it's FUNNY.

(Now, DEAR ENEMY is absolutely racist and classist and generally offensive, besides not being as well written and only sometimes as funny. The odd thing is, I've had difficulty convincing people of it.)

(Oh, and also: PLEASE, can someone explain to me why so many people from Iran have read Jean Webster's books?)(less)

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Apr 12, 2012 Nikita Ompang rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books, novel

WTF!?!?!? MY WHOLE REVIEW JUST GOT DELETED!!!! IT WASN'T FREAKING SAVED! FFFFFF!!!!!!!!!

Okay so I won't make the same, long and detailed review anymore. I've lost my enthusiasm in making a review for this one. I simply HATE redoing things!!!

For the review
First off, I wasn't even sure if I read the right book because it was so short, it have fallen into the category of a short story. Nonetheless, I read this for I am an avid fan of the anime even when I was little and I remember having so much fu...more

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Feb 11, 2011 Victoria Evangelina Belyavskaya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, in-english

~MY FIRST BOOK IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE~

This is the first book I read in English; I was about 15-16 years old at the time. I studied the language with my beloved teacher, Galina Vasilievna, in Tashkent (Uzbekistan). I had 2-3 private classes a week, and she would usually give me an obscene amount of home work - well, thanks for that! After some time spent with study books, I came to a point when she suggested 'additional reading' and gave me this book. I was supposed to prepare a couple of pages of r...more
~MY FIRST BOOK IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE~

This is the first book I read in English; I was about 15-16 years old at the time. I studied the language with my beloved teacher, Galina Vasilievna, in Tashkent (Uzbekistan). I had 2-3 private classes a week, and she would usually give me an obscene amount of home work - well, thanks for that! After some time spent with study books, I came to a point when she suggested 'additional reading' and gave me this book. I was supposed to prepare a couple of pages of reading once a week. By 'prepare' I mean exactly what it sounds like - PREPARE. Translate every word - understand it in context. Write it down. Translate, write down the definition and construct in writing 5 sentences with the phrases underlined by my teacher. Usually those were expressions, like "dragged itself to a close" - Gosh, I still remember it!

Well, I have to say that I have never finished the book in the way Galina Vasilievna wanted me to. In about half a year I just wanted to know "what's next?!!" and flipped through the many remaining pages in one evening, grasping the meaning despite the still words I did not know. Proud, I said to the teacher "I can tell you the story!" "It is not reading, my dear! I need you to learn the expressions!" she replied as calmly, as usually.

Many books have passed through my hands and mind, shaping my soul and life path since then. Most of them have been in English language. I studied for my Master's degree reading and writing everything in English. For several years I used to write a weekly column in English for a newspaper. For about four years [at the time of this review] 85% of my communications are in English. I am thrilled with the Gift to read English authors in their own language. And the door to all of this is my dear old teacher and the story of Daddy-Long-Legs and little Jerusha, writing him letters and falling in love...

As for the book itself: it was cute. I may read it once again, just to have a complete picture, non-fragmented with my initial page-a-week jumps...

Victoria Evangelina Belyavskaya(less)

6 likes · like · see review

Apr 27, 2007 shabnam added it · review of another edition

Shelves: myfavorites

It is absolutely impressive book.I learned how to solve the problems of life,and see the problems simple.I learend there are many things in the world which able to apear smile in our lips.However we can see simplicity and very usual things, we can see the prominent roules of life in this intersting book.

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 12, 2008 Afsane rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

كتابي كه در دوره طفوليت من بهترين همدم من بود. اين كتاب بهترين هديه اي است كه در طول عمرم دريافت كردم. نيماي عزيزم روحت شاد.

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May 15, 2012 صلاح القرشي rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

هذا هو الخلود الأدبي
أن يكتب عمل روائي في عام 1912 وتطالعه الأن في 2012 فتجده طازجا شهيا ساحرا ومعاصرا وكأنه كتب لك

رواية ابي طويل الساقين او العنوان الآخر
صاحب الظل الطويل
اخبرتني أبنتي عندما حكيت لها موضوع الرواية أن هنالك حلقات كرتونية رائعة "من وجهة نظرها طبعا" باسم صاحب الظل الطويل تحكي قصة هذه الرواية
قالت لي ابحث عنها على اليوتيوب
واتفقنا على مقايضة
اشاهد الحلقات الكرتونية
في مقابل أن تطالع هي الرواية
من جهتي سانفذ الجزء الخاص بي
لكن من جهتها فيبدو الأمر صعبا
الرواية ممتعة وتأتي في الجانب الذي اع...more

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Jul 23, 2010 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nook-books, public-domain, fiction, z-2010, historical

I found it when I stumbled across this blog, and specifically this review: http://booksidoneread.blogspot.com/20...
The review was so positive that, for some unknown reason (I have lots in my to-read list), I decided to check for an eBook copy. I was surprised to find that it is, in fact, a very old book and I easily found a free scan from a 1912 edition.

I'm very glad that I did. This book is charming. There's just about no other word for it. It's old-fashioned, but the story wouldn't work if it...more I found it when I stumbled across this blog, and specifically this review: http://booksidoneread.blogspot.com/20...
The review was so positive that, for some unknown reason (I have lots in my to-read list), I decided to check for an eBook copy. I was surprised to find that it is, in fact, a very old book and I easily found a free scan from a 1912 edition.

I'm very glad that I did. This book is charming. There's just about no other word for it. It's old-fashioned, but the story wouldn't work if it were set in any other time period. It gets a little bit predictable at the end, but by then I was so engrossed by the character of Judy that I didn't mind at all. In fact, it made me feel more optimistic about the story, in an odd kind of a way.

The story is this: Jerusha Abbott lives at an orphan asylum. She is 17 years old and treated as much like a matron as she is a ward. It turns out that most of the children leave the asylum when they're 15, but she was such a good student that she was allowed to stay until she finished school. Just before she was to be sent away, a rich benefactor discovers that she's kind of a brilliant writer and decides to send her to college to become an author. She is not told his name, but she is to write him letters at least monthly regarding her progress. All she really knows about him is that he is tall, thin, wealthy, and apparently generous.

The book is a collection of those letters and they follow her through just a little bit more than her four years of schooling. She decides she hates her name and starts to go by "Judy". She talks about her classes, about her friends, about the faux pas she makes because of her background. Her letters are interspersed with funny little drawings, which only seem to make the letters feel more authentic and adorable.

It's pretty rare that I like something as much as the reviewer did, but this book was extremely satisfying. It's short and a quick read - and available for free on bn.com. There's no good reason not to read this book.

Having looked at some information about the author, several very interesting trivia bits stand out to me. Her real name was Alice (a name I'm very fond of and am proud to carry). Her grandmother worked for racial equality and women's sufferage. Her mother was Mark Twain's niece.(less)

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Nov 28, 2009 PurplyCookie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: classics, personal-faves, young-adult, 1st-in-a-series, book-series, coming-of-age

Jerusha Abbott has grown up in the John Grier Home for orphans. As the oldest, she is in charge of the younger children. An anonymous benefactor on the Board, "Mr. Smith," decides to send her to college, as long as she writes to him faithfully detailing her education. Originally published in 1912, Jean Webster's coming-of-age tale continues to be relevant to young women today. While some experiences and circumstances are dated, the emotions and life situations of Judy are timeless. Judy is an ou...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 08, 2008 piraterie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read2008, comfort-read, epistolary

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

like · see review

Nov 24, 2012 Holmes221B rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, favorites, mia-s-kiddie-reads

Love love love!!!! This is so cute, this surprise love story! I wish "Daddy" wrote a letter or two as well, or they put in his POV.
At many points I feel as if I'm her - stubborn, whimsical, would love to be childish but tries to do the mature thing.
Somehow Jervie and Jerusha are a great pair too! This book has a lot of surprises, all of them nice, so I'm not going to ruin it for you. Its a sweet, light, entertaining read!

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 10, 2008 Aerin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, middle-grade

(Not so much a review as a comment) I'm not sure how I had never read this book before. It's absolutely darling - Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Louisa May Alcott and L.M. Montgomery all rolled into one.

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 13, 2009 Becki rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Long before Bridget Jones came on the scene, there was Judy Abbott. Perhaps the first instance of "chick lit", Daddy Longlegs waas written in 1912 and to this day remains charming, funny, and captivating.

Written mostly in letters to her benefactor, the story revolves around Judy, a young orphan who is given the rare opportunity of being sent to college. The letters, accompanied by amusing line drawings, follow her struggles with chemistry, social situations (including boys), and learning to be h...more

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Jan 07, 2009 Antof9 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2004-read, charming

Who knew there was a book for this movie? I certainly didn't. This book was truly charming. It's entirely made up of letters from Judy to her "Daddy Long Legs", except for the very beginning, which introduces her while she's still in the John Grier Home.

One of the parts that struck me the most was her comments on reading Jane Eyre. Having just (very recently) finished that myself, I was definitely in that mindset when reading this book. I thought that immediately, and it seemed perfectly natural...more

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Jun 16, 2013 Rachel rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Holy creepballs. I'm working my way through a bunch of Project Gutenberg works, and I find myself with no words after finishing this.

Ok... Some words. The plot is very similar to the Shirley Temple film where she sings about animal crackers. In fact, that movie could very well be based on this book. I don't know.

Let’s leave aside the troubling classism of the "orphan with wealthy benefactor becomes 'civilized' but doesn't lose her humble and cheerful attitude" plot. And all the stuff about how...more

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Jun 11, 2013 Venus added it · review of another edition

Shelves: novel

سپتامبر 24

سرپرست مهربان و عزیزی كه بچه های یتیم رو به كالج می فرستد :
من رسیدم ! اینجام ! دیروز 4 ساعت با قطار توی راه بودم . حس جالبیه ؟ نه ؟ من هیچوقت سوار قطار نشده بودم.
كالج جای بزرگ و شگفت آوریه ، هروقت اتاقمو ترك می كنم ، گم می شم. بعدا وقتی كه احساس سر در گمی كمتری داشتم حتما براتون تعریف می كنم چطور جاییه ، همین طور راجب درسام . تا دوشنبه صبح كلاسی شروع نمی شه و الان شب شنبه است . اما من فقط خواستم یه نامه بنویسم برای اینكه كمی با هم آشنا شیم.
حس غریبیه اینكه برای كسی نامه بنویسی كه نمی ش...more سپتامبر 24

سرپرست مهربان و عزیزی كه بچه های یتیم رو به كالج می فرستد :
من رسیدم ! اینجام ! دیروز 4 ساعت با قطار توی راه بودم . حس جالبیه ؟ نه ؟ من هیچوقت سوار قطار نشده بودم.
كالج جای بزرگ و شگفت آوریه ، هروقت اتاقمو ترك می كنم ، گم می شم. بعدا وقتی كه احساس سر در گمی كمتری داشتم حتما براتون تعریف می كنم چطور جاییه ، همین طور راجب درسام . تا دوشنبه صبح كلاسی شروع نمی شه و الان شب شنبه است . اما من فقط خواستم یه نامه بنویسم برای اینكه كمی با هم آشنا شیم.
حس غریبیه اینكه برای كسی نامه بنویسی كه نمی شناسیش .كلا برای من كه بیشتر ار 3 یا 4 بار چیزی ننوشتم كمی حس غریبیه ، پس اگه یه نوشته ایده آلی نباشه لطفا چشم پوشی كنین !
دیروز قبل از اینكه یتیمخانه رو ترك كنم ، خانم لیپت و من یه گفتگوی جدی ای داشتیم. اون به من توضیح داد كه از این به بعد چطور باید رفتار كنم، مخصوصا با یك مرد اصیل و اشراف زاده كه برای من كارای زیادی می كنه . باید خیلی مواظب باشم كه با احترام برخورد كنم !
اما آخه چطور میشه یه نامه با احترام و ادب برای كسی نوشت كه دلش میخواد "جان اسمیث" خطابش كنی ؟ چرا اسمی رو انتخاب نكردین كه كمتر دوستانه باشه ؟
تابستون امسال خیلی راجب شما فكر كردم ؛ با داشتن كسی كه بعد از این همه سال ، منو پشتیبانی مالی كنه احساس می كنم كه یه جورایی خانواده پیدا كردم .به نظر می رسه كه الان من به یه شخصی تعلق دارم. و این یه احساس آرامش بخشیه . لازمه كه بگم وقتی كه به شما فكر می كنم فقط تصور خیلی كم و مبهمی دارم . اینها سه چیزی هستن كه راجبتون می دونم :

1: قد بلندین .
2: پولدارین .
3: از دخترها بدتون میاد.

اول در نظر داشتم كه شما رو " آقای متنفر از دخترها " صدا بزنم اما این توهین به من بود . یا آقای پولدار كه این هم توهین به شما بود ، انگار كه تنها پول راجب شما مهم هست . تازه پولدار بودن یه صفت ظاهری هس. و ممكنه شما یه زمانی دیگه پولدار نباشین ؛ مثل همه مردهای باهوشی كه توی مراكز سرمایه داری تمام داراریشونو می بازن . اما حداقل شما تمام عمرتون رو قدبلند خواهین موند ! برای همین من تصمیم گرفتم شما رو بابا لنگ دراز صدا بزنم . امیدوارم اشكالی نداشته باشته . این فقط یه اسم مستعاریه كه ما به خانم لیپت نخواهیم گفت .
زنگ ساعت ده الانه كه بعد دو دقیقه زده شه . تمام روزهای ما با زنگها تقسیم شده . ما با این زنگها می خوریم، می خوابیم و درس می خونیم. این خیلی روحیه میده . آهان ! زنگ خورد ! خاموشی ! شب بخیر .

پانوشت‌: می بینین كه من با چه دقت و ظرافتی قوانین رو رعایت می كنم ، به خاطر تربیتی كه توی یتیمخانه " جان گریر هوم" داشتم .

با احترام: جروشا ابوت
به:بابالنگ دراز
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Jun 10, 2013 Kevin Neilson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Are there no other male readers of this book? Isn't it more of a male fantasy than a female one? (Manufacture the perfect girl!) And this book is funny! I consider a book a success if I laugh out loud once or twice, and I certainly exceeded that count by a lot with this short epistle. I came to this book through the 1955 film. Now, normally, I'd have nothing to do with a musical or any film that has dancing. This is because, as I intimated before, I'm male. However, in this case the film seemed...more

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May 27, 2013 Gwen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-fiction

Is my subconscious telling me that I'm in need of literary comfort food? I've been turning to more of my childhood favorites recently, and it's always fascinating to experience these books as an adult: so much went over my head as a young reader.

As with it's sequel, Dear Enemy, I'm amazed at how gloriously feminist this book is, even for 1905. Jean Webster was clearly in favor of votes for women, weaving her personal beliefs throughout Judy's letters:

* "...when women get our rights, you men wi...more Is my subconscious telling me that I'm in need of literary comfort food? I've been turning to more of my childhood favorites recently, and it's always fascinating to experience these books as an adult: so much went over my head as a young reader.

As with it's sequel, Dear Enemy, I'm amazed at how gloriously feminist this book is, even for 1905. Jean Webster was clearly in favor of votes for women, weaving her personal beliefs throughout Judy's letters:

* "...when women get our rights, you men will have to look alive in order to keep yours." (85)

* "I was twenty-one last week. This is an awfully wasteful country to throw away such an honest, educated, conscientious, intelligent citizen as I would be." (154)

* "The only way I can ever repay you is by turning out a Very Useful Citizen. (Are women citizens? I don't suppose they are.) Anyway, a Very Useful Person." (180)

* "Just back from church--preacher from Georgia. We must take care, he says, not to develop our intellects at the expense of our emotional natures--but me thought it was a poor, dry sermon...It doesn't matter what part of the United States or Canada they come from, or what denomination they are, we always get the same sermon. Why on earth don't they go to men's colleges and urge the students not to allow their manly natures to be crushed out by too much mental application?" (198-199)

I'm also amazed at some of the viewpoints Webster expresses--even for today, in some circles, such ideas are considered ridiculously radical and just plain false: "I didn't know that people used to be monkeys and that the Garden of Eden was a beautiful myth." (38) If evolution and non-literal interpretations of the Bible were considered relatively mainstream in 1905, why does it seem that we've taken a step backwards with regard to these topics in parts of modern American society?

I love the descriptions of early 20th century women's college experience and would love to read more on this topic.

Despite it's flaws, I think I prefer Dear Enemy over Daddy-Long-Legs, but then again, I've always enjoyed books about curmudgeonly doctors with mysterious pasts who encounter feisty women. Regardless, Daddy-Long-Legs is a beautiful expression of social change, discovering oneself, and growing up. I admire authors who successfully pull off epistolary books--through the voice of but one character, Webster ably describes Judy's world and the characters in it. Not easy to do when the entire book is a series of one-sided letters to the same person. (less)

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May 20, 2013 Noelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: re-reading, back-to-the-future

Dearest Judy---can I call you Judy?

Forgive me for jumping ahead of myself but in my imagination we are already the best of friends. I've already let Anne, Jo and Sarah know to make room for you at our lunch table. I feel like I know you so well! Reading your letters to Daddy Long Legs (DLL) was like reading your diary and I bet it felt like that to you too, with him stubbornly refusing to reply and all. (I knew he'd cave in eventually. I mean, how could he resist? You are awesome.)

Your letters j...more

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Apr 19, 2013 Rachel Crooks rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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Mar 30, 2013 maricar rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, fiction-for-youngsters

What a charming piece of work.

I am not one much for writing letters. I used to when I was small. And all of them were addressed to my father abroad (decidedly NOT unknown). Most of these, however, took no more than one page of a yellow pad. And lasted only for a few years before sputtering to a complete stop.

I cannot even recall what I wrote to him in those days. But I imagine that they were inane happenings in my as-yet uncomplicated childhood that, looking back now, were probably boring as hel...more What a charming piece of work.

I am not one much for writing letters. I used to when I was small. And all of them were addressed to my father abroad (decidedly NOT unknown). Most of these, however, took no more than one page of a yellow pad. And lasted only for a few years before sputtering to a complete stop.

I cannot even recall what I wrote to him in those days. But I imagine that they were inane happenings in my as-yet uncomplicated childhood that, looking back now, were probably boring as hell.

But Jean Webster’s work reminds me how the art of handwritten correspondence is really on a league of its own. And perhaps something that only a character like Jerusha Abbot can master.

It’s not so much her ability to flit from grave despondency at what used to be her lot in life to the joys she is experiencing now in being out and about in the world, while also retrospectively appreciative of the lessons she has learned while in the Asylum. It’s more of keeping this undiluted vibrancy of the youth in the face of the silent audience of her missives. I adored how she prods and pokes at the character and imagined description of her “daddy” in the hopes of getting a reaction out of him. And yes, sustaining these letters is one of the conditions of her education… but it was the way she sustained it that kept me turning page after page. For, if it were me, and the recipient of my letters was silent as the grave (save for the odd gifts or two), it would not have been long before I wrote nonsensical stuff that perhaps would have increasingly turned slightly-hysterical for want of attention.

To be true, it became a race to reach the end of this novel – for surely we all were in tenterhooks as to the revelation of D-L-L. And perhaps most readers have already guessed way way long before the end; but I, being a special cookie, thwarted whatever hints might have been thrown my way.

And so it was really a nice surprise to this simpering reader of romance when she addressed her “first love letter.” (less)

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Mar 28, 2013 Kirei rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teens-and-adults

I had never heard of this book, so I was surprised to find it in the English section of our Japanese library in the classics section, alongside "Winnie-the-Pooh" and other extremely famous works.

Then I was watching a Doraemon cartoon and Nobita goes back in time to see whether his mom cleaned up her room when she was a girl. Her mother did indeed clean her room and threw away this book--Daddy Long-Legs (Nagai Ashi no Ojisan) (Long Legged Uncle) due to the fact that it was a chapter book and ther...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Nightquest rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, classics

~originally posted in hotcoffeebooksandchocobar.blogspot.com

*3.5 stars*

Yesterday I stumbled upon this sweet book of coming of age. It was my first epistolary novel, meaning the plot was completely conveyed through letters. And I loved it. It was very easy to read, I would even call it a page turner. Through the novel we follow 4 years of college life of Jerusha Abbott. Growing up and having spent all her 17 years in orphanage she is bewildered to find out that she has been picked out to receive...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Lisa by: Natalie Innes

Shelves: book-club, fiction-young-adult, fiction-classic

First published in 1912, this epistolary novel will appeal mostly to young women.

Jersha Abbott has grown up in an orphanage; she still lives there, earning her keep by caring for the four to seven year old children and cleaning the facility.

She learns she has a secret benefactor that would like to pay her way through college. She accepts his terms of knowing nothing about him and a responsibility to write monthly to him.

In her letters, Jersha wonders about the identity of her benefactor and wh...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Loren rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-reading-challenge, books-i-own, childrens-books, classics, female-author

When I first picked up Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster, I knew it was going to be one of those books that were creepy, but not creepy and I had to somehow figure out which it was.
I was right.
First reason for being creepy: She calls him “Daddy”. I know that it comes out of the nickname Daddy-Long-Legs, an innocent nickname from an innocent encounter, but it’s still weird. If someone was calling me “Mama” who wasn’t my child, I’d be freaked out.
Next, this “Daddy” guy is paying for her education,...more When I first picked up Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster, I knew it was going to be one of those books that were creepy, but not creepy and I had to somehow figure out which it was.
I was right.
First reason for being creepy: She calls him “Daddy”. I know that it comes out of the nickname Daddy-Long-Legs, an innocent nickname from an innocent encounter, but it’s still weird. If someone was calling me “Mama” who wasn’t my child, I’d be freaked out.
Next, this “Daddy” guy is paying for her education, but more than this, he wants to pay for everything. He buys her expensive clothes, chocolates, etc. It feels a bit like someone’s being groomed.
Then this Daddy dude want’s to be the sole person who pays for her education. Like, *spoiler alert but not really a spoiler. I don’t know* she wins a complete scholarship and he INSISTS that she turns it down.
And then she decides she wants to go away to tutor for a few weeks to make her own money and be independent, but of course she isn’t allowed to do that (even though she does it anyway) so he decides to try to send her to Europe instead.
So those were the things that creeped me out a bit, but there were things that did make me like this book.
Firstly, there are a whole lot of instances when we see Judy trying to be independent after the head start she was given by “Daddy”. Firstly, she tries to make her own money by tutoring, writing, and winning scholarships. And then she tries to pay him back at the end when she has made some money, despite his insistences that she doesn’t.
We can also see this independence when she refuses to be sent to Europe under his wishes, and instead decides to tutor to make some money. She also refuses to do what he says a couple more times in parts where she is determined to be independent.
The next thing I like about this story is that you often see her getting political. She wants the right to vote and be a part of politics, and she isn’t shy about saying it.
Finally, what I love about this book is that she is determined to be a writer. Over the course of this book you see her grow in this area. We see her being rejected; we see her winning awards, etc. Something I as a writer love to be able to connect with, because it gives me confidence, as well.
The character grew and changed over time. We saw her desires and her confidence grow while she did, and that was heart warming.
So despite the creepiness, there were some really redeeming qualities to this book as stated above.
3/5 Stars.
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Jan 22, 2013 Samantha Oehley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Perhaps in today's overly-scrutinizing, judgmental society we assume that this 'Daddy-Long-Legs' character is a shady fellow. After all, the title 'spider' is not usually associated with something nice. But if you step back from your own assumptions, take in mind that this was written 100 years ago in a society that wasn't flooded with perverts and online predators, this book is actually pleasantly innocent.

I hate to have to include in a review for this wonderful book a defense against other peo...more Perhaps in today's overly-scrutinizing, judgmental society we assume that this 'Daddy-Long-Legs' character is a shady fellow. After all, the title 'spider' is not usually associated with something nice. But if you step back from your own assumptions, take in mind that this was written 100 years ago in a society that wasn't flooded with perverts and online predators, this book is actually pleasantly innocent.

I hate to have to include in a review for this wonderful book a defense against other people's small-mindedness, because it really is (as Judy would say) the sweetest book you ever saw. It's a light hearted romance novel - heavily rooted in comedy. Judy's spirit is so upbeat and positive and funny, despite her unfortunate circumstances. The genesis of the book is based around a kind and affluent person taking a liking to this comedic spirit and offering to support an orphan girl in tertiary study. It is well implied in the book (if any of those nay-sayers read it properly) that he wishes to remain anonymous because he doesn't want to come across as a pompous, upperclass snob who throws money at the lower classes to seem 'honourable'. Also, he requests letters from her to help in her literary efforts. In this way, it'd seem that she has some sort of family write to and at the same time he can be updated on her learning - which is fair enough! Judy became somewhat dedicated to him - no one had ever paid her the tiniest amount of attention in her life - it was natural for her to see this benefactor as somewhat of a father figure. It's an innocent plot, I don't know why it has to be twisted into something else because of people's upbringings about strangers.

Never mind the romance, what I find really fantastic about this book, apart from the hilarious and beautiful writing, is Judy's development. We see her grow from a sweet, naive troublemaker, into a sweet, intelligent lady. By the end of the novel she has shown growing independence, which even results in instances of total disobedience against DLL. Any accusation of this story being anti-feminist is unjustified. Despite the fairytale ending, she is still intelligent, still adventurous, still holds true to the values she had when she was single. I think this sort of female character is a blessing to literacy. Why do the heroines have to be boyish or smart to be adventurous? Why should female characters lose their femininity to be the hero? Likewise, why should lead female characters main traits be either drop dead gorgeous, or stupid, or only as the love interest? Judy is a breath of fresh air! I'd much rather hang out with her than the likes of whiney, boring Bella Swan or even masculine, anti-social Katniss Everdeen.

There is a reason this book has been adapted into over 4 different movies, countless plays and musicals, 2 animes and endless re-prints and editions over the last century. It really is a timeless classic for girls of all ages to enjoy. I read it over and over and love it every time.(less)

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About Jean Webster

Jean Webster (pseudonym for Alice Jane Chandler Webster) was born July 24, 1876 and died June 11, 1916. She was an American writer and author of many books including Daddy-Long-Legs and Dear Enemy. (The books are available online in the etext collection, A Celebration of Women Writers,and in downloadable form at Project Gutenberg.) Her most well-known books feature lively and likeable young female...more

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Quotes from Daddy-Long-Legs

“It isn't the big troubles in life that require character. Anybody can rise to a crisis and face a crushing tragedy with courage, but to meet the petty hazards of the day with a laugh - I really think that requires spirit.
It's the kind of character that I am going to develop. I am going to pretend that all life is just a game which I must play as skillfully and fairly as I can. If I lose, I am going to shrug my shoulders and laugh - also if I win.” — 149 people liked it

“I believe absolutely in my own free will and my own power to accomplish - and that is the belief that moves mountains. ” — 35 people liked it

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