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Eight Cousins (Eight Cousins #1)

4.01 of 5 stars 4.01 · rating details · 16,072 ratings · 512 reviews

Poor Rose Campbell! Tired and ill, she has come to live at "The Aunt-Hill" after the death of her beloved father. Six aunts fussing and fretting over her are bad enough, but what is a quiet thirteen-year-old girl to do with seven boisterous boy cousins? And with a guardian uncle who has the strangest ideas about how to raise a young girl?

Paperback, 320 pages

Published September 1st 1995 by Puffin (first published January 1st 1874)

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Feb 22, 2008 Kristen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Women ages 14 and up

If you've read any Louisa May Alcott, the general ideas and characters will be familiar. The characters are all very high-minded and very concerned with morality, building character, proper behavior, etc. Being written nearly 150 years ago, some of the ideas on health, class and race relations, and gender roles are very antiquated, and can even seem a bit bigoted. But you have to remember the time in which it was written. The way they describe a Chinese man is particularly interesting.

The basic...more

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Mar 06, 2008 Catherine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classic-novels, young-adult-fiction

The latest book in my Louisa May Alcott kick...and I found it generally charming. I love the idea of "throwing out the window" the general practices at the time (wearing tight corsets and belts, taking strong coffees and cordials to improve health, teaching girls to act like 'ladies' instead of allowing them fresh air and exercise) and enjoyed watching young Rose become a picture of health and happiness. I also loved the idea that her uncle taught her to be a self-reliant woman (hence the emphas...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Miranda Kube rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Basic Synopsis; Rose is a recently orphaned girl who is sent to live with her extended family, as her Uncle Alec was named her guardian in her parent's will. In addition to her uncle, there are several aunts and great-aunts that are all convinced that Alec, being a single, young man wouldn't have the slightest notion on how to raise a young girl. This might be partially do to the fact that the family is dominated by men - most of the Aunts are only by marriage to one of Rose's three other Uncles...more Basic Synopsis; Rose is a recently orphaned girl who is sent to live with her extended family, as her Uncle Alec was named her guardian in her parent's will. In addition to her uncle, there are several aunts and great-aunts that are all convinced that Alec, being a single, young man wouldn't have the slightest notion on how to raise a young girl. This might be partially do to the fact that the family is dominated by men - most of the Aunts are only by marriage to one of Rose's three other Uncles, and all have had only sons. Seven sons to be exact. So Rose is the eighth cousin, hence the catchy title. The story revolves around Alec's entirely unorthodox and new thinking ideas on child raising and how Rose, in the course of a year grows from a meek, sad, unhealthy orphan, into a well rounded, educated and healthy member of the Campbell family.

My honest opinion; I might have enjoyed it all a bit better if I had finished reading it as a child. It does pander a bit, and Louisa May certainly didn't disguise her distaste for the general state of women in the book. It is interesting to see that things we take for granted in raising daughters now-a-days were considered completely foreign and wrong in a post civil war setting. As a corset-maker and wearer, I particularly found it amusing when Uncle Alec threatened to burn the corset that one of the meddlesome aunts tried to make Rose wear. I also giggled when one of the Aunts nearly fainted when she though Alec might let Rose wear a 'bloomer costume'. If only the Aunts could see the state of young women now a days. All in all though, it's a very uplifting story, to see the progression of Rose and the care that her Uncle shows to her. Really, I consider Alec to be the star of the story, and the other cousins just comedic relief and plot foils.

Things I liked; Once again, the quirky characters. The slew of boy cousins are comedic and silly. I loved how caring and kind the family was portrayed as being. Even the fussy old aunts, who suffer from nerves, while teased, are still beloved and respected parts of the family. The writing, while not overly intellectual, is done well and amusing.

Things I disliked; How preachy it felt at times. Clearly, Louisa thought her quirky father with his 'strange' ideas on raising daughters was the be all, end all, and if girls were not raised in accordance with this they were all empty-headed ninnies like Annabell Bliss, the neighborhood girl that Rose is acquainted with. Also disliked that you practically need a flow chart to keep all the family straight. I still can't remember which boys are brothers, and which aunt they belong to!

Final Thoughts; Might not read it again, but glad I finally finished it. Certainly a good, light, feel good read.(less)

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Feb 28, 2013 Erin Burr rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My mother gave me this book as a child and I read it a number of times. I recently listened to it on libriVox and I really enjoyed it.The thing I like the most about this book, is the friendship and love between the cousins, and within the close knit family. I think many of us long for that kind of close extended family.

There is some heavy moralizing but I liked that too as being a testimony of the values of the time. That's something I like about the Little House books, as well.

In the story a...more

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May 23, 2012 My Sister's Bookshelf rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

Rose is an orphan who comes to live with her great-aunts, Peace and Plenty, in Boston (a charming old-fashioned Boston that won’t look at all familiar to people who live there today). Her unknown super-uncle Alec has been appointed her guardian. Though it is definitely not what Alcott was going for, it is totally understandable to have a crush on Alec. Partially because his name is Alec (Mary’s first crush in life was Alec from The Black Stallion movie). And partially because he has tousled gray...more

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May 10, 2012 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teen, young-adult

I read this book more than once when I was between the ages of 8 and 12. My recent re-read came about when I realized I could download it for free onto my Kindle. If I were reading it for the first time as an adult, I would probably give it 3 stars, because the moral lessons can be a bit heavy-handed, and the word "pretty" is used 75 times, and the description of the Chinese character Fun See tiptoes too close to being racist, but my nostalgia for the book boosted it to 4 stars.

I was amused to...more

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Sep 16, 2011 Airiz C rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: classic, children-s-lit, inspirational, humor, young-adult

Another delightful read from Louisa May Alcott—quite a breather from all the heavy readings I’m having lately! It’s not as good as her Little Women or Little Men, but it’s equally charming. Basically it’s about the sickly little girl Rose Campbell who must live with her numerous aunts in Aunt Hill and seven boy cousins after her father died. There’s nothing much to say when it comes to the plot, it’s just a series of slices-of-life zeroing in on one bud of a girl that was slowly growing into a f...more

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Sep 06, 2011 Kristine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, juvenile, 1st-pub-19th-cent

Louisa May Alcott sustained me during the week-long power/phone/closed library outage during Hurricane Irene. Finding myself with a diet too-abundant in peanut butter sandwiches, I also felt rather like a kid again reading with a flashlight under the covers ---except that I was reading by a single light beam generated from a red wind-up LL BEAN emergency radio.

Given a few minor health irritations (think poison ivy and strained back) in addition to the awkwardness of life with no running water...more

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Jul 18, 2011 Julia Reed rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Every so often I get the urge to travel down memory lane and read some of the books that I loved as a child. I went through a phase where I polished off all of the Anne of Green Gables series on my Kindle, and another where I did the Little House books, so I guess it was inevitable that when I next needed to scratch that "childhood period fiction" itch, I'd reach for one of my dearly beloved favorites, Louisa May Alcott. It's interesting to think that many of the authors of beloved children's fi...more Every so often I get the urge to travel down memory lane and read some of the books that I loved as a child. I went through a phase where I polished off all of the Anne of Green Gables series on my Kindle, and another where I did the Little House books, so I guess it was inevitable that when I next needed to scratch that "childhood period fiction" itch, I'd reach for one of my dearly beloved favorites, Louisa May Alcott. It's interesting to think that many of the authors of beloved children's fiction written in or about the 19th century lived themselves very depressing lives(Look up Lucy Maud Montgomery if you don't believe me)that were at odds with the general happiness of the characters they wrote about. LMA is no exception, except in that her characters often reflect some of the own poverty and hardship that she faced in her daily life. They always do so with goodwill and Christian courage, to the point where it gets a little tiresome, but the bits of good writing and humanity that peek through the preaching are delicious enough for me to keep coming back for more. Eight Cousins is one of the lesser read works of LMA, but a favorite of mine. It departs from the usual "poor children maintain good attitudes in the face of struggle" theme by dealing with wealthy children, who maintain good attitudes in the face of struggle. But I don't read it so much for the children as I do for the adults. I think one of the lesser appreciated things about LMA is that while her children might be a little too wholesome for modern audiences to stomach, there's very little wrong with the way she writes adult characters. Consider that the best parts of Little Women are the second half, when the girls are grown, and you'll see what I mean. Eight Cousins features some wonderful grown up characters, and plenty of squeaky clean kids to help me get my childhood fix. Even better I think is "Rose in Bloom" the Eight Cousins sequel where Rose and the boys finally grow up and are therefore permitted enough faults and foibles to make their more saccharine parts go down much easier. (less)

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Mar 05, 2011 Quinn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childhood

This is one of my favorite childhood reads. Rose, an orphaned and sickly child, is sent to live with her aunts after her father dies. When Uncle Alec, her guardian, returns to care for his charge, her life is turned upside-down. In a time when young girls were treated like dolls, he encouraged her to laugh, play, and explore, especially with her seven male cousins. The boys teased a sense of adventure out of Rose, and they loved and cared for her deeply. Rose responded with the same love and ent...more

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Nov 03, 2009 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I was eight, I read Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" for the first time. And then I read it again - about twenty-five times in that first year, slurping it up like a delicious piece of my favorite dessert. It was the first time I ever realized that books could be tastier than cake. And every so often, even now, I feel a need for some Alcott-cake, and "Eight Cousins" is still one of my favorites.

The story concerns orphaned Rose, the only girl in a family of eight first cousins. On the deat...more

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Jun 16, 2009 AngieA rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics

"Eight Cousins" by Lousia May Alcott is one of my all time favorite books and I try to read it every couple years. The story of an orphaned teen girl(Rose Campbell) who comes to live with her maiden aunts and bachelor uncle is overwhelmed by the presence of 7 male cousins who all live within walking distance. We follow them for a year as bachelor Uncle Alec raises Rose in a healthy, happy environment. Rose "adopts" the housemaid, Phoebe, who can sing like a lark. Rose also exerts her influence o...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Faye rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: american-literature, childrens-literature

I remember reading this book as a child and absolutely loving it, but sadly, in reading it again as an adult it had lost a lot of its magic. This is the typical 12-year-old girl's fantasy life - orphaned, sent to live with a charismatic uncle who dotes on you, surrounded by cousins who also dote on you and servants whose lives are improved by you, all while becoming healthy and strong through vigorous exercise and hilarious adventures in the great outdoors. Predictable and definitely aimed at a...more

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Jan 01, 2012 Mandolin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Alcott, Louisa May
Classic Fiction

Long the apple of her father's eye, Rose Campbell is devastated by his death, which leaves her an orphan under the guardianship of an uncle whom she's seen only rarely throughout her life. Expecting his return from a long sea voyage, she leaves her boarding school to take up residence on "Aunt Hill," where her father's six sisters preside. There, at the mercy of their never-ending medical "cures" and strict beliefs in what is appropriate for young girls, she quic...more Alcott, Louisa May
Classic Fiction

Long the apple of her father's eye, Rose Campbell is devastated by his death, which leaves her an orphan under the guardianship of an uncle whom she's seen only rarely throughout her life. Expecting his return from a long sea voyage, she leaves her boarding school to take up residence on "Aunt Hill," where her father's six sisters preside. There, at the mercy of their never-ending medical "cures" and strict beliefs in what is appropriate for young girls, she quickly becomes depressed and lonely. When Uncle Alec finally arrives and prescribes a hearty dose of outdoor fun with her seven boisterous male cousins as well as basic instruction in the subjects that are most useful for life, her aunts reluctantly allow him a year's trial to test his unconventional methods of upbringing. Needless to say, they are quite surprised at the rapid change in Rose's health and happiness. Under her uncle's wise guidance and with the help of the Campbell boys, she learns to enjoy herself indoors at work and outdoors at play, slowly becoming a beautiful and strong young woman inside and out. The lessons she learns are many and are so important for every girl to learn, especially today. Dr. Alec's ideas of liberated womanhood are so at variance with the modern cultural ideal. He stresses the importance of sacrifice, humility, friendship, modesty, responsibility, kindness and so much more - all things that are sadly lacking in the lives of most idolized celebrities but that are sorely needed by every single girl in order to have a happy, productive life. Despite their age, the principles he espouses are not repressive or backward but vital and invigorating - just what's needed in the life of every single child.

I always enjoy Louisa May Alcott's books and find them so full of down-to-earth, insightful advice that challenges me to improve my own life, even though I'm no longer a little girl. I only wish that more girls today would pick up these volumes and learn the same lessons from them that I do.

(less)

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Oct 29, 2011 Ali rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It is a great many years since I read anything by Louisa M Alcott. I downloaded this book free from the marvelous manybooks.net. I had certainly no memory of Alcott's style, merely that I had enjoyed The "Little Women" books when I was younger. This I am sure was written for a much younger audience than me, though it is a comforting, cosy read and could certainly be enjoyed by anyone wanting to escape for a while to a different time and place. To begin with I found the style a little too sweet a...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Pat rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had forgotten how wonderfully Alcott wrote. It seems quaint and innocent to me now. She was obviously intrigued with travel. Her imagination takes flight in every book she writes. The age of innocence in the 1800's.

I noted in this book a hint of feminism in a housemaid, Phebe, that Rose decides to "adopt". Phebe has come from the work house and is about the same age as Rose. Rose is of course very wealthy and so is Dr. Aleck.

"Uncle, I have discovered what girls are made for," said Rose, the d...more

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Jul 28, 2010 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoy hearing most things that Louisa May Alcott has to say. She pretty obviously slips her point of view into everything she writes, so good thing I agree with her most of the time. Very moralistic writing, but she's usually right and she writes about human issues that are more or less timeless. I enjoyed the story of Rose, but I wouldnt say its Louisa's best work because it was pretty disjointed, more like a bunch of vignettes than a cohesive line of drama. There really was no storyline. Yet...more

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Oct 18, 2011 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is one of those books you want to curl up with on a wintery day, by the fire, with hot chocolate in hand (of course since I live in Hawaii none of those things actually happened) to read the day away with. This heartwarming novel, in typical Louisa May Alcott style, has a moral to go along with each chapter as we watch Rose navigate her way around her new home and life. Among other lessons we learn that tobacco is bad, exercise is good, friends are important, and that giving time and money...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Julie rated it 2 of 5 stars

This went from delightful to tedious in thirty pages. It's amazing to me that Jane Austen, who wrote some one hundred years before Alcott, could still feel so incredibly modern and this novel so insufferably outdated.

If you like regular lines such as "Oh, you little dear!" and scenes of the older man holding the chin of the thirteen-year-old girl and tenderly kissing her rose-bud lips and telling her to mind him and all of her dreams shall come true (did I mention it is her uncle--her dear, dear...more

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Jun 14, 2010 Alex Larsen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

Rose Campbell has come to live with her somewhat overbearing aunts after the death of her father. She is a child with a weak constitution and cannot seem to fully recover. However, when her uncle (who is her guardian) comes to town he decides to implement a new program for her wellness, and Rose ends up learning many things from a bunch of her rowdy boy cousins. Ultimatley, Rose learns some interesting things about being a lady and what type of medicine works best. This book is good and easy to...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Julianne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

Reading Eight Cousins is like stepping into a time machine which transports the reader back to what I will call the world of "Girls, c. 1874." Well, maybe "Little Girls and Seven Boys," since the protagonist, Rose, is "thirteen-and-a-half" when the story commences and her seven male cousins form the bulk of her playmates.

It's disconcerting to suddenly be in a world where a thirteen-year-old drinks coffee every morning because "Auntie says it 'tones' me up" (p. 31), "running is not lady-like for...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Margaret rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: level-elementary

7/28/12 ** I enjoyed reading about Rose's transition from being the petted helper to an invalid father to being the active young teen frolicking with her 7 boy cousins. Rose does definitely come across as being a bit priggish and goody-too-shoes (or is that goody-two-shoes?) This book isn't for all modern kids.

It is interesting to look at this book as it might have been seen by contemporary readers when Alcott wrote it. Alcott was in the midst of a campaign for more reasonable clothing, schooli...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Ruby rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this book quite a few times over the course of my childhood. It is still my favourite Louise May Alcott book, full of charming characters, a hopeful plot line, small rebellions and both happiness and sadness when asked for.

When the reader is introduced to the protagonist, Rose, they find her in a common yet difficult situation for the period in which the book is set. She has spent the past month being tossed around between several of her relations while waiting for the return of her lega...more

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Aug 07, 2011 Teresa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: all-time-favorites

I started reading this book only because I'd heard that it's sequel, Rose in Bloom, was good, and I was interested in reading it. I like to start at the beginning of a series, so I started this first, somewhat reluctantly... and was pleasantly surprised.

This is a cute, sweet book, about a young girl who goes to live with and be raised by her uncle (and many aunts). Most of this novel feels skin deep - after you've read it, you feel like you haven't - but it's very enjoyable, and I spent a lot of...more

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Nov 09, 2007 "Aubri"/Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Young girls and fans of LMA

Shelves: classics

This book and its sequel "Rose in Bloom" are my favorite books from childhood - even more so than Ms. Alcott's "Little Women." Rose it a wonderful role model, despite her flaws - and who wouldn't want an Uncle Alec? Her kindness and generosity are virtues that we could see more of in this world.

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Nov 25, 2012 Sophie R. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott was a delightful book to read. Having read Little Women, I was familiar with Alcott's writing style.
The book is about Rose, a young, sickly girl newly orphaned by her father's death. She moves to the house of her aunts, Peace and Plenty, and remains miserable as much as her aunts try to cheer her up. Her first joyful moment is when she meets Phebe, the sweet maid who she immediately befriends. Once she hears that her seven cousins will be coming over, she expr...more Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott was a delightful book to read. Having read Little Women, I was familiar with Alcott's writing style.
The book is about Rose, a young, sickly girl newly orphaned by her father's death. She moves to the house of her aunts, Peace and Plenty, and remains miserable as much as her aunts try to cheer her up. Her first joyful moment is when she meets Phebe, the sweet maid who she immediately befriends. Once she hears that her seven cousins will be coming over, she expresses her unhappiness at having to spend time with boys, whom she detests. When they arrive, though nervous at first, she realizes their fun and playful nature and learns to love them. The members of the "Clan", Archie, Charlie, Mac, Steve, Geordie, Will, and Jamie, each have different personalities that she comes to enjoy. After she greets each one of them, they all go their separate ways about the house, such as the baby, Jamie, demanding sweets from her as "something nice." Soon after, her Uncle Alec comes to visit her, and she is extremely happy with his company and his likeness to her father. Instead of giving her the medicines laid out by Aunt Plenty, Dr. Alec prescribes exercise, sunshine, and time playing outdoors. Throughout the book, Rose grows healthier due to her now happy and healthy lifestyle and friendships.
I really enjoyed Eight Cousins because of the old-fashioned nature of it and the colorful characters, ranging from pessimistic Aunt Myra to bookworm Mac. Rose was a character I could relate to, especially because of her love of reading. I liked reading about Rose's maturing as a young woman during the course of the story. While Rose was a charming girl to relate to, she sometimes seemed too perfect and obsessed with morals like everyone else. At first she appeared reluctant to engage in any outside activity, but then performed tasks such as sailing in a boat and also doing chores like baking inside the house. I didn't understand why when a few characters fell ill, they recovered and went almost back to normal. It somehow didn't seem natural for them to recover quickly, and I felt that for one of them, it was unnecessary for her to get sick, because she soon got better and that was that. Although the story was almost too filled with morals and generosity, I did like that Rose was nice and caring, because the protagonist is someone that you are constantly hearing about, so you don't want a completely unkind person to feature prominently. Some parts of the book were a little bit dull for me, and didn't seem as important, but overall I liked the plot and theme of the story.
I did not like Eight Cousins as much as I loved Little Women, but it was still an enjoyable book to read, especially because I'm already familiar with the author. It ended happily and sentimentally, and I look forward to learning more in the sequel, The Rose in Bloom. (less)

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May 15, 2013 Kirsty rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2013, virago-modern-classics, kindle, treasured-characters, best-of-2013

This book is utterly lovely. It follows a young teenage orphan, Rose, as she goes to stay with her beloved Uncle and aunts, and her seven cousins, all boys. Rose is a wonderfully crafted character, and her vanity is rather amusing at times. I love the way in which she alters as the book progresses, and her kindness, particularly with her poorly cousin Mac, is very touching. I loved the way in which each chapter is a little self-contained story in itself, and the way in which they were all linked...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Ruth rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I think I just read some brainwashing pamphlet trying to convince everyone that cigars and earrings are evil, all fashion is vanity, and that women were put on the earth to make everything 'comfortable',being too stupid to better themselves with any sort of an education besides the culinary arts and sewing. How did this happen? Did Louisa write this in her old age when she turned senile? Or maybe it was her first novel as a budding author? Either way, this book was a great disappointment--I have...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Kathryn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, classic

I just re-read this after at least a twenty-five year gap, and it was just as lovely as I remember. I've decided that I enjoy Louisa May Alcott's books about children (Little Men, Eight Cousins) more than the books about young-adults growing into adulthood (Little Women, Rose in Bloom). The stories about children are a tad less preachy, and it's a little easier to relate to Victorian children than Victorian adults. Alcott's ideas about raising children may have seemed a little radical at the tim...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Anindyta rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Home Is Where Your Family Is...

SRC bulan Juli 2012
Penulis : Louisa May Alcott
Judul : Eight Cousins
Penerbit : Feedbooks (Versi kindle), Penerbit Buku Mizan (Indonesia)

Setelah Rose kehilangan kedua orang tuanya, dia terpaksa tinggal sementara bersama bibi-bibinya sebelum Paman Alec yang memegang hak asuhnya datang. Anak gadis yang cantik dan manis ini sangat dirundung kesedihan yang mendalam sehingga membuat pusing tujuh keliling keenam wanita Campbell. Bibi Plenty sudah memberikan Rose akses beb...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 Waldo Emerson’s...more 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 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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“Nothing is impossible to a determined woman.” — 65 people liked it

“[She was] kept there in the sort of embrace a man gives to the dearest creature the world holds for him.” — 21 people liked it

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/76624.Eight_Cousins?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309204810l/76624.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/76624.Eight_Cousins?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott[/url]

Eight Cousins (Eight Cousins #1)

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