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March

by Geraldine Brooks

3.68 of 5 stars 3.68 · rating details · 25,637 ratings · 3,666 reviews

Historical fiction. Civil War era.

ebook, 265 pages

Published January 31st 2006 by Penguin (first published 2005)

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Sep 04, 2007 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people who like historical fiction

It's not that I don't like any historical fiction, I just think that it's a really hard thing to do right, without simplifying everything. Nah, I really just hate historical fiction. And I think that March is a perfect example of historical fiction gone wrong.

1. I hate it in historical fiction when... the author seems to cling to one or two details in history and repeat them over and over again. In this book, the author seems intent on measuring everything in rods, no matter how short or long t...more

52 likes · like · see review

May 04, 2013 Gary McTiernan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In March, Geraldine Brooks imaginatively writes a back story for Little Women by turning a beloved children's novel into an adult tour de force. She takes on many of the critical social issues facing Americans in the Nineteenth Century and weaves them into the lives of the fictitious March family.

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The mostly absent father from Little Women takes center stage and confronts the prevailing moral crisis of the day-slavery and the abolitionist response. Real historical figures are introduced and th...more

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Aug 03, 2007 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I now know, having perused Geraldine Brooks' website, that March won the 2006 Pulitzer prize for fiction. I had not noticed that it had received such acclaim when I pulled it from the shelf at our modest library, but now, having finished the last page, I am not surprised it did. It is good. Brooks' is an authentic voice. Her extensive reading of primary sources, particularly the writings of Bronson Alcott, that was the inspiration for L.M. Alcott's father figure in Little Women, gives Brooks a h...more I now know, having perused Geraldine Brooks' website, that March won the 2006 Pulitzer prize for fiction. I had not noticed that it had received such acclaim when I pulled it from the shelf at our modest library, but now, having finished the last page, I am not surprised it did. It is good. Brooks' is an authentic voice. Her extensive reading of primary sources, particularly the writings of Bronson Alcott, that was the inspiration for L.M. Alcott's father figure in Little Women, gives Brooks a handle on the cadences of 19th century prose. Combined with her literary skill, Brooks brings to her narrative journalistic details, a result of her experience as a correspondent in war-torn countries.

In the novel, Brooks gives thoughtful consideration to a quandry common to many: how do we come to terms with the discrepency between our ideals and the realities of life? Mr. March is a pacifist, and enlists as a chaplain, seeking to live out his beliefs. Later, he later sees people in his care killed, and killed because of his own cowardice or in the effort to save him. It is a difficult cross to bear. Grace, the educated daughter of a plantation owner and his slave, offers this perspective to Mr. March as he flagellates himself for the horrors he believe he has caused:

"'You are not God. You do not determine the outcome. The outcome is not the point.'

"'The what, pray, is the point?' His voice was a dry, soft rattle, like a breeze through a bough of dead leaves.

"'The point is the effort. That you, believing what you believed--what you sincerely believed, including the commandment 'thou shalt not kill'--acted upon it. To believe, to act, and to have events confound you--I grant you, that is hard to bear. But to believe, and not to act, or to act in a way that every fiber of your soul held was wrong--how can you not see? That is what would have been reprehensible.'" (258)

Later, Grace continues:

I simply ask you to see that there is only one thing to do when we fall, and that is to get up, and go on with the life that is set in front of us, and try to do the good of which our hands are capable for the people who come in our way. (268)

This embodiment of grace is probably the greatest reason I found to love March, and to appreciate it for more than the historical fiction it is in genre. Brooks is right, and she expresses the truth eloquently; we waste precious time beating ourselves up over past failures. The only hope is to forgive, ourselves, then others, moving forward with conviction and compassion.

Related Links:

"March to the Front," an article about Brooks' journey to writing March, by Catherine Keenan of the Sydney Morning Herald

"The Writing Life," Geraldine Brooks' reflections on her craft
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Mar 05, 2008 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Lovers of Little Women

Shelves: 2008-books-read, favorites, just-good-literature, pulitzer-winner

This is one of the most Pulizer-worthy novels I've read in a long while. The novel tells the previously untold story of the absent father in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. In Little Women, the reader only gets to know Peter March through his letters sent home to his family from the Civil War. Of course, in the interest of sparing his family the details of war, his letters are more cheerful than his reality. Geraldine Brooks uses the novel March to tell of Mr. March's early life as a traveling...more This is one of the most Pulizer-worthy novels I've read in a long while. The novel tells the previously untold story of the absent father in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. In Little Women, the reader only gets to know Peter March through his letters sent home to his family from the Civil War. Of course, in the interest of sparing his family the details of war, his letters are more cheerful than his reality. Geraldine Brooks uses the novel March to tell of Mr. March's early life as a traveling salesman, of his first kiss with someone other than his future wife, of the meeting of his wife, of his connections to Emerson and Thoreau, of his strong abolitionist sentiments, of the war that changed him both physically and mentally, and of misunderstandings and wrongs that were never made right in his life. Brooks draws heavily from the journals of Alcott's own father, Bronson Alcott, in order to flesh out the character of Mr. March. Since the "little women" in Alcott's novels were based on the members of her own family, it makes sense that Mr. March would be based on her father and that the March family would be acquainted with the same people they were. The Alcotts were, after all, contemporaries and acquaintances of many of the transcendentalist thinkers and writers of the time such as Emerson and Thoreau.

This is definitely the best prequel written by a different author that I've ever read. I remember being completely disappointed trying to read sequels or prequels by different authors for books such as Gone With the Wind . The author's journalistic background definitely helped her to give attention to the proper details needed to research such a book.

I initially did not recognize the name of the author as being the author of Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women, a book that I loved so much that I ... er ... bought it from the library pretending that I'd lost it (in the days before amazon.com made any book accessible for purchase). Nine Parts of Desire is a work of non-fiction that she wrote as a journalist. So I'm thrilled to see that she has such a beautiful piece of fiction out there as well. Halfway through the book, I found myself saying to myself, "wow, this is a good book" and hoping to read something else by her soon. Years of Wonder tells the story of the bubonic plague in a small English town and People of the Book is freshly out in hardback.

Frankly, though, what I'm feeling the need to re-read immediately is Little Women. I absolutely adored that book as a child. I always saw myself as Jo because I loved to write. And I always hated that the character with my name (Amy) was such a spoiled brat.(less)

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Feb 01, 2008 Cayenne rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Disappointing. I think I am done with classics spin-offs. The writing was fabulous, but I got fed up with inconsistencies in the characters and disappointments I felt about their portrayed actions. Halfway through I thought about giving up and should have. I hoped there would be redemption at the end and there really wasn't, at least not enough for me. There were two things that bothered me the most. 1)Mr. March, a poor farm boy, "loves" Marmee enough to teach her to control her temper, yet he c...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Trish rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, fiction, favorite, historical-novel, one-for-the-ages, war

It feels like a long time since I’ve read such an accomplished novel. Geraldine Brooks manages to catch the horror of war in a phrase: “…[men] were clinging [to the rocky bluff over the river] as a cluster of bees dangling from a hive, and slipping off in clumps, four or five together.” Her characters are so richly drawn and steeped in a historically accurate language that we feel transported, and are eager to delve into our own researches.

In this novel she recreates the environment of one of o...more It feels like a long time since I’ve read such an accomplished novel. Geraldine Brooks manages to catch the horror of war in a phrase: “…[men] were clinging [to the rocky bluff over the river] as a cluster of bees dangling from a hive, and slipping off in clumps, four or five together.” Her characters are so richly drawn and steeped in a historically accurate language that we feel transported, and are eager to delve into our own researches.

In this novel she recreates the environment of one of our most beloved and earliest American writers, Louisa May Alcott. But instead of walking on furrowed soil, she moves back to imagine Alcott’s father, using his own journals and those of his friends, as well as the journals of Civil War chaplains, soldiers, medics, and slaves. She chose an unusual man, but she made him gracious, sympathetic, fallible, generous, and loving. This is essential to carry us through those bitter days of war, for we need a man willing to mull over events of that time but also to guide us.

He was sincere, but must have also been painfully strict with his family:

…I had come in stages to a different belief about how one should be in this life. I now felt convinced that the greater part of a man’s duty consists in abstaining from much that he is in the habit of consuming…None in our household ate meat but now we learned to do without milk and cheese also, for why should the calf be deprived of its mother’s milk? Further, we found that by limiting our own consumption to two meals a day, we were able to set aside a basket of provisions from which the girls were able to exact a pleasure far greater than sating an animal appetite. Once a week they carried the fruits of their sacrifice as a gift to a destitute brood of German immigrants.

I laughed to read this, for the sincerity of the father must be the disappointment of the daughters.

Part I is written in the voice of Captain March, chaplain of the Union Army. Though we learn the deepest secrets buried in his heart, we never learn his first name. Part II is written in the voice of his wife, Marmee March née Day of Concord, Massachusetts. The juxtaposition of the two voices shows us once again, should we need reminding, that gestures alone between husband and wife are often miscontrued and that we should try to give careful voice to our meaning and intentions if we wish the union to succeed.

“Ragged scallop of cypress woods”, Jo's “lawless strands” [of hair], “a cold drizzle [falling] from heavily swagged clouds”: such phrases spike the book with rich flavor and bursts of color, and these are all Brooks. It is a masterpiece of historical reconstruction, but what I reveled in most was her smooth and seamless telling of the tale in backward glances and nineteenth century cadence and language, her use of metaphor, her rich imaginings, and its grounding in historical record. We can thank her for reminding us of our history and for remembering those men and women who left records of their lives and of our most uncivil war.

For those contemplating the audio version, the Richard Easton narration is magnificent. His reading's fluency of expression and elegance of tone mirrors the beauty of the text. (less)

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Jul 28, 2008 Muphyn rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-books, audiobook, historical, fiction, us-canada

Well.. I finished the audiobook last night and I must say that I really did enjoy listening to the narrator's voice - it was really nice and warm. But the book itself..

I think Brooks' writing style is fabulous, I really enjoyed that. The beginning of the book was relatively gripping, but I got increasingly irritated with the main character March. For one he remained the very naive yet proud dreamer throughout the entire book, and while I found it endearing at first, he did not develop as a chara...more

9 likes · like · see review

Nov 19, 2007 Laurel Bradshaw rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, civil-war-us, characters-from-literature

Review from Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Brooks's luminous second novel, after 2001's acclaimed Year of Wonders, imagines the Civil War experiences of Mr. March, the absent father in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. An idealistic Concord cleric, March becomes a Union chaplain and later finds himself assigned to be a teacher on a cotton plantation that employs freed slaves, or "contraband." His narrative begins with cheerful letters home, but March gradually reveals to the reader what he doe...more

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Dec 04, 2008 Brian rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wanted desperately to like this book! And I sort of did! "Little Women" is one of my wife's favs, and I'm a sucker for Civil War novels (all five billion of 'em). But this book, though elegantly written, struck me as too schmaltzy and too overly preachy to enjoy. It was also a wee bit predictable as a Civ War novel. Brooks made sure to hit the Twelve Points of the True CW Novel: (1) interracial romance, (2) old urbane southern woman with power, (3) the meat and stench of the field hospital, (4...more

20 likes · like · see review

May 02, 2008 Sarah rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ok, to be honest - I couldn't finish it! I've completely lost faith in the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. It's becoming like a Grammy award for pop music (see Mariah Carey and Celine Dion). This book is pretentious and short-sighted from page one. Come on, a vegetarian, Unitarian, abolitionist, transcendentalist, book-lover from the North is just one HUGE cliche that, frankly, probably did not exist during the Civil War. I know that Louisa May Alcott's parents (as that is the subject of this book)...more

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Jan 09, 2008 Lucy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the story of Peter March, the absent father of Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth of Little Women. Clever, poignant, informative, inspiring, heartbreaking, interesting and historical, Brooks takes Louisa May Alcott's famous Little Women, and writes a parallel story about their father's experience during the same year. Little snippets are taken from Little Women, and it's as though you can see that famous play happening in the background in each scene. Sort of like Wicked and The Wizard of Oz, only mo...more

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Jul 16, 2011 Stacey rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, pissed-me-off

The problem with March is that it's tied in to a beloved children's story. While this might have been a terrific marketing ploy, (fan fiction often is, since it offers immediate context and recognition,) it created two very different stories. The first: a reworking of one absent and one present (and much loved) character in a famous work of fiction. The second: a story of a pacifist who went to war in one of the bloodiest and most tragic conflicts in our nation's history.

The first seems a recip...more

11 likes · like · see review

May 03, 2013 Jean Levandowski rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the best new fiction I've read in a long time. Brooks creates an extraordinarily compassionate figure in Mr. March during a tumultuous time in our country's history, the Underground Railroad and the Civil War. Not being overly literate in the details of the Civil War, I found the experiences portrayed in the lives of the slaves and freed slaves horrific, and came away more enlightened to the travesty of slavery in our country. Reading this book allowed me to broaden my understanding of t...more

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Mar 17, 2008 Kimberlie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is a book based on the Mr. March of Little Women. I wish I had re-read Little Women before I read this. I liked it, and it made me think of some civil war issues, but didn't love it.
When the book switched from being March's voice to Marmee's voice, I actually felt the voice was more likable--although it bugged me when it happened!

3 likes · like · see review

May 07, 2008 Carly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Little Women and people who hated Little Women

Recommended to Carly by: Susan N. from Monday Night Book Group

We read this for our May book discussion, and I'm now passionately interested in Louisa May Alcott and her father. The story of Mr. March's service in the war was engrossing, leaving questions about the price of war, the meaning of service and family, and truth.

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Feb 14, 2009 Tiana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I struggled with whether to give this book 3 or 4 stars. On the one hand, it was written by Geraldine Brooks and she's a great author. I like her style of writing and I love the honesty she puts in to every book. I felt like this book portrayed the Civil War era fairly realistically and boldly, and I appreciated that. But on the other hand, since it was written about the March family from Little Women, it was hard to reconcile the characters she created with the characters I had already created...more

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May 06, 2012 Lizz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Even if you consider LITTLE WOMEN sacred liturgy, this book will not disappoint. For stalker-types, the behind-the-scenes look at LITTLE WOMEN is infinitely more satisfying than any of those Jane Austen attempts. Brooks clearly knows LITTLE WOMEN and Bronson Alcott's history intimately and respectfully. She builds a full story of the Civil War and of the elusive Mr. March, who it turns out is way more interesting than Marmee. At least in the mind of Geraldine Brooks.

Alcott always hinted that lif...more

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Dec 25, 2011 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

I respected Geraldine Brooks as a journalist and a writer of non-fiction for many years before she started writing novels and I’ve long meant to read this novel, which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2006.

Having only recently re-read Little Women for the first time in many years, this seemed the ideal time to tackle a book which draws on that novel for its inspiration. Brooks notes in the afterward to the novel that Little Women is concerned with the way a year lived at the edge of war wo...more

10 likes · like · see review

Jan 01, 2008 rinabeana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: civil-war

As one might expect, this book is a lot more adult than Little Women. The jury's still out on how I feel about that. Part of me (childishly) loves that Marmee and Mr. March as depicted in Little Women are wonderful and basically flawless. That myth is entirely dispelled in March. Honestly I know it's unrealistic for the Marches to be perfect, but reading Brooks's take on what they went through was just sad. I thought the writing was very good and the issues addressed were important. There was a...more

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Dec 28, 2007 Diane rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I finished this book, I was satisfied with the story but impatient with the character of March, who seems to caught up in his own weakness and cause. A navel gazer to the nth degree who, even after his wartime experiences, never has a clue to the feelings or hopes of others and remains buried in hypocrisy. He seeks redemption while hiding his actions and thoughts, in direct contrast to what he preaches as a religious leader and discards the needs of his family from the beginning when he squ...more

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Nov 13, 2007 Mary rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club

I was so excited to read this, since I love Little Women so much! I was thrilled to think of the possibilities that are gained from seeing the stories through the eyes of Mr. March, their father.

However, I was sorely disappointed. The story was not written in the same spirit or style as the original, which can be expected with a different author. However, the main character did not have the morals and character that you would hope, gleaning from an optimistic book like Little Women.

I feel like...more

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Mar 16, 2009 Ang rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This story gave a really interesting portrayal of a part of the Civil War we don't hear a lot about. The author takes liberties with the character of Mr. March whom she compares to Louis May Alcott's own father. It was a quick read and was really interesting but I'm still trying to figure out if I like the fact that Ms. Brooks took such a beloved and classic American book and turned a character from it into something more than Alcott meant for him to become.

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Nov 10, 2008 Jed rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of Little Women

Recommended to Jed by: the Pulitzer list

So, I got a real bang out of this novel of Historical Fiction. Does that make me a middle-aged woman?

A fascinating peek behind the curtain at the Alcott family, (under the fictionalized name of March) the novel clips along at an easy pace and Brooks handles the shocking brutality of civil war atrocities with the same deft skill she employs in expressing the warmth and tenderness we like to associate with our memories of Alcott's own, Little Women. Since no one is around to confirm or contend the...more

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Jan 08, 2009 Michelle Lemaster rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Civil War enthusiasts, Little Women enthusiasts, lovers of good writing!

Amazing detail from the Civil War period. Historical fiction in its best form. Because of its connections to Little Women, I've decided that it too is a must-read!

I have now finished March (whew! Just in time for our gathering Monday!). I really like the inclusion of Marmee's perspective in the latter half of the book. The afterward was also very enlightening. I really liked learning that Brooks modeled Mr. March himself after Loisa May Alcott's own father-- much in the way the characters of Lit...more

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Nov 12, 2008 Mandi 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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Dec 10, 2008 Dani rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a must read for anyone that is a fan of Little Women. It is a startling portrayal of the Mr. March - who, if you recall, went off to the Civil War. The passages describing the horrors of slavery and war will stay with you for such a long time. Brooks intertwines the great thinkers of the day - Thoreau, Emerson, etc. - who were neighbors of the Alcotts in real life and if you are familiar with their writings, you will smile at the references to Walden Pond and Concord!

At the same time, t...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Dan Ragsdale rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-narratives-and-fiction, award-winning

A very well-written work of historical fiction that, in my opinion, is very worthy of the Pulitzer prize that was awarded to its author, Geraldine Brooks. During the darkest hours of US history the story's central character (the fictional father of Louisa May Alcott's fictional Little Women) response to the tragedy's of that era are, in many ways, uplifting.

The "guest appearances" by Thoreau and Emerson add to an already great book.

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May 14, 2012 Alan Pottinger rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Incredibly well written and a powerful look at relationships in times of war. The experiences of captain March totally change every element of his life and beliefs. It's an amazingly detailed book , Brooks captures the political and social aspects of the American Civil War but in a thoroughly gripping way - I enjoyed it immensely.

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Feb 29, 2008 Michele rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Michele by: Lori

As someone who grew up completely enamored with the story of Little Women, this book supplied a wonderful adult perspective of the father, Mr March -- his relationship with Marmee and their children, and how his personal struggle and commitment to ending slavery changes all of their lives. The backdrop of the Civil War, life in Concord (with Emerson and Thoreau), and the struggle of the abolitionists makes this more than just a mere character study -- you will quickly see why this is a Pulitzer...more

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May 10, 2009 Mary Morris rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really really loved this book. I thought what Brooks did with the point of view (from Mr. March) was brilliant. I also loved the justaposition of the letters home and the realities of war which he never revealed. Beautiful and compelling.

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About Geraldine Brooks

Australian-born Geraldine Brooks is an author and journalist who grew up in the Western suburbs of Sydney, and attended Bethlehem College Ashfield and the University of Sydney. She worked as a reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald for three years as a feature writer with a special interest in environmental issues.

In 1982 she won the Greg Shackleton Australian News Correspondents scholarship to th...more

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Quotes from March

“To know a man's library is, in some measure, to know a man's mind.” — 119 people liked it

“You go on. You set one foot in front of the other, and if a thin voice cries out, somewhere behind you, you pretend not to hear, and keep going.” — 91 people liked it

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