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Daddy-Long-Legs
(Daddy-Long-Legs #1)
by
When Jerusha Abbott, an eighteen-year-old girl living in an orphan asylum, was told that a mysterious millionaire had agreed to pay for her education, it was like a dream come true. For the first time in her life, she had someone she could pretend was "family." But everything was not perfect, for he chose to remain anonymous and asked that she only write him concerning her
...more
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Hardcover, illustrations by the author, 249 pages
Published
1912
by Hodder & Stoughton
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Robin Forsyth
Totally can read as a stand-alone. Super quick and quirky read. Very entertaining!
Wafaa
يوجد بالمركز القومي للترجمة
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of Daddy-Long-Legs (Daddy-Long-Legs, #1)

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.
...more

Daddy-Long-Legs is a delightful short novel written in 1912. Basically it's along the lines of "Anne Shirley goes to a girls' college." It's mostly epistolary, told in the form of letters written by the main character where she talks (and jokes) about her daily life.
At the beginning of our story, Jerusha is a 17 year old oppressed but imaginative girl who lives and works in an orphanage, where she's grown up. She's unexpectedly given the chance to go to college when one of the orphanage trustees ...more
At the beginning of our story, Jerusha is a 17 year old oppressed but imaginative girl who lives and works in an orphanage, where she's grown up. She's unexpectedly given the chance to go to college when one of the orphanage trustees ...more

Jul 02, 2010
Jasmin
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Everyone
Shelves:
inspirational,
children,
teen,
historical-romance,
humor,
romance,
historical-fiction,
reviewed-by-me,
five-stars,
young-adult
WARNING! To follow is a highly illustrative review/plot summary of the book Daddy-Long-Legs.
As a kid, I totally loved the cartoon Judy. I actually miss it sometimes, but then thanks to Goodreads, I discovered that it all started with a book.

Jerusha Abbott is an orphan at the John Grier Homes. She always gets into trouble and has been overstaying for two years. She works her stay by taking care of the younger ones. She's actually scared that they might turn her out, but one day, Miss Lippet calls ...more
As a kid, I totally loved the cartoon Judy. I actually miss it sometimes, but then thanks to Goodreads, I discovered that it all started with a book.

Jerusha Abbott is an orphan at the John Grier Homes. She always gets into trouble and has been overstaying for two years. She works her stay by taking care of the younger ones. She's actually scared that they might turn her out, but one day, Miss Lippet calls ...more

Joudy abott my old friend.

You should read this review if:
1. You haven’t read this book and need to know why you should,
or
2. You’ve read this book, but need to know about the connection between Daddy-Long-Legs and J.D. Salinger.
(Okay, or: 3. Regardless of whether or not you’ve read this book, you now think I’ve been smoking something I shouldn’t have been. Please read this review so I can convince you otherwise. Thank you.)
There is something to be said for not having read the classics as a kid – provided, of course, you s ...more
1. You haven’t read this book and need to know why you should,
or
2. You’ve read this book, but need to know about the connection between Daddy-Long-Legs and J.D. Salinger.
(Okay, or: 3. Regardless of whether or not you’ve read this book, you now think I’ve been smoking something I shouldn’t have been. Please read this review so I can convince you otherwise. Thank you.)
There is something to be said for not having read the classics as a kid – provided, of course, you s ...more

Jun 20, 2011
Mariel
rated it
liked it
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.

Sep 03, 2016
Werner
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
Fans of early 20th-century general fiction
Recommended to Werner by:
It was a common read in one of my groups
Shelves:
general-fiction,
classics
Note, Sept. 12, 2016: I edited this review just now to correct the misspelling of tonsillitis.
Before this book was nominated as a common read in my Vintage Tales group, I'd never even heard of it, or of Jean Webster (1876-1916). Going into it, my expectations weren't particularly high. As it turned out, though, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the reading experience!
Though not well-known today, Webster wrote roughly a score of books in her short lifetime (she died on the cusp of ...more
Before this book was nominated as a common read in my Vintage Tales group, I'd never even heard of it, or of Jean Webster (1876-1916). Going into it, my expectations weren't particularly high. As it turned out, though, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the reading experience!
Though not well-known today, Webster wrote roughly a score of books in her short lifetime (she died on the cusp of ...more

Aug 22, 2012
Flannery
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Flannery by:
Maggie
I found Daddy-Long-Legs courtesy of the lovely ladies over at Young Adult Anonymous and then devoured it in one sitting. (it is free for Kindle, though devoid of illustrations) Published in 1912, it is a series of letters from the fictional Jerusha (Judy) Abbott to the mysterious benefactor who plucks her from an orphanage and pays for her college. The conditions of receiving the monetary support are that he will remain anonymous (as such, Judy calls him many things but most often Daddy-Long-Leg
...more

Jan 13, 2019
Tina ➹ the girl who lives in Fandoms
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Tina ➹ the girl who lives in Fandoms by:
my mom
Shelves:
favorite,
2019,
nostalgia,
reviews,
under-24hrs,
recs,
cover,
movie-first,
i-recommend,
all-time-fav
4 Silver Stars
with Golden Sparks
this was my first Classic.
it was beautiful.
I actually liked this journal-like book about the ordinary life of the main character.
I cried during the last letter, even though I knew the ending all along.
the ending was beautiful.
every moments was beautiful!
I loved it.
I'd like to read about Judy's life AFTER this book, where is that book?
-
Premise: ★★★★/5
Characters: ★★★★/5
Plot: ★★★★/5
Writing: ★★★★/5
Idea: ★★★★/5 ...more
with Golden Sparks
this was my first Classic.
it was beautiful.
I actually liked this journal-like book about the ordinary life of the main character.
I cried during the last letter, even though I knew the ending all along.
the ending was beautiful.
every moments was beautiful!
I loved it.
I'd like to read about Judy's life AFTER this book, where is that book?
-
Premise: ★★★★/5
Characters: ★★★★/5
Plot: ★★★★/5
Writing: ★★★★/5
Idea: ★★★★/5 ...more

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

Mar 06, 2017
SARA ABUDAHAB
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
for women and girls who like old style chick-lit books
Shelves:
ebooks,
omiljene-knjige
Relived one of my favorite childhood cartoons with this one, it was such a light and good read, exactly what you need when the exams are around the corner and you need something funny to lift your mood. I would recommend this for women and girls who like chick-lit books. *and did I mention that it was written in 1912!* Thank you Jean Webster for writing a timeless piece!
As for the characters I loved each and every one;
Judy Abbott
A super cheerful orphan girl who got a scholarship to continue her ...more
As for the characters I loved each and every one;
Judy Abbott
A super cheerful orphan girl who got a scholarship to continue her ...more

I always have a difficult time rating YA books. Do I rate them as I enjoy them now, or as I would have enjoyed them had I read it as a young adult? It's tricky.
As a young adult I would probably rate this as a five star read. As a forty something adult, I enjoyed it, but I wasn't like all over it. I'd say 3.5 Stars. The author kept me reading, and I thought it was very sweet but I probably wouldn't reach for it to re-read anytime soon. And I'm not sooo invested in the characters that I have to ru ...more
As a young adult I would probably rate this as a five star read. As a forty something adult, I enjoyed it, but I wasn't like all over it. I'd say 3.5 Stars. The author kept me reading, and I thought it was very sweet but I probably wouldn't reach for it to re-read anytime soon. And I'm not sooo invested in the characters that I have to ru ...more

I had a nice review all written out, then like a dunce I clicked the little "x" in the corner!! Who does that??
Anyway, I'm not sure if I can completely capture my thoughts again, but I'll try!
You know how sometimes, you're not tired of reading (because who could ever get tired of reading???), but yet you can't focus well and just want something engaging and mostly happy? Well, that was me when I started to listen to the audio version of Daddy Long Legs. I had wanted to read DLL ever since I read ...more
Anyway, I'm not sure if I can completely capture my thoughts again, but I'll try!
You know how sometimes, you're not tired of reading (because who could ever get tired of reading???), but yet you can't focus well and just want something engaging and mostly happy? Well, that was me when I started to listen to the audio version of Daddy Long Legs. I had wanted to read DLL ever since I read ...more

Mixed feelings on this one. A dear little story, but with some major flaws in worldview. I think what bothered me most was that the message seemed to be that she, a young woman, could take on the entire world, and yet her sponsor orders her around like a dictator. She bucks his orders once and he snubs her for months. And yet she's okay with that.
It also is eager to make of her a Socialist/Fabian, and to make the point of how nasty rich people are (though for some reason the poor people she gre ...more
It also is eager to make of her a Socialist/Fabian, and to make the point of how nasty rich people are (though for some reason the poor people she gre ...more

Dec 23, 2016
Emer (A Little Haze)
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
children and those who are children at heart
Recommended to Emer (A Little Haze) by:
My Mum
Seemed an appropriate evening to indulge in a little childhood nostalgia. Loved this book as a little girl and it still appealed to me all these years later.... Perhaps influenced by the knowledge that this is my mum's favourite childhood book and perhaps influenced by this sentimental time of year... But no matter, this is still utterly charming and a book that I would happily recommend to any young girl today.
...more

I loved this novel! I'm a sucker for epistolary novels (books told through letters, diaries, etc) and this one is particularly lovely. It's wonderfully old-fashioned--the book was written in 1912--and although it's fiction, it's still an interesting glimpse into a young girl's mindset at that time. I think I enjoyed the sequel, Dear Enemy, even more.
...more

I'm not sure how I missed reading this charming and funny classic until now. Jerusha Abbott is delightful!
4.5 stars
Note: If you're going to read this find a copy with the illustrations by the author, they're not to be missed. ...more
4.5 stars
Note: If you're going to read this find a copy with the illustrations by the author, they're not to be missed. ...more

2019 Review
It could never be written today. Not to commit the cardinal sin and reference the m-o-v-i-e but I was re-watching the Fred Astaire version of of Daddy Long Legs, which I hated the first time I saw, and I realized that even for 1955 this was a hard plot to swallow. That's why they tweaked it the way they did and address the elephant in the room: you've got quite the age and power gap between the main couple.
But by golly I still love this book. And the movie isn't too bad either if you ...more
It could never be written today. Not to commit the cardinal sin and reference the m-o-v-i-e but I was re-watching the Fred Astaire version of of Daddy Long Legs, which I hated the first time I saw, and I realized that even for 1955 this was a hard plot to swallow. That's why they tweaked it the way they did and address the elephant in the room: you've got quite the age and power gap between the main couple.
But by golly I still love this book. And the movie isn't too bad either if you ...more


Description: Jerusha Abbott grew up in an orphanage but was sent to college by a mysterious benefactor she calls Daddy-Long-Legs. In college she falls in love with a young man who wants to marry her, but she refuses because she is an orphan. Finally, after Jerusha--now Judy--graduates, she asks to meet her benefactor.
There is a film with Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron to watch when I'm done with this audio.


Okay Ladies, this one's for you!
This book had me at about the eleventh word and I was in love with it around page thirteen! The main character is a hoot; she's hilarious, spunky and just plain likable!
Jerusha Abbott, and sadly yes, that's the name she received at the asylum, is an orphan who discovers at age 18 that a mysterious and anonymous benefactor wishes to pay her way through college. The condition: she must write a letter once a month to this unknown person which she nicknames "Daddy-Lon ...more
This book had me at about the eleventh word and I was in love with it around page thirteen! The main character is a hoot; she's hilarious, spunky and just plain likable!
Jerusha Abbott, and sadly yes, that's the name she received at the asylum, is an orphan who discovers at age 18 that a mysterious and anonymous benefactor wishes to pay her way through college. The condition: she must write a letter once a month to this unknown person which she nicknames "Daddy-Lon ...more

Aug 15, 2012
Maggie
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Maggie by:
Noelle
Shelves:
2012,
i-ve-just-read-you-and-i-love-you
This is a book that Noelle has been trying to get me to read forever. This is what she emailed me a year ago after I was like, WTF is a Daddy Long Legs?
Daddy Long Legs is written way back in the day by Mark Twain's niece. It's kinda a little Anne Shirley mixed with Jo March. It's all in letter format but the protagonist is so charming. She's an orphan (guess I should put Jane Eyre in there too!) and then one of the orphanage's benefactors decides to send her to college anonymously so she writes...more

Aww, I simply fell in LOVE with this book!! And this is straightaway going to my ‘MOST FAVORITE’ Shelf without a doubt!! I am so glad that I found such a charming book without overlooking it! I kinda love epistolary novels, which was one of the reasons I picked up this book. It’s a story of a 17-year-old orphan Jerusha or Judy (as she wants to be called!!) who is sent to college for her higher studies by anonymous trusty funding for her education and in return, he only expects a letter from her,
...more

A favourite ♥

How had I never come across this book before!? This was a wonderful, fun read. I wish I had read this as a young adult as I think I would have enjoyed it even more.
The book is told from the POV of Jerusha Abbott, a seventeen year old orphan who, up until this point, has lived her entire life at the John Grier Home for orphans. In the opening, a narrator informs us that an unnamed trustee of the orphanage has offered to send Jerusha to college on the conditions that she doesn't know who he is a ...more
The book is told from the POV of Jerusha Abbott, a seventeen year old orphan who, up until this point, has lived her entire life at the John Grier Home for orphans. In the opening, a narrator informs us that an unnamed trustee of the orphanage has offered to send Jerusha to college on the conditions that she doesn't know who he is a ...more

Feb 10, 2011
Victoria Evangelina Allen
rated it
really liked it
·
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

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

to be reviewed....❤️❤️

When I was so young, around 6, my brother and I would wake up early to watch an anime series called "يا صاحب الظل الطويل" aka "The Man with the Long Shadow" aka "Daddy Long Legs".

Little did I know by then, that the story would stay with me till this very day; I guess what we get attached to while young does stick in our minds and hearts, and as always a well written story is always a classic.

It helps also that I'm always attracted to protagonist who are writers, like Judy Abbott, Anne Shirley an ...more

Little did I know by then, that the story would stay with me till this very day; I guess what we get attached to while young does stick in our minds and hearts, and as always a well written story is always a classic.

It helps also that I'm always attracted to protagonist who are writers, like Judy Abbott, Anne Shirley an ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Goodreads Librari...: English version showing as translation | 4 | 32 | Jun 17, 2018 03:10PM | |
Books2Movies Club: Daddy-Long-Legs | 3 | 20 | Dec 10, 2017 12:38PM | |
Vintage Tales: September 2016 Group Read --Daddy-Long-Legs | 16 | 21 | Dec 24, 2016 12:18PM |
Jean Webster (pseudonym for Alice Jane Chandler Webster) was an American writer and author of many books including Daddy-Long-Legs and Dear Enemy. Her most well-known books feature lively and likeable young female protagonists who come of age intellectually, morally, and socially, but with enough humor, snappy dialogue, and gently biting social commentary to make her books palatable and enjoyable
...more
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Daddy-Long-Legs
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“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.”
—
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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.”
“I think that the most necessary quality for any person to have is imagination. It makes people able to put themselves in other people's places. It makes them kind and sympathetic and understanding.”
—
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