Little Women

Product Description<br/><br/><br/>Little Women is one of the best loved books of all time. Lovely Meg, talented Jo, frail Beth, spoiled Amy: these are hard lessons of poverty and of growing up in New England during the Civil War. Through their dreams, plays, pranks, letters, illnesses, and courtships, women of all ages have become a part of this remarkable family and have felt the deep sadness when Meg leaves the circle of sisters to be married at the end of Part I. Part II, chronicles Meg's joys and mishaps as a young wife and mother, Jo's struggle to become a writer, Beth's tragedy, and Amy's artistic pursuits and unexpected romance. Based on Louise May Alcott's childhood, this lively portrait of nineteenth-century family life possesses a lasting vitality that has endeared it to generations of readers.<br/><br/><br/><br/>From the Paperback edition.<br/><br/><br/>Review<br/><br/><br/>"The American female myth."<br/>—Madelon Bedell<br/><br/><br/><br/>From the Trade Paperback edition.<br/><br/><br/>From the Inside Flap<br/><br/><br/>Women is one of the  best loved books of all time. Lovely Meg, talented  Jo, frail Beth, spoiled Amy: these are hard lessons  of poverty and of growing up in New England during  the Civil War. Through their dreams, plays,  pranks, letters, illnesses, and courtships, women of all  ages have become a part of this remarkable family  and have felt the deep sadness when Meg leaves the  circle of sisters to be married at the end of Part  I. Part II, chronicles Meg's joys and mishaps as a  young wife and mother, Jo's struggle to become a  writer, Beth's tragedy, and Amy's artistic pursuits  and unexpected romance. Based on Louise May  Alcott's childhood, this lively portrait of  nineteenth-century family life possesses a lasting vitality  that has endeared it to generations of readers.<br/><br/><br/><br/>From the Paperback edition.<br/><br/><br/>About the Author<br/><br/><br/>Louisa May Alcott was born in 1832 in Pennsylvania and grew up in Concord, Massachusetts. She is best known for her books for children. The daughter of philosopher and reformer Amons Bronson Alcott, she was also a supporter of women's rights and an abolitionist. Family debts led her to write the autobiographical novel<br/>Little Women (1868). The book was a huge success, followed by<br/>Little Men, An Old-Fashioned Girl, and several other novels.<br/><br/><br/><br/>From the Trade Paperback edition.<br/><br/><br/>Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.<br/><br/><br/>Playing Pilgrims<br/><br/><br/>"Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents,"grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.<br/><br/>"It's so dreadful to be poor!"sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.<br/><br/>"I don't think it's fair for some girls to have lots of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all," added little Amy, with an injured sniff.<br/><br/>"We've got father and mother, and each other, anyhow,"said Beth, contentedly, from her corner.<br/><br/>The four young faces on which the firelight shone brightened at the cheerful words, but darkened again as Jo said sadly?<br/><br/>"We haven't got father, and shall not have him for a long time." She didn't say "perhaps never,"but each silently added it, thinking of father far away, where the fighting was.<br/><br/>Nobody spoke for a minute; then Meg said in an altered tone, "You know the reason mother proposed not having any presents this Christmas, was because it's going to be a hard winter for every one; and she thinks we ought not to spend money for pleasure, when our men are suffering so in the army. We can't do much, but we can make our little sacrifices, and ought to do it gladly. But I am afraid I don't;"and Megshook her head, as she thought regretfully of all the pretty things she wanted.<br/><br/>"But I don't think the little we should spend would do any good. We've each got a dollar, and the army wouldn't be much helped by our giving that. I agree not to expect anything from mother or you, but I do want to buy<br/>Undine and Sintram for myself; I've wanted it so long,'said Jo, who was a bookworm.<br/><br/>"I planned to spend mine in new music,"said Beth, with a little sigh, which no one heard but the hearth-brush and kettle-holder.<br/><br/>"I shall get a nice