Comments on: Top 100 Children’s Novels #47: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

By: Elizabeth Bird

Elizabeth Bird — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 13:13:49 +0000

Alas, no. That would be fun, wouldn’t it? Would have made organizing them easier too. Ah well.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 04:37:42 +0000

This is wonderful!!! Do you have dates for these editions of the novel?

By: LindaY

LindaY — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:24:12 +0000

I had this version of the book first:

http://img1.etsystatic.com/il_fullxfull.306535377.jpg

although I wish I’d had this one

http://s.ecrater.com/stores/31466/46d87563abae1_31466n.jpg

and then I asked my mom what the word “abridged” meant and was upset that I did not get “the whole story”!!! So then I got the Louis Jambour-illustrated version (fourth book down). I still have that, along with a copy Borders ( ::sob!:: ) put out of the original edition where Jo says “ain’t.”

By: Louise

Louise — Thu, 31 May 2012 15:37:14 +0000

I am thrilled to pieces to see that my long-held theory as to why Jo and Laurie were right to not marry was held (according to Bussey) by Alcott herself. I’ve always said that Laurie didn’t understand or give enough credence to Jo’s writing, and that he would have squelched that essential part of her without ever realizing it.

Be that as it may, I never have and never will forgive Amy for marrying him. Just because WE know he and Jo weren’t meant to be, SHE didn’t know that, and she went ahead and took him from Jo just like she took EVERYTHING ELSE. Ahem.

By: Jess

Jess — Wed, 30 May 2012 21:02:31 +0000

I grew up watching the Katherine Hepburn version – love it! – and although I enjoyed the Winona Ryder version, it could never replace that black and white version.

Also, count me in the fans who were happy that Jo didn’t marry Laurie – I loved the sequels just as much as the original, and they wouldn’t have been nearly as fun if Jo were a society wife.

By: Jennifer Schultz

Jennifer Schultz — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:25:11 +0000

Betsy, there was also a Broadway musical several years back starring Sutton Foster as Jo. Some songs were good–Foster’s two big numbers were all right (her opening song with her sisters and a song after she rejects Laurie’s proposal), but it was pretty much a flop.

By: Beautiful Little Women book covers « Louisa May Alcott is My Passion

Beautiful Little Women book covers « Louisa May Alcott is My Passion — Wed, 30 May 2012 10:04:32 +0000

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By: Sondy

Sondy — Tue, 29 May 2012 19:23:24 +0000

I have such fond memories of reading Little Women the first time. It was the year I was in 6th grade. My Mom had a horrible policy that those in 7th grade or up (my older brother and sister) could stay up as late as they wanted, but those in 6th grade or younger (including the BABY, for heavens’ sake!) had to go to bed at 7 pm.

So — I had a walk-in closet. After bedtime, I’d go in my closet, curl up on my sleeping bag and read for awhile. I specifically remember that one night reading Little Women, I went on until NINE PM!!!! When you consider that at this time there were 7 children in the family, it’s not so surprising that I was never caught.

That was also about the time I started thinking the best books were those that made you cry. How I wept over Beth!

By: Jeannine Atkins

Jeannine Atkins — Tue, 29 May 2012 02:42:34 +0000

Betsy, I apologize. You were right. They just had William Schallert in the credits, but Shatner is in this 1978 made-for-tv version, too.

By: Susan Bailey

Susan Bailey — Mon, 28 May 2012 22:06:27 +0000

Such beautiful covers, this is really cool! I’ll put a teaser in my Louisa blog and send my readers this way. Jeannine, thanks for the refer!