Customer Reviews (7)

great service
Under the Lilacs was important to me because it replaced a favorite book from long ago.The one received is in great condition and must have been new! It was received in excelent condition and after only a few days from ordering.

Old-fashioned classic
Vignettes of nostalgic town life reminiscent of Tom Sawyer or the Five Little Peppers. We first meet Babs and Betty Moss at a dolls' tea party in which they discover the clever show dog Sancho foraging for his master Ben, a runaway from the circus. Ben's father had left the circus for a more promising job, intending to send for his son once he was settled. With his father's protection gone, Ben is harshly treated by the circus master and runs away.

Arriving soon after the runaways are Celia and her young brother Thornton, returning to their old home after being gone for years. Thorny is weak from a long illness and is wheelchair-ridden and crabby although he admits that Celia is "the best sister that ever was". She hires Ben to amuse her brother during his convalescence while allowing Babs and Betty, whose mother takes care of the premises, to continue to play house on the porch and path. The kids occupy themselves with botanical expeditions, ship-building, water wheels and other waterworks play, picnics, baseball and archery. Babs loses Sancho at a circus and Betty finds him again in pitiful shape after accompanying Thorny to the dentist. Celia breaks her arm after a fall from her horse and is rescued by Ben. He is gradually weaned away from the roving circus life although Celia invites the school to a splendid birthday party for him where he shows himself in his former circus glory as Cupid on a galloping horse. There is a little trouble with missing money and false accusations but Ben, who is honest and true, gradually endears himself to the two families. Several joyous unions and reunions take place at the end as well as one intended for the future, although in the midst of preparing for one, the incorrigible Babs almost burns down the house under the lilacs. The tone is quaint andold-fashioned but the simple pleasures of life shine through and Ben is both boy-like and engaging.

Nostalgia
Young people may find it corny, but older adults will delight in the adventures of a "lost boy" in a caring community (before social workers) and his adventures with the neighboring children. All the elements of old-fashioned story-telling: a crippled lad, a rich lady with horses, a day at the circus, the "stolen" money. This reprint has a lot of typos which, in a strange way, adds an authentic "feel" of the times.

A real classic
Under the Lilacs is a wonderful story about a young boy and his dog. I loved all the adventures that the kids had. A must read for anybody who loved Little Woman.

Juvenile yet complex
I enjoyed Under the Lilacs immensely. It is a wonderful story of children and how they mature. The characters at times seemed rather flat and uninteresting yet the story is a very fun one. It is full of laughter and tears and eventually a happy ending. I would recommend this book to people who have enjoyed Louisa May Alcott in the past or those who enjoy a relatively juvenile book yet will be able to understand references to relatively older literature. ... Read more

Product Description
This book an EXACT reproduction of the original book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

Angieville: ROSE IN BLOOM
I have several aunts who are readers. And they have always looked after me when it comes to sending books they think I'd like my way. Particularly during my formative reading years. To this day, many of the books nearest and dearest to my heart came to me in the mail from one of my aunts. When I was twelve or so, my Aunt Becky sent me a lesser known book (which I had never heard of) by a very well known author (which I had). The book was ROSE IN BLOOM and it was actually the first book I ever read by Louisa May Alcott. It is also actually a sequel to her earlier book Eight Cousins. I didn't know this at the time, though, and so I cracked it open completely unaware of what to expect in the way of the writing, the style, or the characters. I've since gone back and read Eight Cousins, but, perhaps simply because I read it first, or perhaps because it feels like a slightly more mature and focused character-driven story, ROSE IN BLOOM has always been my favorite. I've read it many times, though I realized it's been quite a few years since I picked it up last. But Rose's coming of age story, her love for her family, and the important dilemmas she faces never fail to make me feel nostalgic and want to return to spend more time with her.

Rose Campbell has been traveling abroad with her Uncle Alec and her maid, friend, and companion Phebe for the last several years. Now she has come of age, come into her inheritance, and come home to Aunt Hill--the family stronghold--to reacquaint herself with her seven male cousins as well as her family's expectations that she settle down and marry one of them at once. But Rose has grown up quite a bit in the intervening years and is not at all sure she's ready for matrimony. Surprising the whole clan by insisting upon establishing herself as an independent woman before choosing a husband, she holds their uneasiness and disapproval at bay and takes her own time evaluating her options and settling on a course of action. Meanwhile, the various aunts are in various states of uproar and decline. Her former maid and now friend Phebe is caught uncomfortably between two worlds as she is forced to determine what she will do with her life now that Rose has no official need of her and she has little money of her own. And then there are the boys. The seven boys who've unexpectedly grown into men and who are each so very different and each have their own unique relationship with their cousin Rose. Their wildly different personalities, habits, and desires at times clash with their parents' wishes and their choices, along with Rose's, dramatically affect every member of the Campbell family over the course of the novel.

I'm always amazed at how few people I know have actually read (or even heard of) this book. I realize it will always be overshadowed by Little Women, but ROSE IN BLOOM is a perfectly lovely, sweet read about a kind, thoughtful, and forward-thinking young woman and how she comes of age and learns several important things about herself and the world around her and is a force for good in binding the wayward members of her family together. The opening passage, to give you a feel for what's in store:

***

Three young men stood together on a wharf one bright October day awaiting the arrival of an ocean steamer with an impatience which found a vent in lively skirmishes with a small lad, who pervaded the premises like a will-o'-the-wisp and afforded much amusement to the other groups assembled there.

"They are the Campbells, waiting for their cousin, who has been abroad several years with her uncle, the doctor," whispered one lady to another as the handsomest of the young men touched his hat to her as he passed, lugging the boy, whom he had just rescued from a little expedition down among the piles.

"Which is that?" asked the stranger.

"Prince Charlie, as he's called--a fine fellow, the most promising of the seven, but a little fast, people say," answered the first speaker with a shake of the head.

"Are the others his brothers?"

'No, cousins. The elder is Archie, a most exemplary young man. He has just gone into business with the merchant uncle and bids fair to be an honor to his family. The other, with the eyeglasses and no gloves, is Mac, the odd one, just out of college."

"And the boy?"

"Oh, he is Jamie, the youngest brother of Archibald, and the pet of the whole family. Mercy on us--he'll be in if they don't hold on to him!"

***

I do love those boys. Upstanding Archie, quiet Mac, princely Charlie, the beanpole brothers Will and Geordie, dandy Steve, and impish Jamie. When I first read it, this book reminded me quite a bit of Anne of Green Gables and, though overall a less complicated and somewhat rosier tale, it is not without its heart-wrenching moments and instances of tragedy. I appreciated the way Alcott addressed the many vices and challenges young men and women in their early twenties face and it never fails to surprise me how those hurdles have not changed so very much since this book was first published in 1876. It's interesting to me that it is so often billed as a children's book, as the themes it explores seem much older to me. Particularly as Rose does, in the end, come to an informed (if painful and complicated) decision as to where her heart lies. But then I read it first when I was twelve, and again every couple of years after that, and gained something new every time I did. How sad it must be to never re-read good books and never experience that unforgettable moment of realization that both you and the book have brought more to the table than was there the last time you met. Recommended, unsurprisingly, for fans of Alcott, Montgomery, and Eva Ibbotson.

the best alcott book
I have always like Rose a bit better than the Little Women and this book is my favorite of the two.It has a great and satisfying conclusion.

Kindle version quality
I ordered the kindle version of "Rose In Bloom" after reading "Eight Cousins" also by Louisa May Alcott.I like the story but the punctuation in this version is horrendous!!!There are question marks used inappropriately at the end of sentences and many other punctuation errors that detract from the reader's enjoyment.It does not appear that this kindle version was proofread before being released.If details like punctuation errors don't bother you, go ahead and purchase it, otherwise look for another version.

Review of "Rose in Bloom"
I received the book in a timely manner.The book was in the
condition advertised.

"To other roses getting ready to bloom."
A friend of mine highly recommended this book, and since I had already read "Eight Cousins" (which I didn't particularly care for, at the time,) I decided to give "Rose in Bloom" a try. What a pleasant surprise! I adored it so much that after reading it, I went back and re-read "Eight Cousins." (I would warn readers that while the plot isn't that complicated, don't read this book until you've read "Eight Cousins." Knowing the characters from the first book makes the sequel so much more enjoyable.)

Returning to America after two years of absence, Rose soon discovers that a lot has changed while she was away. Not only is 19 year old Rose now old enough to inherit her parents' money, but she's also at a marriageable age. What's a young, rich and pretty girl to do? Of course her guardian, Uncle Alec, is there to give advice or lend a listening ear. And, of course, her boy cousins have turned into young men. The bookworm, Mac, still isn't "polite and sensible like Archie, nor gay and handsome like Prince Charlie, nor neat and obliging like Steve, nor amusing like the `Brats,' nor confiding and affectionate like little Jamie," but nevertheless, I like him the best. He is sensible and intelligent, unlike Cousin Charlie, who is as good looking and charming as he is reckless. Rose tries to improve Charlie's morals and Mac's manners; all while learning what it means to live a wise and honorable life.

This is a delightful book! It made me smile, laugh, cry and fall in love. More than that, it inspired me, as I think it should all young women, to live life to the best of my ability. As Louisa May Alcott states in her preface: "Rose is not designed for a model girl, and the sequel was simply written in fulfillment of a promise, hoping to afford some amusement, and perhaps here and there a helpful hint, to other roses getting ready to bloom." ... Read more

Product Description
Tales of travels in Brittany, France, Switzerland, Italy, and London. According to Wikipedia: "Louisa May Alcott's overwhelming success dated from the appearance of the first part of Little Women: or Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, (1868) a semi-autobiographical account of her childhood years with her sisters in Concord, Massachusetts. Part two, or Part Second, also known as Good Wives, (1869) followed the March sisters into adulthood and their respective marriages. Little Men (1871) detailed Jo's life at the Plumfield School that she founded with her husband Professor Bhaer at the conclusion of Part Two of Little Women. Jo's Boys (1886) completed the "March Family Saga." Most of her later volumes, An Old Fashioned Girl (1870), Aunt Jo's Scrap Bag (6 vols., 1871–1879), Eight Cousins and its sequel Rose in Bloom (1876), and others, followed in the line of Little Women, remaining popular with her large and loyal public.

Although the Jo character in Little Women was based on Louisa May Alcott, she, unlike Jo, never married. Alcott explained her "spinsterhood" in an interview with Louise Chandler Moulton, "... because I have fallen in love with so many pretty girls and never once the least bit with any man." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Old fashioned entertainment
Really enjoyed this quaint read. Old fashioned light comedy about a trio of American women traveling the continent in the late 1800's. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Alcott's first novel
As Alcott's first novel, this book is much more than a precursor to Little Women.It was also her attempt at serious literary recognition.Its intertexualities with the Transcendentalists, particularly Thoreau and Marget Fuller, make it an important book, as does its serious examination of a taboo subject in the 1860s: marriage and divorce.Although Alcott was not satisfied with the book, due to the many cuts required by her publisher, Moods exhibits a very ambitious Alcott finding her voice as a writer and addressing the difficult and controversial subjects with which women were wrestling.Alcott's first novel was influenced by Jane Eyre and The Scarlet Letter and bears reading alongside those two classics.

Better than its repuatation suggests
I was basically forced to read this novel for a college survey course in American Romanticism.I had read 'Little Women' in high school and didn't think much of it.Too morally heavy-handed and contrived and not entertaining at all.'Moods' suprised me.The same criticisms apply, but I did find the book a pleasure to read.The criticisms that the book places against the society of the times about women's behavioral expectations, while not exactly revolutionary, were well thought out and not as in-your-face as the messages found in 'Little Women'.The characters are not as one dimensional as in 'Little Women' and I thought Sylvia's dilemna was belieavable.Like I said before, I was suprised at how much I liked the book. ... Read more

Product Description
To and fro, like a wild creature in its cage, paced that handsome woman, with bent head, locked hands, and restless steps. Some mental storm, swift and sudden as a tempest of the tropics, had swept over her and left its marks behind. As if in anger at the beauty now proved powerless, all ornaments had been flung away, yet still it shone undimmed, and filled her with a passionate regret. A jewel glittered at her feet, leaving the lace rent to shreds on the indignant bosom that had worn it; the wreaths of hair that had crowned her with a woman's most womanly adornment fell disordered upon shoulders that gleamed the fairer for the scarlet of the pomegranate flowers clinging to the bright meshes that had imprisoned them an hour ago; and over the face, once so affluent in youthful bloom, a stern pallor had fallen like a blight, for pride was slowly conquering passion, and despair had murdered hope. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Short story of 'Revenge and Punishment'
N , Seattle : well written, but none the less a morality play.Perhaps, the least interesting piece I have read of L. A. Alcott's to date.Still, this important as an example of her writing for the moral betterment of men and women. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (51)

I Found It on Amazon.com!
I am thrilled that this wonderful book is available on Amazon.com!I have been looking for a copy for many years and now I can purchase it!I bought this book in my teens, and loved the story!My mother gave it away along with some other books written in the early 1900's that I discovered in the 1960's, and I was crushed!It is such a good story that will delight girls of ALL ages.It is a good companion to other well-witten books by Louisa May Alcott.

such a wonderful read!
This book will warm your heart and make you want to be more like a Polly :)

Old fashioned girl
Louisa May Alcott is best known for her classic coming-of-age novel "Little Women." But she tackles an entirely different part of growing up in "An Old Fashioned Girl," the story of a country mouse living with a wealthy urban family in late 19th-century America. It gets rather prissy and moralistic in places, but has a measure of earnest charm.

Teenage Polly Milton is arriving in the city (New York?) for the first time, to stay with her uncle and aunt. She immediately sticks out because of her prosaic clothing and lack of chic. Her cousin Fan Shaw (also about fourteen) is already dressed like a young woman, and hangs out with a gang of shallow, trendy girls. On the other hand, Polly befriends old ladies, sings Scottish airs, and reads books on history. Can she fit in? What's more... does she really want to?

Fast forward about five or six years: The Shaw family learns that Polly is returning to the city, intending to give music lessons to help support her brother. Time hasn't really changed Polly -- she's still sweet-natured, morally upright and kind to everyone. But the Shaw family is in serious financial trouble -- and Polly will help out the only way she knows how.

Like "Little Women," this book was written in two halves, which might explain why the second half is so much better than the first. The first isn't bad, but it suffers from too much prissiness. Virtually every story centres on Polly's moral struggles, in a very preachy manner. Her story is far more engaging when she learns confidence and strength, not when she's wavering about peer pressure.

Despite the preachy edge, Alcott's writing withstands the test of time -- strong, descriptive and pleasant. She also writes a good understated love story, in Polly's gradual interest in her cousin Tom. You'll know that these two really need to get together, but it's going to take them awhile to mutually realize it. So sit back and enjoy the ride.

Polly initially seems like a disastrous character, given her goody-two-shoes attitude, but she proves to be far better over the course of the book. Her spoiled, grumpy or flaky cousins are far more engaging, since they have immediate flaws. And they do progress as people over the course of the story, whether it's becoming more down to earth, or falling in love.

A real story is wrapped around this lesson on peer pressure, although occasionally Alcott goes a bit over the top. Charming, sweet and sometimes very funny.

loved it!
This is on my favorite book list! I read it in less than 2 days and could not put it down! I really enjoyed reading An Old Fashioned Girl and I want to read it again. It's a wonderful book and I highly recommend it for other girls.

Every Girl Should Read This Wonderful Book
Although I think it may be a bit advanced for my 9 yr. old, I'm still glad I purchased this book for my most recent book club choice. A gentle book that flows easily, and the characters change for the better in wonderful ways. The one thing that bugged me was Mrs. Shaw and her smelling salts. It almost seemed to me that Polly Milton was the better 'mother' to the Shaw family. All in all, this is truly a memorable classic. ... Read more

Product Description
The Shelf2Life Women ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

"Women" a Labour of Love. "Work" a Labour of Work.
I've read another edition of "Work", not the Penguin edition but a large print edition, so I can comment only on Alcott's story.

It's too earnest.Too laboured in getting it's message across.Too preachy and strident.Miss Alcott was a "Boston bred" activist, like Harriet Beecher Stowe (both were New Englanders and had the views and prejudices of New England Yankees) I take that and their Victorian writing styles into account.But "Little Women" reads like a labour of love.This book reads like a labour of-- well, work.As if another person (her mother?) wanted Louisa to write this sort of book. Some of Alcott's humour is there, but it's very little yeast to lighten heavy bread. And this bread is very heavy. The heroine becomes a governess, an actress, a housemaid, a seamstress, a seeker of lost souls.Other characters include several rich and idle men and women, a fugitive slave cook, a number of Good Samaritians, a 'fallen woman', a woman who kills herself because of inherited madness and her siblings, who don't seem mad.

Christie, the heroine, was too "Pollyanna" like in some chapters and too saintly to be real until David started to intrigue her. As she fell in love with him, she gained in dimension.Jo and her sisters in "Little Women" were realistic from the start, yet the messages of sisterly solidarity, working for God's Kingdom on Earth, and moral self-improvement are much the same.

David is intriging. There was a woman in his past that he beats his chest over. He is very like the modern strong and silent type romance hero. A girl has to pry his thoughts out of him, yet Christie is so reticent about getting him to open up that I nearly threw the book across the room.I refrained only because it was a library's copy.

I think it's an insightful story into Miss Alcott's own spiritual journey and what she learned and wished to teach. Women's work, and work for women, is never done, but worth doing.

The Penguin books usually have insightful forewords.I hope this one does, because I really wanted to read one after reading the story.

Kitsch: too many too good people
I like Alcott's novels, but this was too much for me. All characters come out on top, nobody is really bad, and certainly nobody stays bad, everybody is constantly striving to become a saint and overcome any fault they might have. I just couldn't relate to the characters, they were just above and beyond normal human people. I actually found it depressing instead of inspiring. Her other books have some humor and often even sarcasm in them, which is sadly missing here till the very last chapter. The humor has always outbalanced the moralistic streak for me, but here I just felt stuck with a thinly veiled moralistic story, which often glided into pure kitsch. Also I felt I had read many of the elements in her other stories and they were just newly arranged and a little bit redecorated. The story could have done with some serious editing before its publication, as some of the chapters are interesting but are overshadowed by kitsch chapters.
I'm aware that a book from this time will be heavy on morals, try to uplift and inspire improvment in the reader, which I usually don't mind, but in this story it just didn't work for me, it felt to forced. "An old-fashioned Girl" is very similar, but is much more engaging and entertaining and inspires laughs along with the tears.

Just a note on this edition, it is extremly badly edited. There are a great many spelling mistakes which often completely distort the sense like "Clown" instead of "Down" and others. But the most annoying one is that the character Philip Fletcher becomes again and again Mr. Pletcher.

This book is pro-women and pro-abolition.
I ran across this book recently and enjoyed reading it. It is more modern than most Alcott books in one respect: the heroine exactly doesn't "get married and live happily ever after."

Like many of the books at the time, the heroine is an orphan. At the age of 21, she leaves her aunt and uncle to make her fortune in the world -- and, she hopes, her happiness, since marrying a farmer she doesn't love "just to get a living" doesn't seem either honest or wise to her.

The book covers almost twenty years in New England -- about ten years before the Civil War through about five years afterwards. The heroine is energetic, intelligent, determined, and capable. And she WORKS! She is always looking for a way to be useful, to pull her own weight, and to help others. The book chronicles her path through a series of jobs and the emotional, physical, and spiritual ups and downs that come with them.

What is most amazing is that the heroine meets a fugitive slave on her first job and treats her as an equal. Unlike "some of the other girls," she doesn't refuse the job simply because the cook is black.

The touching ending scene, in which a diverse group of women pledge to make a better world for themselves (and perhaps to get the right to vote), includes many of the friends she has encountered along the way, "black and white, rich and poor."

However, this beautiful example -- and for the time, this very daring example of inter-racial cooperation -- is marred somewhat by an unaccountable bigotry against the Irish. The anti-Irish comments are all the more jarring because they are completely gratuitous; they have no bearing on plot or character development.

The best that can be said about this failing is that perhaps the author was unconscious of her bigotry, and that at least the Irish are not mentioned often, although every mention is uniformly disparaging.

An entertaining criticism of conditions for working girls ..
If you've read and reread all of Louisa May Alcott's books, and loved her portrayals of brave girls trying to make their way in a harsh world, you must read this "lost" novel, "Work."It is well-written, engaging and humorous, very much in the same style as her other novels for girls, yet with more of a depth of maturity to her characters.If you've read "An Old Fashioned Girl" you will see a lot of "Polly" in the working girls portrayed in this novel.Read it and rejoice in this "new" Alcott novel! ... Read more

Product Description
Little Men: Life At Plumfield With Jo's Boys. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (54)

Wonderful book for both children and adults.
I first read this book when I was a child, and I love it just as much now as I did then.It's a great book to read to and discuss with your children.

I would have given this review 5 stars instead of 4, except for one flaw.The Kindle version of this book is full of spelling and punctuation errors.Not a big deal for some, but it's just one of those things that bugs me.

Then again, at a cost of $.86, I guess I don't really have room to complain.:)

REVISITING MY PAST...
This sequel to Little Women (Unabridged Classics) is a favorite classic, and second in the series that ends with Jo's Boys.I read all of these books as a child, and the additional Alcott books as well.

To satisfy a reading challenge, I have decided to reread some of these old favorites.

Little Men was delightful, highlighting the wonderfully compassionate nature of Jo and her husband, Professor Bhaer, whom she met in Little Women.At the end of that book, Jo's Great-aunt March, the cranky old woman who seemed too demanding at times has left her house (Plumfield) to Jo.Now Jo and Fritz (Professor Bhaer) have opened a school for boys.Most of the boys appear to be troubled or challenged in some way.The story tells us various antics and behaviors exhibited by the boys, and displays how Jo and Fritz deal with these issues.

After reading the biography Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women (John MacRae Books), I could see the parallels between LMA's father's ideals and their methods in dealing with the recalcitrant boys.

The book was colorfully illustrated in the edition I reread, and was reminiscent of the book I read as a child.

While I would always recommend any Alcott book, I must admit that Little Men did not resonate with me the way Little Women (Unabridged Classics) did.Therefore, I must award four stars, while restating that the story was wonderful and brought back those childhood moments.

LITTLE MEN REVIEW
I've been wanting to read this book for quite a while now.Let me say, that it was well worth the wait!Thank you for such a great deal on a really good book.

Worth reading if you enjoyed Little Women...
Little Men was a quick read and a lovely way to continue Jo's story.I didn't think it was nearly as good as Little Women, perhaps because there are more characters and it takes place within a shorter period of time... so there is less development in each character and even more moralizing as each short story within the book has a lesson to be learned!

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT
I love this book almost as much as Little Women.They just don't write good wholesome books like these classics anymore.Read it and you'll love it! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (52)

An oldie but a goodie
Okay, I admit it, I'm of the "more mature" generation.I first read this book when I was a youngster and loved it for it's descriptions of life as I wished it could be. (Who wouldn't want to have eight BOY cousins who treated one like a queen?) I love Louisa May Alcott's works for the flavor of the time she writes about and also for the great moral principals she espouses.She's a great one for the "golden rule".I introduced my children to her writings when they were young and, hopefully, they will introduce THEIR children to her when the time comes."Eight Cousins" along with "Rose in Bloom" were really my first Romance novels.I fell in love with all the boys and ended up looking for the qualities I admired in them when I was dating. (Must have worked because I found a great guy too!Been married now for 37 years and love him more now than ever.)I bought the Kindle version ofboth of these books and have enjoyed them all over again.I think we need these types of gentle stories to help us through the hard times that we face today.Thank you Louisa, wherever you are!

A girl's transformation
Rose Campbell, at 13 1/2, can't remember her mother and has lived most of her life with a reclusive father, who died just under a year ago and left her to the care of a crowd of relatives she's never met, including her Uncle Alec, a ship's doctor who is to be her guardian, and a batch of cousins, all "dreadful boys."Though schooled by her father, she's had less than a full term of formal education, and her aunts think she's "delicate" and doomed to an early death.But her family has been sea captains for generations, and there's some of that hardy stock even in Rose, as she discovers when she finally meets her uncle and the seven boys--"Prince" Charlie, the inly son of Uncle Steve and Aunt Clara; Mac and Steve, sons of Uncle Mac and Aunt Jane; and Archie, Geordie, Will, and Jamie, aged sixteen to six, sons of Uncle Jem and Aunt Jessie.Uncle Alec prescribes fresh air, exercise, wholesome food and sensible dress, and the boys introduce her to all sorts of good fun, until even morbid Aunt Myra, a widow whose hobby is to believe that "everyone is tottering on the bink of the grave," is inspired to hints of reform.

Rose's life is very different than that familiar to most of her readers, but the exhortations to be "a lady" are not all that different from today's social pressures that urge girls to be "grown up" and jaded at 15.And while the second half of the book contains a fair amount of moralizing--some of it regarding things most people would think harmless, like popular fiction or the mild vanity of a girl wanting her ears pierced so she can wear her mother's earrings, some (smoking, gambling, drinking) more serious and comprehensible--Alcott also includes plenty of delightful pictures of the lives of a flock of healthy, economically secure youngsters in a day when "innocent" and "childhood" went together much better than they seem to now.Like Jack and Jill, it's at once one of the author's lesser known and more enjoyable books.Readers of the March Family trilogy that begins with Little Women (Unabridged Classics) could do far worse than to be directed to it.

great book
I will always love Little Women but I think the books about Rose are better.She is a great characters as are all the cousins.

Disappointed with the missing parts of the story
I read Eight Cousins when I was about 10, and was really excited to see this available for my Kindle. Imagine my unhappiness when I found parts of the book have been left out of the Kindle version. Perhaps because it is a free book? I didn't notice the description saying it was abridged but maybe I missed that part of it.

There are words left out, entire paragraphs left out, punctuation either missing or incorrect...I was very disappointed.

The basic story is there, but the gaps leave me feeling disjointed while reading.

My favorite as a child and now loved by my kids.
This book is an unknown gem.Many have heard of the book "Rose in Bloom".This is the book of those characters as children.When they are read in order, it is a treat for the soul.My favorite book as a young girl was "Rose in Bloom", but I had read "Eight Cousins" and I knew how much growing these young people had experienced. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (62)

One of my favorites!!
I just finished reading this for the 3rd time and I loved it just as much as the first time!It has everything I would want in a novel--deep characters, suspence, murder, deceit, mystery, despair and hope.Since I have read it several times during different stages of my life I also appreciate the different views I have had of the characters and plot depending on my experience of life at the time.This has made me realize just how genuine the characters are because I seemed to understand the young leading lady when I first read it and didn't quite share her views as she developed until I read it again and again as I matured and developed myself.Where if I had just read it recently, I probably wouldn't have understood Rosamond towards the beginning of the novel.Now I appreciate that Alcott has genuinly developed a believable character that readers can relate to in one way or another.

Great storyline
The storyline was captivating.And even though it was set in the 1800's during the Victorian period, the story is something ripped from modern headlines.But I found the writing sort of rushed and not well thought out.It was also predictable to me.And I found their was constant focus on how beautiful Rosamond was.The ending felt as though there was a rush to get to the end.However, I was surprised by it. And I, for one, liked the "unfairytale" ending.It was the most romantic part of the book.

I am currently reading and rereading great classics by both English and American Literary masters focusing on romantic storylines and strong feminine characters.This is my first experience with Alcott.I made the mistake of reading it after "Jane Eyre".I might have found the writing better if I hadn't.If you haven't read either one I recommend reading this one first and proceed to "Jane Eyre" quickly! It is masterfully written and a favorite of mine.

A Long fatal Love chase LM Alcott
The contents of the book was excellent..the quality of the book in good condition...and it arrived in a timely fashion

A Thrilling Masterpiece!
A friend told me to read A Long Fatal Love Chase several years ago. Since then I have read it several times and I don't usually read a book more than once unless I really like it. I was a little worried about it being slow like Little Women which I liked too, but this one is by far so much more interesting!Alcott did an amazing job weaving this suspense romance thriller.I would have to rate this novel among my all time favorites.I believe if Love Chase had been printed when it should have been then it would be among the classics now.If you haven't read it yet then you won't be disappointed.Also, read Inheritance, another one of Alcott's lesser known novels which is a good read as well.

The Best of Louisa May Alcott!
I read this book because of the great reviews it got at this site and because I have read her other books.Between them all, I like this book the best because of its faster pace and more active storyline.I am a big historical fiction fan, but reading a book actually written in a historical time period is different because it has the language and writing style of that time period.This book did not disappoint.Again, I am amazed by the storyline, given the era she wrote it in.It is a great book with memorable characters.Despite the title of the book, I did not expect the ending until the last few pages, and so it kept me "on the edge of my seat".I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
When Jack and Jill went up the hill like their famous nursery rhyme namesakes, it was to slide down on their sled. But Jack fell down and broke his leg and Jill tumbled down the hill injuring her back- a sad ending to the first coasting party of the winter season, but the beginning of one of Louisa May Alcott's most charmng stories. This is an illustrated classic book with several full color illustrations and even more black and white sketches throughout the book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Alcott's books deserve proper editions!
I've long been a fan of the lesser Louisa May Alcott books and now my daughter has discovered them too.I was pleased to find Jack and Jill available in this handy paperback by an on-demand publisher. My seventh-grade daughter pounced on the book first, in great excitement.It was a bit deflating that there was no book-specific cover art or back cover material--it is a standard, rather ugly cover and the back text advertises the publisher itself. But I guess there's no arguing with that part. Far worse, my daughter found a minefield of typos in the first few pages, which proved very distracting. Then she found that about 1 1/2 pages from 3-4 were repeated verbatim on pages 5-6. She showed me both problems and she was absolutely right: the printing process had gone completely haywire. There was no reason to expect these issues were confined to the first few pages, and we had lost faith in the whole edition. Regretfully, we have sent the book back.

Child's rhyme and story
This has a sticky, preachy quality about it -too sweet. but although the beginning bears a resemblance to the rhyme, the story is for young adults and adults. No where as good as Little Women

LOVE this book.
I love this book. Took a star off for the typical Alcott preachiness. But I read it off the Gutenberg project and loved it so much I bought it off Amazon. It's so sweet. Storyline similar to What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge, girl is stubborn, injures herself (well and jack), may be paralysed, after a bit of preaching, she decides to be good and she eventually heals but is better for the lesson. Sounds boring, but the characters are interesting and sweet. And they're believable. Loved it.

Child Life in 1800s New England
While this is not my favorite Alcott novel, I still enjoy reading it as a portrait of the responsibilities and amusements of boys and girls in the 19th century. While Jack and Jill recuperate from their injuries sustained "coasting" on the "lulla," they mature and change, as do their friends, whose small projects to make their life better result in, if not in unimportant monetary wealth or fame, happier times to last them the rest of their lives.

Enjoyable!
Alcott has the amazing knack of entertaining while educating at the same time and you don't know you've been given a good moral to digest until its too late.You've already read and thoroughly enjoyed the book!You never really feel patronized or preached to...this is perhaps second tier in her fine line of literature (for her) but absolutely first tier when looking for wholesome reads for your own children.I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
The Shelf2Life American Civil War Collection is a unique and exciting collection of pre-1923 titles focusing on the American Civil War and the people and events surrounding it.From memoirs and biographies of notable military figures to firsthand accounts of famous battles and in-depth discussions of slavery, this collection is a remarkable opportunity for scholars and historians to rediscover the experience and impact of the Civil War.The volumes contained in the collection were all written within 60 years of the end of the war, which means that most authors had living memory of it and were facing the effects of the war while writing.These firsthand accounts allow the modern reader to more fully understand the culture of both the Union and Confederacy, the politics that governed the escalation and end of the war, the personal experience of life during the Civil War, and the most difficult and polarizing question in the history of the United States: slavery.The American Civil War Collection allows new readers access to the contemporary arguments and accounts surrounding the war, and is a vital new tool in understanding this important and pivotal chapter in American history. ... Read more

Product Description
A coming-of-age story set during the American Civil War, featuring Jo and her sisters Meg, Beth and Amy March who remain in Massachusetts with "Marmee" and try very hard to be good. ... Read more

Product Description
Having been written at long intervals during the past seven years, this story is more faulty than any of its very imperfect predecessors ; but the desire to atone foi an unavoidable disappointment, and to please my patient little friends, has urged me to let it go without furtner delay. To account for the seeming neglect of Auit, let me add, that, since the original of that character died, it has been impossible for me to write of her as when she was here to suggest, criticise, and laugh over her namesake. The same excuse applies to JVIakmee. But the folded leaves are not blank to those who knew and loved them, and can find memorials of them in whatever is cheerful, true, or helpful in these pages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Wow, what a disappointment
I adore Little Women and the Rose books (Eight Cousins and Rose in Bloom).I had vaguely favorable memories of Jo's Boys from childhood, so decided to read it again on my Kindle.What a half-hearted effort this is!Except for one entertaining chapter in which Jo tries to escape a horde of fans, she's lost all her character.No longer is she the headstrong girl of the first book, or even the comforting "Mother Bhaer" of Little Men.Instead, she spends the entire book preaching.Long, LONG passages are taken up with her lecturing.Of course Alcott was always preachy, but in this book it's taken to an almost ludicrous extreme.

Otherwise, there are too many characters, and few of them are adequately developed.The standouts are Dan, Jo's "black sheep," and the "lost at sea" episode involving Emil.The rest of it is dull as dishwater, punctuated with duller lectures on women's rights and endless literary and mythological references.

The only thing I did like about this story is that Amy and Mr. Bhaer have faded into the background, and Jo and Laurie seem to spend much of their time together.It's almost enough to make one think that Alcott regretted her choice to not put those characters together-- or perhaps she simply realized that Laurie and Jo work best on paper together, and have an undeniable chemistry that the other pairings lack.

Regardless, Laurie and Jo aren't enough to save this one.Stick with the other Alcott stories, and leave this one on the electronic shelf.

love it
i really enjoyed this book, its a nice sequel to Little Women and Jo was my favorite, so im glad this book follows her in her journey... :-)

Happy ending to a pleasing series!
This is "book 3" if you will of LMA's "Little Women" series.I loved it and wish I'd read all 3 when I was a young girl.It's a bit on the "Women's Rights" wing, but being that the time of the book's writing, it is still a great read for all ages.

Excellent book for its purpose
While this book can be preachy at times and may seem extremely fluffy, it is written as a children's book and therefore must be filled with morals and life lessons to serve as a guide and teaching tool. It is also very amusing and a must-read for those who have the previous books in the Little Women saga. While reading, I found myself greatly interested in the fates of Jo's boys and girls and by the end of the book, the characters were as dear to me a Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. It is a pleasant book to read, all in all.

However, it does get crowded and bit confusing at times, so readers should have read 'Little Women' and 'Little Men' before reading this and be sure to keep track of the characters!

Bittersweet, yet satisfying conclusion
The third book of the series brings closure to Demi, Daisy, Teddy, Rob, Dan, Nat and many other characters as they embark upon their adult lives, ten years after the conclusion of "Little Men."

In addition, Alcott focuses more upon Josie, Bess and others who were mere tots in the previous books, and thus not as interesting as their older family and friends.

Before the novel's conclusion, Emil has faced a harrowing episode at sea, Ted has risked his brother's life, Dan has been confronted by the law, and more. But although Jo still worries over her flock and continues to moralize, she does come to the realization that there is only so much a mother can do, before letting her children go off into the world alone and trust that they will remember everything they've been taught.

While this book brings with it the characteristic bustle and color of the previous two, there is also a certain sadness. It's apparent that Plumfield reached its height during the years the Bhaers' children were small, and a certain emptiness rings throughout the pages. I felt almost as sad as though I were bidding farewell to real friends, never to see them again; but simultaneously, it's a sign of a true writer when someone can make you feel that way. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the second story about the March family. Three years on from "Little Women", the March girls and their friend Laurie are young adults with their futures ahead of them. Although they all face painful trials along the way - from Meg's sad lesson in housekeeping to Laurie's disappointment in love and a tragedy which touches them all - each of the girls finally finds happiness, if not always in the way they expect. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

NOT a sequel to Little Women--just chapters 24-47 of the original
I feel compelled to write a review on all these different versions of GOOD WIVES.This is good literature, but there is no reason to buy this book if you're planning to read LITTLE WOMEN, as every copy of LITTLE WOMEN contains these chapters.LITTLE WOMEN is divided into "Part First" and "Part Second," and GOOD WIVES = "Part Second."

NOT a sequel to Little Women
As another reviewer noted, THIS IS NOT A SEQUEL TO LITTLE WOMEN.I pulled out my copy of Little Women, and the chapters in Good Wives are exactly the same as the second half of the book Little Women.If that wasn't clear:my copy (and every copy I remember) of Little Women contains "Part First" and "Part Second."GOOD WIVES = "Part Second."I can't think of any reason to buy this book.

However, the book LITTLE WOMEN is great, and I can think of a million reasons to buy it!(I hate giving anything Louisa May Alcott wrote only 2 stars--but those are for the packaging, not the text.)

Caution!This book is simply Part II of Little Women
This is a great book, and my favorite part of Little Women.It covers the part when Jo goes to New York and meets Professor Bhaer.However, when I ordered "Good Wives" I thought it was a sequel that I hadn't read before.Instead I found that it was a poorly bound and poorly copied (e.g. faint print that's hard to read) copy of Part II of the book Little Women.If you have the novel Little Women you already have "Good Wives."I sat the books down side by side and compared them, and they are identical.I'm confused why everyone is referring to this as a sequel to Little Women, unless perhaps when Little Women first came out it ended when the father came home from the war, and maybe Part II was originally printed in a separate volume?

However, every copy I've ever picked up of Little Women nowadays already has Part II in it, so if you have Little Women I'd advise you not to waste your money on this.

Anyone who loved "Little Women" will also like "Good Wives!"
A thoroughly satisfying sequel to a book I grew up loving.It took me forever to get to Good Wives, but when I did, it was like coming home.What a treat to meet up with my favorite childhood characters in this delicious heartwarming book!

Good
Since it took me some time to get this book, I was very excited to start reading it. It was indeed fun to return to the world and characters that I have like so much in the first book.
I can't say I was disappointed, it was a great, fast and flowing reading. I enjoyed the book very much.
However, in my opinion it is not as good as the first book. Perhaps because, like any sequel, it is an extension of a good thing that stands for its own right. Perhaps, because I am still young myself, I was able to connect more to the teenaged heroes than to the adult and married ones.
However, it was a great joy to meet them all again, and I think it is a good and worthy sequel, although it can't be compared to the first. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (272)

American Classic
"Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott has been undervalued for most of its history.This book is a true American Classic.Published originally in October of 1868, it is a story set during the Civil War, but Alcott does not deal with the specifics of the war.Instead, it serves as the pretext for the absence of Robin March, the father of the four "Little Women", for a large portion of the first book.The novel today actually consists of two books, the original "Little Women" from 1868, and the sequel "Good Wives" which was published the following year in April of 1869.The two volumes started being treated as one in 1880.

The first book deals with the growing maturity of the four sisters, and in particularly of Jo and Meg as they have to learn to help their mother out more and do with less during the war, and while their father is away.Meg is the eldest at 16 when the story begins, and Jo (who clearly represents the author) is 15.There is then a gap of a couple years with Beth being just 13 and Amy 12.Their lives transition from that of young girls to young women, and each sister has her own unique traits.Margaret "Meg" with her beauty is following the traditional path in entering society and heading towards marriage.Josephine "Jo" is attracted by intellectual pursuits, in particular reading and writing.Elizabeth "Beth" is very shy and demure.She is also a peacemaker between the sisters, and enjoys helping others.Sadly, she also falls sick and never fully recovers from scarlet fever.Amy is the baby, and likes to tag along with others.She is also used to getting her own way.

The first book is masterful in its simplicity.The story feels real, undoubtedly largely due to the author drawing on her own experiences, but Alcott also cleverly avoids adding too much into it and thereby making it unrealistic.She chooses a good steady pace, and the characters are well defined and consistently portrayed.Her dialogue is not perfect, but that adds to the overall realism of the telling of the story.It is a wonderful story for young women to read, and is also very readable for older readers.

The second book is fairly good too, though it fails to be as believable as the first book as Alcott allowed herself to be convinced to have Jo marry.Alcott never married, and the union she chooses for Jo is a bit unusual and thus it doesn't feel right.Outside of that, though, the second book is a worthy successor to the first.Meg's choice of husband fits perfectly with the character and ideals that she develops in the first book.Most of Jo's actions in the second book also fit well with her character up, including her avoiding marriage with Laurie, her friend and neighbor who plays an important role throughout both books.Only at the point where Jo marries does it not fit.The tragedy of Meg's passing is beautifully described, and the reader is touched by the goodness of her character.Lastly, the full development of Amy fits well, including her choice of spouse.

The Penguin Classics edition of "Little Women" includes a very informative introduction by Elaine Showalter and extensive notes by Siobhan Kilfeather and Vinca Showalter.One of the important notes is that this edition is based on the original publications, and not those which were amended by Alcott for later editions, though obvious printer errors were corrected.There is discussion of some of the changes which Alcott made in the notes to the text.This is a wonderful book, but I will take part of a star away and round down for Jo's forced marriage.

A childhood favorite
I like this book because of Jo March. And I never cry when Beth dies, because she annoys me.

Great Picture Book For Any Collector or Fan of the Movie!!!
This picture book is fantastic! It has several large photos from the "Little Women 1994 movie". A must have for any Little Women fan! It's something I will cherish for years to come.I also posted some pictures of the book to give an example of what the book portrays. I recieved mine new from a seller.

So Happy!
THis book was delivered in the condition promised (Brand new and shrink-wrapped). Great price too!
Thanks.

Disappointed!
Despite the Jessie Wilcox Smith illustrations on the front and back covers, I was very disappointed to discover that the artist's color plates that so perfectly capture the characters and events in this American literary classic, were omitted from this edition. Intending to give it as a gift, I ordered this bookbecause I was under the impression that it had the famous Jessie Wilcox Smith pictures.What a disappointment! ... Read more