tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post1331054479830731139..comments2024-02-05T18:55:01.932+01:00Comments on In My Book: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Review)Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-90090089162823422122018-03-21T16:13:16.964+01:002018-03-21T16:13:16.964+01:00I loved all the girls, but I enjoyed reading your ...I loved all the girls, but I enjoyed reading your reasons for liking Amy best (even though she is probably not most people's favorite). It is almost "too sweet" at times, and I wouldn't want a steady diet of this, but I happened to read it following a rather dark tale...so it was nice cozy read. Nice review. My review: https://tinyurl.com/yb9gq6h2Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00466108789532345790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-75674820705542982142013-12-29T06:39:54.700+01:002013-12-29T06:39:54.700+01:00I've already heard so many interesting things ...I've already heard so many interesting things about LMA, that I'd really like to read something about her! Eden's Outcasts sounds nice, thank you for a recommendation!Arenelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-18451988707399401592013-12-29T06:38:04.930+01:002013-12-29T06:38:04.930+01:00It also made me cry, although I saw all the author...It also made me cry, although I saw all the author's devices that were intended to make me react so... <br /><br />Of course I don't think that cheering up can cure everything, but giving up and not even calling the doctor certainly doesn't help, right? Maybe I overestimate the medicine of that time, but at least SOMETHING could be done to make it better... And yes, I confess I just don't like people who don't put up a good fight, so I'm a bit biased here...Arenelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-73524647568775356852013-12-29T06:33:40.182+01:002013-12-29T06:33:40.182+01:00Well, Jo was my favourite in the beginning, but th...Well, Jo was my favourite in the beginning, but the second part changed everything! Although she is still pretty great! :)Arenelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-21183154369736344952013-12-29T06:32:47.444+01:002013-12-29T06:32:47.444+01:00Thanks for the recommendation, Satia, I haven'...Thanks for the recommendation, Satia, I haven't heard about Poisonwood Bible, but the premise sounds really similar to Little Women! Also 4 daughters, to begin with :) I think I'll put it on my TBR and come back to your links when I read it! Arenelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-14626393733167102482013-12-29T06:29:31.348+01:002013-12-29T06:29:31.348+01:002 Emily: I agree that she is focused on family and...2 Emily: I agree that she is focused on family and deserves a happy one, it's just a pity nobody thought family could be of an adventurous type too at that time :)<br /><br />2 o: Ah, those were the times when authors were not ready to do ANYTHING to please readers... No, I haven't read The Second Sex yet, but I'm certainly planning to, thanks for your recommendation! Arenelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-50870032590237156002013-12-21T17:01:19.381+01:002013-12-21T17:01:19.381+01:00Chapters 1-33 did not appeal to me. It reminded ...Chapters 1-33 did not appeal to me. It reminded met of Norman Rockwell pictures put into words, as you said "sweet and preachy". To be fair....Chapters 34 – 47 were sometimes breathtaking where Alcott develops the characters as adults. Her writing sweept me off my feet with it’s eloquence and warmth. After I read this book I wanted to know more about L.A. Alcott as a person. I reccommend Eden's Outcasts by J. Matteson...it was an excellent cross read after Little Women.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-81556199580070870442013-12-19T23:56:08.134+01:002013-12-19T23:56:08.134+01:00Beth's death is the only thing I've ever r...Beth's death is the only thing I've ever read that still makes me cry, maybe because I'm a mother, but it had the same effect on me when I was a kid. The line about her drawing her last breath on the same breast on which she drew her first... oh, I just can't take it! See, I'm choked up now, and I haven't even read it in years!<br /><br />I never thought about her resigned attitude as contributing to her death, but then I've never found the you-can-conquer-this-disease-if-you-just-want-to-badly-enough mindset particularly convincing. It seems a bit like blaming the victim to me. I mean, she had scarlet fever and it damaged her heart, which shortened her life; there's no getting around that. <br /><br />I must say you've made me see Amy in a new light, though. She was always my least favorite, but she really did mature in a lovely way--I never thought about her that way before. <br /><br />Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06784890975490896640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-30596158347450611182013-12-19T20:36:04.252+01:002013-12-19T20:36:04.252+01:00I think I read somewhere that LMA wrote that she &...I think I read somewhere that LMA wrote that she "refused to marry Jo to Laurie to please people" (or something along those lines). I'm glad she didn't marry Laurie, though, I thought Prof. Bhaer was a better match :)<br /><br />Have you ever read The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir? There's an interesting chapter in there about Little Women. From what I remember, de Beauvoir thought Jo *should* have married Laurie. ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01245931629228090133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-9804033168427070162013-12-19T08:35:15.322+01:002013-12-19T08:35:15.322+01:00Yay! I'm still reading the book, but I love it...Yay! I'm still reading the book, but I love it too. It's great that Amy is your favourite character because everyone always says Jo. When I think about it, I'm not sure which character I like the most right now. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-51928360130737498182013-12-18T22:50:16.468+01:002013-12-18T22:50:16.468+01:00Cleopatra, I read PB a while ago as well, long bef...Cleopatra, I read PB a while ago as well, long before I had my book review blog. Even before goodreads existed, so I have no review. Ekaterina, ignore the following links:<br /><br />Kingsolver says something about LW in this interview in the reader's guide (which I didn't know was out there until today so go figure)<br /><br />http://www.harpercollins.com/author/microsite/readingguide.aspx?authorID=5311&displayType=essay&articleId=7458<br /><br />Also, if you read the summary of PB and have enough of a vague recollection of the plot of LW, you can see the parallels pretty quickly:<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Poisonwood_Bible<br /><br />Satiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03227625739706115993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-47748945023783432192013-12-18T04:51:38.491+01:002013-12-18T04:51:38.491+01:00Wow, I read both books so long ago but I would nev...Wow, I read both books so long ago but I would never expect any parallels between the two. Do you have a post about it, Satia? I'd be very interested to read your views!Cleohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13152128642971612433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-81502945320061917572013-12-18T02:29:53.710+01:002013-12-18T02:29:53.710+01:00I didn't know that either, Jean! I like Dr. Bh...I didn't know that either, Jean! I like Dr. Bhaer too, actually, even though he's not particularly exciting, I suppose. I can see what you mean about Jo being alone, but personally I don't think she's the kind of person who would actually enjoy it. She's adventurous, but she's also very focused on her family and is sad when her sisters leave home one by one. She would have had a lot of success on her own, I'm sure, but I don't think she would have been as happy as she would be in a committed relationship with someone who would never leave her. <br /><br />I'm glad you like Amy. She's my favorite, too, because she goes through a lot of change without ever sacrificing herself. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14777243283548102053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-83293154850380170832013-12-18T02:12:04.639+01:002013-12-18T02:12:04.639+01:00Read Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible now. It is...Read Kingsolver's <i>Poisonwood Bible</i> now. It is a must read if you've read <i>Little Women</i>. I've pointed out the obvious parallels to so many people and never understand how or even why others who have read LW don't see them but it's definitely worth reading in conjunction with this book.Satiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03227625739706115993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-63994881025453988012013-12-17T19:45:15.515+01:002013-12-17T19:45:15.515+01:00It's so hard not to love it! And I think I'...It's so hard not to love it! And I think I'll also re-read it some time!Arenelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-50910036597744360532013-12-17T19:41:43.307+01:002013-12-17T19:41:43.307+01:00Well, there is nothing wrong with focusing on marr...Well, there is nothing wrong with focusing on marriage, she is really the type of person who is content with home and family. I was a bit frustrated with Jo ending up the same, though, because she is unconventional :)Arenelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-9803867583355579132013-12-17T19:14:38.128+01:002013-12-17T19:14:38.128+01:00I didn't know LMA was influenced by her reader...I didn't know LMA was influenced by her readers, interesting! I think staying alone would suit Jo better. Dr. Bhaer is... well, good, but she already has one educated father :) Her and Laurie's household would be an Italian one, but who said everybody should be like Meg? :) Although I still think Laurie+Amy is a much better match.Arenelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-78159106702581347842013-12-17T18:52:59.414+01:002013-12-17T18:52:59.414+01:00Did you know that LMA planned for Jo to stay singl...Did you know that LMA planned for Jo to stay single and be an independent writer? Fans sent so many letters begging for Jo to get married (preferably to Laurie) made such an avalanche that she produced Dr. Bhaer, who really I quite like. I don't think Jo and Laurie would have been a good match. Anyway, LMA wasn't too interested in men herself, so she gave Jo a different kind of husband. In Little Men, they run a boys' school and Jo immerses herself in the world of boyhood.Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14247515387599954817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-30483713369002476572013-12-17T18:42:01.847+01:002013-12-17T18:42:01.847+01:00Now I want to re-read this even more! I love read...Now I want to re-read this even more! I love reading your perspective on the characters, and it's been so long since I read the book that maybe I would come to similar conclusions. Meg, I was sympathetic for - it's true she is conventional, but most women were, at the time. There was no widespread movement to change the woman's role, so she reacts like a Jane Austen character and focuses on marriage.Marianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01693636355638596302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-82573590719285224582013-12-17T18:02:56.169+01:002013-12-17T18:02:56.169+01:00I love this book too! And you've reminded me,...I love this book too! And you've reminded me, it's time for a re-read! Glad you enjoyed it so much!Cleohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13152128642971612433noreply@blogger.com