Little Women is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott. The book was written and set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts. It was published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869. The novel follows the lives of four sisters – Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March – and is loosely based on the author's childhood experiences with her three sisters. The first volume, Little Women, was an immediate commercial and critical success, prompting the composition of the book's second volume, entitled Good Wives, which was also successful. Both books were first published as a single volume entitled Little Women in 1880. Alcott followed Little Women with two sequels, also featuring the March sisters: Little Men and Jo's Boys. Little Women was a fiction novel for girls that veered from the normal writings for children, especially girls, at the time.
Part One
Chapter 1 – Playing Pilgrims
Chapter 2 – A Merry Christmas
Chapter 3 – The Laurence Boy
Chapter 4 – Burdens
Chapter 5 – Being Neighborly
Chapter 6 – Beth Finds the Palace Beautiful
Chapter 7 – Amy’s Valley of Humiliation
Chapter 8 – Jo Meets Apollyon
Chapter 9 – Meg Goes to Vanity Fair
Chapter 10 – The P. C. and P. O.
Chapter 11 – Experiments
Chapter 12 – Camp Laurence
Chapter 13 – Castles in the Air
Chapter 14 – Secrets
Chapter 15 – A Telegram
Chapter 16 – Letters
Chapter 17 – Little Faithful
Chapter 18 – Dark Days
Chapter 19 – Amy’s Will
Chapter 20 – Confidential
Chapter 21 – Laurie Makes Mischief, and Jo Makes Peace
Chapter 22 – Pleasant Meadows
Chapter 23 – Aunt March Settles the Question
Part Two
Chapter 24 – Gossip
Chapter 25 – The First Wedding
Chapter 26 – Artistic Attempts
Chapter 27 – Literary Lessons
Chapter 28 – Domestic Experiences
Chapter 29 – Calls
Chapter 30 – Consequences
Chapter 31 – Our Foreign Correspondent
Chapter 32 – Tender Troubles
Chapter 33 – Jo’s Journal
Chapter 34 – A Friend
Chapter 35 – Heartache
Chapter 36 – Beth’s Secret
Chapter 37 – New Impressions
Chapter 38 – On the Shelf
Chapter 39 – Lazy Laurence
Chapter 40 – The Valley of the Shadow
Chapter 41 – Learning to Forget
Chapter 42 – All Alone
Chapter 43 – Surprises
Chapter 44 – My Lord and Lady
Chapter 45 – Daisy and Demi
Chapter 46 – Under the Umbrella
Chapter 47 – Harvest Time
“Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents.” (page 11)
“I’m the man of the family now Papa is away, and I shall provide the slippers, for he told me to take special care of Mother while he was gone.” (page 14)
“I’ll try and be what he loves to call me, ‘a little woman,’ and not be rough and wild, but do my duty here instead of wanting to be somewhere else.” (page 18)
Boys are trying enough to human patience, goodness knows, but girls are infinitely more so. (page 71)
“Little girls shouldn’t ask questions.” (page 76)
“Housekeeping ain’t no joke.” (page 114)
“Have regular hours for work and play, make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life become a beautiful success, in spite of poverty.”
(page 121)
“Wouldn’t it be fun if all the castles in the air which we make could come true, and we could live in them?” (page 143)
“People don’t have fortunes left them in that style nowadays, men have to work and women to marry for money. It’s a dreadfully unjust world.” (page 158)
She could not speak, but she did “hold on,” and the warm grasp of the friendly human hand comforted her sore heart, and seemed to lead her nearer to the Divine arm which alone could uphold her in her trouble. (page 183)
“Beth is my conscience, and I
(page 183)
Jo’s face was a study next day, for the secret rather weighed upon her, and she found it hard not to look mysterious and important. Meg observed it, but did not trouble herself to make inquiries, for she had learned that the best way to manage Jo was by the law of contraries, so she felt sure of being told everything if she did not ask. (page 202)
It takes people a long time to learn the difference between talent and genius, especially ambitious young men and women. (page 250)
Amy sailed away to find the Old World, which is always new and beautiful to young eyes, while her father and friend watched her from the shore, fervently hoping that none but gentle fortunes would befall the happy-hearted girl, who waved her hand to them till they could see nothing but the summer sunshine dazzling on the sea. (page 302)
“Girls are so queer you never know what they mean. They say no when they mean yes, and drive a man out of his wits just for the fun of it.” (pages 351-352)
Little they cared what anybody thought, for they were enjoying the happy hour that seldom comes but once in any life, the magical moment which bestows youth on the old, beauty on the plain, wealth on the poor, and gives human hearts a foretaste of heaven. (page 457)
