"Little Women" is the most famous work by writer Louisa May Alcott. The semi-autobiographical novel tells the coming-of-age story of the March sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, as they struggle with poverty, illness and family drama in Civil War-era America. The novel was part of a series about the March family, but is the first and by far the most popular of the trilogy.
Jo March, the quirky writer among the March sisters, is based heavily on Alcott herself, although Jo eventually marries and Alcott never did. Alcott (1832-1888) was a feminist and abolitionist, and the daughter of transcendentalists Bronson Alcott and Abigail May. The Alcott family lived among other famous New England authors, including Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.
"Little Women" has strong, independent-minded female characters and explores complex subjects beyond the pursuit of marriage, which was unusual for the time it was published. It's still widely read and studied in literature classes as an example of female-centric narrative storytelling.
Jo March, the quirky writer among the March sisters, is based heavily on Alcott herself, although Jo eventually marries and Alcott never did. Alcott (1832-1888) was a feminist and abolitionist, and the daughter of transcendentalists Bronson Alcott and Abigail May. The Alcott family lived among other famous New England authors, including Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.
"Little Women" has strong, independent-minded female characters and explores complex subjects beyond the pursuit of marriage, which was unusual for the time it was published. It's still widely read and studied in literature classes as an example of female-centric narrative storytelling.