Little Women

Little Women' is an American classic, written in the 19th Century. Largely based on the author's own childhood, it is a timeless tale of the four young March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—who grow to maturity in their mother's tender but strong care. As different in their personalities as they are alike in their devotion to each other, the girls vow to support their beloved mother, Marmee, by behaving their best while Father is away.
Literary-minded tomboy, Jo develops a fast friendship with the boy next door, and pretty Meg, the eldest, finds romance; frail and affectionate Beth, fills the house with music, and little Amy, the youngest, seeks beauty with all the longing of an artist's soul. Although poor in material wealth, the family possesses an abundance of love, friendship, and imaginative gifts that captivate readers time and again.
This inexpensive, complete and unabridged edition of this beloved novel is sure to delight a generation of new readers, as well as those reacquainting themselves with its warmth and charm.
This Novel was originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869. Alcott wrote the books rapidly over several months at the request of her publisher. 'Little Women' was an immediate commercial and critical success, and readers demanded to know more about the characters. Alcott quickly completed a second volume, entitled Good Wives. It was also successful. The two volumes were issued in 1880 in a single work entitled 'Little Women'.

Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888) was a beloved American author best known for her classic novel Little Women. Born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, she was raised in Concord, Massachusetts, in a family deeply influenced by Transcendentalist thinkers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Her father, Bronson Alcott, was a philosopher and educator, and her mother, Abigail, was a strong advocate for women’s rights. Financial hardship marked Alcott’s early life, pushing her to work as a teacher, seamstress, and nurse during the Civil War.
Alcott’s writing career began with gothic thrillers and sensational stories under pseudonyms, but her fame soared after the publication of Little Women in 1868. The semi-autobiographical novel, inspired by her own family life and sisters, became an instant success and remains a cornerstone of American literature. She followed it with sequels such as Little Men and Jo’s Boys.
In her middle years, Alcott continued to write while also advocating for abolition and women's suffrage. Despite her success, she suffered from chronic health issues, likely worsened by mercury treatment she received during the war. Louisa May Alcott died in Boston in 1888 at age 55, just two days after her father. Her legacy lives on as a pioneering female voice in American fiction.