Review: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I started writing this review a few nights ago, but managed, once again, to erase it. I think the rule should be "no posting when sleepy."

I finished Little Women on Saturday during the Read-a-Thon. This was a re-read for me; in fact, this was probably the millionth time I've read this book. The beautiful illustrated copy I read was a Christmas gift from my favorite aunt in 1986, when I would have been 9 years old. It's stood the test of time, although the plastic cover is long gone.

I love this story. I cannot count the number of times I cried while reading it. I've been particularly sensitive to family-based stories since I visited my own family a few weeks ago for my grandmother's funeral. I started reading the book on the plane, returning to Florida, but I soon had to stop because I was furtively wiping my eyes while the man next to me looked uncomfortable. Then I finished reading it on Saturday and I cried: at the part where Beth and Mr. March get sick...at the part where Beth dies...at the part where Jo and Mr. Bhaer come back together...I couldn't stop. The book certainly was preachy, but I guess it didn't bother me too much because I'd read it so many times as a kid, that I was used to the preachy quality. Plus, I think that tone fits better with the 19th century, Civil War sensibility. People were more religious back then...or maybe I was more religious when I first read the book. I don't know.

Little Women, for anyone who hasn't read the book, is the story of the four March girls: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. Meg, the eldest, longs for the finer things in life, which she remembers from the days before the March family's "reduced circumstances." Jo, the tomboy, writes "potboilers" that she hopes will earn her a little pocket money one day. Beth is a saint, a homebody who keeps the house cozy. Amy is the spoiled youngest child, who hopes to grow up to be a famous artist. The book tells the story of their growth from young girls to wives and mothers. And it's sweet and sad and just a nice story. I still love it, like I did when I was a kid.

Definitely five out of five Whatevers. I look forward to the sequel, Little Men AND the third in the trilogy, Jo's Boys.

RAT: Hour Seventeen

Title of book(s) read since last update: Glamour magazine
Number of books read since you started: One book and part of a magazine.
Pages read since last update: 120
Running total of pages read since you started: 648
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 73 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: (keep track of this one to be eligible for a prize!) 776 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: Children's Books, Six Word Celebration, Indie Pride, Show Me the Books, Pet Pics
Other participants you’ve visited: Mika at Read-a-Thon X, Laura Ashlee at Ramblings of a (Future) Librarian, and Teresa at Shelf Love; SusieQTPies at Scraps of Life, Capricious Reader, Courtney at Stiletto Storytime, Heather at Book Obsessed, Lydia at The Lost Entwife, and Melissa at Palmer's Picks for Reading; Vanessa at Vaness Reads 100 Books in 2010, Natalie at The Book Inn, and Emily at What Book Is That?
What I've eaten/drunk: a Diet Mt. Diew, cinnamon rolls, Aunt Jemima frozen breakfast, a bottle of water, some Nerds and Laffy Taffy, mozzarella sticks, a Pepsi, a couple of green olives, potato skins, a mini Baby Ruth bar, another bottle of water, a mini Butterfinger bar, a mini Nestle Crunch bar, another frozen breakfast, some more Nerds, another Diet Mt. Dew, Orbit White Spearmint gum, more water, Pizza-flavored Pringles

Okay, I can barely keep my eyes open. I'm such a wuss. But I think I'm calling it a night. Maybe I'll get up early enough tomorrow to keep reading. Or maybe after I sleep for a couple of hours, I'll feel refreshed. We'll see...

Otherwise, the Read-a-Thon was great. Thanks to the cheerleaders and everyone else who stopped by my blog. See everyone in April!!!

RAT: Hour Fifteen!

Title of book(s) read since last update: Little Women
Number of books read since you started: part of one
Pages read since last update: 112
Running total of pages read since you started: 528
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 120 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: (keep track of this one to be eligible for a prize!) 703 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: Children's Books, Six Word Celebration, Indie Pride, Show Me the Books, Pet Pics
Other participants you’ve visited: Mika at Read-a-Thon X, Laura Ashlee at Ramblings of a (Future) Librarian, and Teresa at Shelf Love; SusieQTPies at Scraps of Life, Capricious Reader, Courtney at Stiletto Storytime, Heather at Book Obsessed, Lydia at The Lost Entwife, and Melissa at Palmer's Picks for Reading; Vanessa at Vaness Reads 100 Books in 2010, Natalie at The Book Inn, and Emily at What Book Is That?
What I've eaten/drunk: a Diet Mt. Diew, cinnamon rolls, Aunt Jemima frozen breakfast, a bottle of water, some Nerds and Laffy Taffy, mozzarella sticks, a Pepsi, a couple of green olives, potato skins, a mini Baby Ruth bar, another bottle of water, a mini Butterfinger bar, a mini Nestle Crunch bar, another frozen breakfast, some more Nerds, another Diet Mt. Dew, Orbit White Spearmint gum, more water

I'm still chuggin' along. Almost finished with Little Women! And when I'm done, I'm gonna read this month's Glamour magazine. Probably won't make it to another book for the Read-a-Thon, but that's okay. And, who knows? Maybe I'll get a second wind!

Hour Thirteen Mini-Challenge: Title Word Scramble

Here are my answers:

1. Firefly Lane

2. East of Eden

3. Water for Elephants

4. To Kill a Mockingbird

5. The Great Gatsby

6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

7. The Art of Racing in the Rain

8. The Time Traveler's Wife

9. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

10. Diary of a Wimpy Kid

11. A Wrinkle in Time

12. The Polar Express

13. Love Walked In

14. Where the Wild Things Are

15. The Shining

16. Goodnight Moon

17. Interview with a Vampire

18. The Secret Life of Bees

19. The Search (???)

20. The Help

Mid-Event Meme

Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now?

Still reading Little Women.

2. How many books have you read so far?

Just part of that one.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

Honestly, I'll be happy if I GET to another book!

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?

Ha! Yes, I traded First Appearance weekends with a co-worker so I could have my day to myself. Also, I made an appointment to have blood drawn for Monday, rather than today, which is when I normally would have done it.

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

The Georgia game was a bit of an interruption, and taking care of my husband is a bit of an interruption, as well, but he has actually been really good and respectful of my time today.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

How many people signed up!

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?

More random drawings!

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?

Nothing.

9. Are you getting tired yet?

A little, but I'm drinking more caffeine.

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?

Magazines and short stories for readers!!!

RAT: Hour Thirteen

Title of book(s) read since last update: Little Women
Number of books read since you started: part of one
Pages read since last update: 94
Running total of pages read since you started: 416
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 103 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: (keep track of this one to be eligible for a prize!) 583 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: Children's Books, Six Word Celebration, Indie Pride, Show Me the Books, Pet Pics
Other participants you’ve visited: Mika at Read-a-Thon X, Laura Ashlee at Ramblings of a (Future) Librarian, and Teresa at Shelf Love; SusieQTPies at Scraps of Life, Capricious Reader, Courtney at Stiletto Storytime, Heather at Book Obsessed, Lydia at The Lost Entwife, and Melissa at Palmer's Picks for Reading; Vanessa at Vaness Reads 100 Books in 2010, Natalie at The Book Inn, and Emily at What Book Is That?
What I've eaten/drunk: a Diet Mt. Diew, cinnamon rolls, Aunt Jemima frozen breakfast, a bottle of water, some Nerds and Laffy Taffy, mozzarella sticks, a Pepsi, a couple of green olives, potato skins, a mini Baby Ruth bar, another bottle of water, a mini Butterfinger bar, a mini Nestle Crunch bar, another frozen breakfast, some more Nerds, another Diet Mt. Dew

Getting close to the end of Little Women, which means I'm getting ever closer to the REAL tearjerker part...I have a feeling I'll be sobbing again soon. When I finish this book, I'm going to read a magazine for a change of pace!

Hour Ten Mini-Challenge: Pet Pics and Prose

My husband and I have three cats whom we love very much and which drive us up the wall, as well. Here they are:

Emaline



Picasso



Estrella



My favorite book about animals is Charlotte's Web. Spiders spin sticky strings showing smart sayings.