Louisa May Alcott (1832 - 1888) was an American novelist and poet best known as the author of the novel Little Women (1868) and its sequels Little Men (1871) and Jo's Boys (1886). Raised by her transcendentalist parents, Abigail May and Amos Bronson Alcott in New England, she also grew up among many of the well-known intellectuals of the day such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau. Alcott's family suffered financial difficulties, and while she worked to help support the family from an early age, she also sought an outlet in writing. She began to receive critical success for her writing in the 1860s. Early in her career, she sometimes used the pen name A. M. Barnard, under which she wrote novels for young adults. Published in 1868, Little Women is set in the Alcott family home, Hillside, later called the Wayside, in Concord, Massachusetts and is loosely based on Alcott's childhood experiences with her three sisters. The novel was very well received and is still a popular children's novel today, filmed several times. Alcott was an abolitionist and a feminist and remained unmarried throughout her life. She died in Boston on March 6, 1888.
Gr 5-8-This audio version of Louisa May Alcott's classic is both satisfying and disappointing. The narrator, Liza Ross, a voice artist with theater and television credits, does a remarkable job of bringing to life the voices of more than ten male and female characters, allowing the personalities of each character to emerge. Meg's longing, Jo's determination, Beth's gentleness, Amy's dreaminess, Marmee's loving morality and Laurie's charm and wit all shine through. The narration is nicely punctuated by classical piano music. Listeners will be disappointed that this abridgement ends with the first part of the novel (John Brooke's proposal). This is only mentioned briefly in the story description in the inside cover of the cassette, with no indication if the second half of the novel is or is not available. Listeners in elementary and middle school will enjoy this version, but older students will want to hear more of the March family's adventures.-Jo-Ann Carhart, East Islip Public Library, NY Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.
Alcott's standard gets bumped up to a Penguin Deluxe, complete with illustrated front and back covers, French flaps, and ragged paper. Very nice. Next time you're ordering new copies of LW, get this one. Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
