If you’re a fan of Little Women and its various interpretations like me (I still am dying to buy the The Annotated Little Women from W. W. Norton & Company, it’s so gorgeous) then you’ll love this nonfiction companion to the book.
Summary: Little Women. You may think you know the story, but do you truly understand it? Do you truly understand the context of Louisa May Alcott’s life – or how she considered her manuscript to be nothing short of a snoozefest at first? What about the feminism of Jo March, long considered to be an icon of strong will and womanly success? Is Little Women worth having boys read? Better yet, is it even worth it for girls? (I lie staunchly on the affirming side of this position, but you’ll have to read to see what they say) What about the multiple film and stage adaptations of this classic American tale? How accurate to the books are they and were the creative liberties taken worth it? Anne Boyd Rioux answers all these questions and more in Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy: The Story of Little Women and Why It Still Matters.
My Thoughts: I have always been a huge fan of this book. It’s a near and dear volume to my heart, so it was with delight that I stumbled across this nonfiction volume. Author Anne Boyd Rioux does a fantastic job with this book, deftly exploring both sides of the argument. While she does draw conclusions, for the most part she leaves ultimate judgement on the novel to the reader, instead choosing to take the opportunity for intellectual perusal of this classic book. I highly recommend it.