Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Signet Classics (1986), Mass Market Paperback, 368 pages
Description
Follows the adventures of Jo March and her husband Professor Bhaer as they try to make their school for boys a happy, comfortable, and stimulating place.
User reviews
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Little Men by Louisa May Alcott is another childhood favorite of mine and although it has been some time, this is probably my fourth or fifth rereading of the story. This book covers a year of the experimental school at Plumfield run by Jo and Fritz Bhaer. Allowing “boys to be boys” the
I did notice during this reread that the Jo March of Little Woman had quite disappeared and “Mother Bhaer “ had taken her place. It’s only been 10 years yet Jo seems firmly settled into middle age and her domestic role. Other than one scene where she climbs up into a tree with one of the boys, she doesn’t seem like the high spirited, adventurous Jo that I remember. This issue is addressed at the end of the book however, with Jo imploring Laurie not to pity her for the life she leads rather than the one she planned to have when she was young. I felt this illustrated how many of us plan one life only to end up leading a totally different one.
While, for me, Little Men didn’t quite have the magic that Little Women has, it is nevertheless a classic piece of American literature mixing Christian values, views of childhood and unorthodox teaching methods to produce a very readable if somewhat dated book. Plumfield remains a school that I wished I had been able to attend so appealing are it’s inhabitants.
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students are encouraged to follow their individual talents, play hard yet spend equal time in study and chores. The Bhaers provide the guidance and love that is needed to ensure that their students thrive. There are fourteen boys, and a couple of girls. They are engaging and fun to read about and are all completely different from one another such as “wild boy” Dan, lively, engaging Tommy and on the female side willful, spirited Nan and quiet, gentle Daisy.I did notice during this reread that the Jo March of Little Woman had quite disappeared and “Mother Bhaer “ had taken her place. It’s only been 10 years yet Jo seems firmly settled into middle age and her domestic role. Other than one scene where she climbs up into a tree with one of the boys, she doesn’t seem like the high spirited, adventurous Jo that I remember. This issue is addressed at the end of the book however, with Jo imploring Laurie not to pity her for the life she leads rather than the one she planned to have when she was young. I felt this illustrated how many of us plan one life only to end up leading a totally different one.
While, for me, Little Men didn’t quite have the magic that Little Women has, it is nevertheless a classic piece of American literature mixing Christian values, views of childhood and unorthodox teaching methods to produce a very readable if somewhat dated book. Plumfield remains a school that I wished I had been able to attend so appealing are it’s inhabitants.
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LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
A sequel to Alcott's masterpiece, Little Women, and the author's second book chronicling the fortunes of the March family, Little Men follows the story of Jo, her husband Professor Bhaer, and their school for boys at Plumfield. Here the reader will encounter some of the beloved figures of the first
While not equal in my esteem to the incomparable Little Women, (and after all, what could be?), judged on its own merits, this novel is an engaging story of a large and rambling "family," and their many adventures. Published many times over, the version I had the pleasure of reading was the Illustrated Junior Library edition, illustrated by Douglas W. Gorsline.
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book. And here the reader will also have the pleasure of meeting a host of new characters - many of them the sort of mischievous, but essentially good-hearted, young boys so dear to "Mrs. Jo's" heart.While not equal in my esteem to the incomparable Little Women, (and after all, what could be?), judged on its own merits, this novel is an engaging story of a large and rambling "family," and their many adventures. Published many times over, the version I had the pleasure of reading was the Illustrated Junior Library edition, illustrated by Douglas W. Gorsline.
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LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
There are some lovely quotes in this novel about teaching children and the effect of love and patience and good examples. I liked the extended metaphor of the garden and how Jo & Fritz were growing a garden of boys and how their harvest was shaping up. There are some fun episodes (the play kitchen
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and the museum) as well as hard lessons learned, all of which make the book a joy to read. Show Less
LibraryThing member satyridae
I like this one better than Little Women but not as much as Jo's Boys. I adore Dan from the moment he slouches in, and Tommy Bangs reminds me of my own boy. There's not as much overt moralizing here as in LW, and the scenes of domestic life are somehow a little more vibrant in their cheerful chaos.
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It's in this book that one really sees how perfect the Professor is for Jo, and how happy she is with a houseful of harum-scarum boys to tend. It's certainly hard to be objective about a book one has read a zillion times. I love this one and always will, no doubt. Show Less
LibraryThing member auntieknickers
One of my favorite childhood books despite a certain preachiness. I especially loved the chapter where Daisy gets the real miniature kitchen with a real miniature woodstove.
LibraryThing member maiadeb
Classic. Plumfield has been my dream house since I read this story. Proved the most difficult people in your life may give you the best present! The boys are all individuals, the writing is fine and the story is timeless.
LibraryThing member Matke
The March girls continue as adults, with Jo running Plumfield, Meg married with two children, and Amy as Lady Bountiful. Very sweet, but as an adult, I view with horror a scene involving Professor Baer convincing Nat to tell the truth. As a child, I breathed very hard and shed a few tears each time
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I read it (which were many). A book that is just fascinating for young girls. Show Less
LibraryThing member victrola
This was my first time revisiting this since I was a kid. At times it was just delightful in its whimsy and innocence, and at others the sticky sweetness was just too much for me. The chapter about John Brooke was SO well done - I think that may be the most I've ever cried over a book. But then the
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final chapter seemed to drag on forever. For me it wasn't quite so charming a read as Little Women but it's lovely in its own way. Show Less
LibraryThing member kailey196
Little Men is a book about a lady who takes orphans into her home and takes care of them. The book is mostly about the adventures that the boys at the school have. It's a good book and i suggest anyone who wants to read about adventures to read it.
LibraryThing member eejjennings
I read this one many times and preferred it to Little Women. Jo was my favorite.
LibraryThing member JNSelko
This was the first chapter book I ever read, back when i was in Kindergarten.
LibraryThing member StEdwardsCollege
This is the third book about the March family and their friends. With two sons of her own, and twelve rescued orphan boys filling the informal school at Plumfield, Jo March (now Jo Bhaer) couldn't be happier. But despite the warm and affectionate help of the whole March family, boys have a habit of
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getting into scrapes and there are plenty of troubles and adventures ahead. Show Less
LibraryThing member midkid88
This book is a wonderful addition to Little Women. It tells the story of the next generation of Marchs. I loved reading about how the three sisters grew up and became parents themselves. You also get lost in the stories the bye get into along with Daisy.
LibraryThing member HopingforChange
This book is good because it continues the story. However, there isn't as much emotion here. The characters are just not present in the same way that they were in Little Women. Eh...
LibraryThing member satyridae
Listening to an old favorite on audio is a wonderful experience. There's something so comforting about somehow sharing this with the narrator, who whispers softly into my ear as I fall contentedly asleep. This one's my second favorite of the series, behind Jo's Boys. I love the boys, I love the
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grown Little Women. I don't like The Princess, though, I find her unbelievable and repellent. Dan, on the other hand, is my beau ideal in every particular. And I think that it's in this book I found my justification for my staunch defense of Alcott's choice to marry Laurie to Amy and give The Professor to Mrs. Jo. Laurie and Jo would never have been happy, and Plumfield is perfect. Show Less
LibraryThing member heinous-eli
Where Little Women is a story about growing up, Little Men is a story about staying childlike. All of the main characters from Little Women are adults, yet, through their immersion into the life of Jo's school, they seem more childlike than they ever were in the original work. Delightful and fun,
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and certainly the most lighthearted in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member oddandbookish
Not as good as Little Women, but still memorable. Louisa May Alcott is an amazing writer.
LibraryThing member leslie.98
Charming children's story of life at a small boys' school in 1870s Massachusetts, but a bit overly moralizing at times. If you can overlook that, then the tales of the children and their adventures, trials, and successes are very enjoyable.
LibraryThing member leslie.98
3½ stars for the book, 4 stars for the audiobook. Charming children's story of life at a small boys' school in 1870s Massachusetts, but a bit overly moralizing at times. Justine Eyre did a good job with the narration, and I particularly liked her voice for Professor Bhaer.
LibraryThing member FriendsLibraryFL
Little Men (published 1871) is considered the second book of the Little Women trilogy written by Louisa May Alcott. (The book Good Wives (1869) was originally the sequel to the novel Little Women (1868), however those two novels are now usually published as a single volume.) This book was inspired
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by the death of her brother-in-law, which reveals itself in one of the last chapters, when a beloved character from Little Women passes away, affecting the entire cast of characters. The final book of the trilogy is Jo's Boys (1886). Show Less
LibraryThing member etxgardener
Little Men follows the characters of Little Women after Jo marries Professor Behar and opens her school at Plumstead. The sisters are still all in the novel, but they are now relegated to the role of gown-ups.
Mostly this story centers on the boys in Jo's school with the various vignettes all
Mostly this story centers on the boys in Jo's school with the various vignettes all
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highlighting some moral story for young people. This book is harmless, but lacks the universal appeal of Little Women. Show Less
LibraryThing member nx74defiant
I enjoyed reading this again. The story is not as familiar as Little Women. But I enjoyed the boys. Of course a good character dies a peaceful death.
LibraryThing member bookworm12
So interesting to see Jo as the mothering figure to all these boys. The book is full of moral lessons for the boys of Plumfield. The rough and prideful character of Dan was my particular favorite. I didn’t love it as much as Little Women, but it was a sweet book.
“For he had learned how easy it
“Salt is like good humor and nearly everything is better for a pinch of it.”
“For he had learned how easy it
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is to lose the confidence of others, how very, very hard to win it back. And truth became to him a precious thing since he had suffered from neglecting it.”“Salt is like good humor and nearly everything is better for a pinch of it.”
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LibraryThing member claidheamdanns
I really enjoyed the story, but the audiobook was not well edited. There are LOTS of places where the reader repeats herself and it was not edited out.
LibraryThing member JennyElizabeth
Louisa May Alcott is a delightful writer. While many girls read her in childhood, I'm glad I've waited till I'm an adult to meet her. Her world was very feminine and, like her and Jo, I feel like I have to work really hard to fit into the worlds of Meg and Amy. Though Jo tames herself, she keeps a
This really appeals to me. Having the boys farm and honing their natural skills to play music, sing, ride, play sports, bring in a harvest, build things. I feel like contemporary school has left us smarter in some ways, but completely empty in others.
Though sometimes the storyline plodded along, I felt like I was hearing stories from Louisa and Jo over tea in the summer sunshine.
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house of rowdy boys to train and love and romp with. This really appeals to me. Having the boys farm and honing their natural skills to play music, sing, ride, play sports, bring in a harvest, build things. I feel like contemporary school has left us smarter in some ways, but completely empty in others.
Though sometimes the storyline plodded along, I felt like I was hearing stories from Louisa and Jo over tea in the summer sunshine.
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Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1871
Physical description
368 p.
ISBN
0451522753 / 9780451522757