Published on September 30, 1868, Little Women became an enormous bestseller and one of America's favorite novels. Rioux recounts how Louisa May Alcott came to write Little Women, drawing inspiration for it from her own life. She examines why this tale of family and community ties, set while the Civil War tore America apart, has resonated through later wars, the Depression, and times of changing opportunities for women. Alcott's portrayal of family resilience and her honest look at the struggles of girls growing into women has influenced readers-- and writers-- for over a century. -- adapted from jacket.
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