Little Women - By Louisa May Alcott
I have to admit I have never read this book up to this point in my life. I honestly think that I was a little intimidated by size of the book when I would look at it on the shelf, whether abridged or unabridged.
But I bought myself a small MP3 player that has E Book capability in .txt format. So I have downloaded this book in .txt format from Gutenberg.com and MP3 format and loaded it on my player.
I am really enjoying reading this book. The more I read it, the more I think that Jo March and I could be sisters, and the more I want to be like Marmee (Mrs. March). There are several wonderful examples each of the girls facing personal character shortcomings and Mrs. March encouraging her children to look to their Helper and Heavenly Father whenever they need help or strength.
I am currently in Chapter Ten and so far I have laughed out loud in almost every chapter, and cried a few times as well.
So far this is my favourite quote, from Chapter Nine, "Meg Goes to Vanity Fair."
"I want my daughters to be beautiful, accomplished, and good. To be admired, loved, and respected. To have a happy youth, to be well and wisely married, and to lead useful, pleasant lives, with as little care and sorrow to try them as God sees fit to send. To be loved and chosen by a good man is the best and sweetest thing which can happen to a woman, and I sincerely hope my girls may know this beautiful experience. It is natural to think of it, Meg, right to hope and wait for it, and wise to prepare for it, so that when the happy time comes, you may feel ready for the duties and worthy of the joy. My dear girls, I am ambitious for you, but not to have you make a dash in the world, marry rich men merely because they are rich, or have splendid houses, which are not homes because love is wanting. Money is a needful and precious thing, and when well used, a noble thing, but I never want you to think it is the first or only prize to strive for. I'd rather see you poor men's wives, if you were happy, beloved, contented, than queens on thrones, without self-respect and peace."
This resonates deeply within my heart and so easily describes what I want for my own girls. I will be copying this into my journal and into my Homeschooling mission statement.
I hope to read this aloud to my girls myself and have put it on our "Must Read Together" list.
But this week we will listen to this during our quiet activity time throughout the week.
If you have not yet read this book, I highly encourage you to! And I am quickly starting to believe that every girl must read this book at least once in their life, and every mother and daughter must read this together at least once.
You may download this book for free at Gutenberg.org. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott etext.
Go to the Librivox.org Little Women archive page for the chapter by chapter playlist, download in MP3 format, or click play below to hear Little Women from the beginning.
