书名：Little Women (Penguin Clothbound Classics)小妇人（布面精装版）

难度：Lexile蓝思阅读指数750L
作者：Louisa May Alcott露易莎•梅•奥尔科特
出版社名称：Penguin Classics
出版时间：2010
语种：英文
ISBN：9780141192413
商品尺寸：13.8 x 3.5 x 20.5 cm
包装：精装
页数：544 （以实物为准）
Little Women《小妇人》是一部大众文学中的经典励志作品，自出版以来，一直受到热烈的欢迎。曾先后被改编成戏剧、拍成电影，在世界各地上映、演出，可见其具有独特的魅力。美国图书协会、美国教育协会两会代表选入100种乡村小学的阅读书单中，《小妇人》列居精选25种的榜首。

本书为Penguin Classics推出的企鹅经典英文原版，内容完整无删减，由Elaine Showalter写导言，Coralie Bickford-Smith画插画，Siobhán Kilfeather和Vinca Showalter注释。布面硬壳精装，适合收藏或送礼。

推荐理由：
1.Little Women《小妇人》是一本以女性角色为主，强调女权意识的半自传体小说，小说注重表现女性意识，宣扬美好品质，有较大的教育意义；
2.内容平实却细腻，笔调清新而唯美，结构单纯而寓意深远，富有强烈的感染力，是一部值得细嚼慢咽的经典作品；
3.小说的情节源自现实生活，通过细节的描写来体现家庭生活的温暖，书中场景真实而美好，扣人心弦，是不可多得的文学佳作。

所获奖项：
2003年，BBC评选出“英国人喜爱的百部小说”，《小妇人》位居第18位
2007年，美国图书协会、美国教育协会评选“一百种小学阅读书单”，《小妇人》位居榜首

Part of Penguin’s beautiful hardback Clothbound Classics series, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith, these delectable and collectible editions are bound in high-quality colourful, tactile cloth with foil stamped into the design. Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth—four “little women” enduring hardships and enjoying adventures in Civil War New England The charming story of the March sisters,Little Womenhas been adored by generations. Readers have rooted for Laurie in his pursuit of Jo’s hand, cried over little Beth’s death, and dreamed of traveling through Europe with old Aunt March and Amy. Future writers have found inspiration in Jo’s devotion to her writing. In this simple, enthralling tale, both parts of which are included here, Louisa May Alcott has created four of American literature’s most beloved women. 

Little Women is one of the best loved books of all time. Lovely Meg, talented Jo, frail Beth, spoiled Amy: these are hard lessons of poverty and of growing up in New England during the Civil War. Through their dreams, plays, pranks, letters, illnesses, and courtships, women of all ages have become a part of this remarkable family and have felt the deep sadness when Meg leaves the circle of sisters to be married at the end of Part I. Part II, chronicles Meg’s joys and mishaps as a young wife and mother, Jo’s struggle to become a writer, Beth’s tragedy, and Amy’s artistic pursuits and unexpected romance. Based on Louise May Alcott’s childhood, this lively portrait of nineteenth-century family life possesses a lasting vitality that has endeared it to generations of readers.

Little Women《小妇人》中的名言佳句：
“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”
“Love covers a multitude of sins…”
“Love is the only thing that we can carry with us when we go, and it makes the end so easy.”
“Such hours are beautiful to live, but very hard to describe…”
“I don’t like favors; they oppress and make me feel like a slave. I’d rather do everything for myself, and be perfectly independent.”
“Simple, sincere people seldom speak much of their piety. It shows itself in acts rather than in words, and has more influence than homilies or protestations.”
……

Louisa May Alcott was born in Pennsylvania, in 1832, the second of four daughters. After a period of serving as an army nurse, she published Hospital Sketches in 1863, followed by Gothic Romances and lurid thrillers. In 1868-9 she published Little Women, which proved so popular that it was followed by two sequels and several other novels. She died in 1888.
Playing Pilgrims

“Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.
“It’s so dreadful to be poor!” sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.
“I don’t think it’s fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all,” added little Amy, with an injured sniff.
“We’ve got Father and Mother, and each other,” said Beth contentedly from her corner.
The four young faces on which the firelight shone brightened at the cheerful words, but darkened again as Jo said sadly, “We haven’t got Father, and shall not have him for a long time.” She didn’t say “perhaps never,” but each silently added it, thinking of Father far away, where the fighting was.
Nobody spoke for a minute; then Meg said in an altered tone, “You know the reason Mother proposed not having any presents this Christmas was because it is going to be a hard winter for everyone; and she thinks we ought not to spend money for pleasure, when our men are suffering so in the army. We can’t do much, but we can make our little sacrifices, and ought to do it gladly. But I am afraid I don’t.” And Meg shook her head, as she thought regretfully of all the pretty things she wanted.
“But I don’t think the little we should spend would do any good. We’ve each got a dollar, and the army wouldn’t be much helped by our giving that. I agree not to expect anything from Mother or you, but I do want to buy UNDINE AND SINTRAM for myself. I’ve wanted it so long,” said Jo, who was a bookworm.
“I planned to spend mine in new music,” said Beth, with a little sigh, which no one heard but the hearth brush and kettle holder.
“I shall get a nice box of Faber’s drawing pencils. I really need them,” said Amy decidedly.
“Mother didn’t say anything about our money, and she won’t wish us to give up everything. Let’s each buy what we want, and have a little fun. I’m sure we work hard enough to earn it,” cried Jo, examining the heels of her shoes in a gentlemanly manner.
“I know I do--teaching those tiresome children nearly all day, when I’m longing to enjoy myself at home,” began Meg, in the complaining tone again.
“You don’t have half such a hard time as I do,” said Jo.” How would you like to be shut up for hours with a nervous, fussy old lady, who keeps you trotting, is never satisfied, and worries you till you you’re ready to fly out the window or cry?”
“It’s naughty to fret, but I do think washing dishes and keeping things tidy is the worst work in the world. It makes me cross, and my hands get so stiff, I can’t practice well at all.” And Beth looked at her rough hands with a sigh that any one could hear that time.
“I don’t believe any of you suffer as I do,” cried Amy, “for you don’t have to go to school with impertinent girls, who plague you if you don’t know your lessons, and laugh at your dresses, and label your father if he isn’t rich, and insult you when your nose isn’t nice.”
“If you mean libel, I’d say so, and not talk about labels, as if Papa was a pickle bottle,” advised Jo, laughing.
“I know what I mean, and you needn’t be satirical about it. It’s proper to use good words, and improve your vocabulary,” returned Amy, with dignity.
“Don’t peck at one another, children. Don’t you wish we had the money Papa lost when we were little, Jo? Dear me! How happy and good we’d be, if we had no worries!” said Meg, who could remember better times.
“You said the other day you thought we were a deal happier than the King children, for they were fighting and fretting all the time, in spite of their money.”
“So I did, Beth. Well, I think we are. For though we do have to work, we make fun of ourselves, and are a pretty jolly set, as Jo would say.”
“Jo does use such slang words!” observed Amy, with are proving look at the long figure stretched on the rug.
Jo immediately sat up, put her hands in her pockets, and began to whistle.
“Don’t, Jo. It’s so boyish!”
“That’s why I do it.”
“I detest rude, unladylike girls!”
“I hate affected, niminy-piminy chits!”