Book Recommended by Nitya Kamath

‘Little Women’ is a classic feminist novel about the lives of the March sisters. It was originally published in 1868 with over 1.78 million copies sold worldwide. Set in Massachusetts during the civil war, the girls grow up in poverty with a constant fear as their father is serving time in the army. 

Meg is the oldest of the March sisters. She is dutiful, amicable but vain. Often a people pleaser, she is insecure of her family’s social standing and yearns for a life away from poverty. Taking care of her sisters, she holds down the fort in the absence of her parents.

Jo is the protagonist of the story. With a bold and outspoken exterior, her childlike and down-to-earth demeanour shines through. She is loyal to her family and friends and would do anything for them. A writer at heart, Jo spends most of her free time filling the pages of her book with stories and plays.

Beth is quiet and shy. She is antisocial and spends her days taking care of the house and playing music. Her gentle disposition is different from her sisters, which makes them very fond of her. 

Amy, the youngest March sister, has a taste for the finer things in life. She is well-mannered ambitious and artistic with a way to get whatever she wants.

The story takes us through the journey of the March sisters, their simple joys and the hardships that life throws their way. With the nuggets of wisdom from their mother, we get to know how they grow from naïve young girls into women.

Louisa May Alcott gave the world a treasure in the form of ‘Little Women’. It is a heart-warming story and easy-to-read book. Most importantly, it gives us a glimpse into the life of women in the nineteenth century and the roles they had to undertake. 

As you read through the book, you find yourself relating to one of the characters, if not all of them. Each one has a strong yet different personality, but what binds them together is their love for each other.