Free to read
Little Women
Louisa May Alcott
Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March grow up with different dreams and a shared determination to make the best of what they have. Work, friendship, ambition and loss reshape their lives without loosening their bond.
- Language
- English
- Genre
- Family / Coming of age
- Length
- 47 chapters · About 15 hours
- First published
- 1868
- Availability
- Free
No account needed. Your place is saved on this device.
Is this book for you?
For readers who want a generous family story with room to grow alongside its characters. This edition includes both parts of the March sisters' story.
Read it in English. This edition is free to add to your library.
Text source: Project Gutenberg. Source license and territorial terms.
THE OPENING PAGES
Try the first few lines.
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 Sintran 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…Start reading this book ↗