Sisters
Contents (8)
Contents
Cover
About the Book
About the Author
Recommended Books by Louisa May Alcott
Title Page
Playing Pilgrims
Jo Meets Apollyon
Dark Days
The First Wedding
Copyright
About the Book
Your sister might be the kindred soul who knows you best, or the most alien being in your household; she might enrage you or inspire you; she might be your fiercest competitor or closest co-conspirator, but she'll always share with you a totally unique bond. Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy are four of the most famous sisters in literature, and these stories of the joys and heartaches they share are a touching celebration of the special ties of sisterhood.
This ebook contains selections from the novels Little Women and Good Wives by Louisa May Alcott.
About the Author
LOUISA MAY ALCOTT was born on 29 November 1832 in Concord, Pennsylvania – one of four girls. Like the sisters in Little Women she grew up with plenty of books to read but seldom enough to eat, and went to work when she was very young as a paid companion and teacher. Soon she turned to writing to help provide financial support for her family, mainly sensational thriller stories which were published in magazines and periodicals.
Alcott was a campaigner for women’s rights and the abolition of the slave trade, and went to Washington as a nurse during the American Civil War, though the experience permanently damaged her health. Little Women was published in 1868 and she followed it with three sequels, Good Wives (1869), Little Men (1871) and Jo’s Boys (1886). Louisa died on 6 March 1888.
RECOMMENDED BOOKS BY LOUISA MAY ALCOTT
Little Women
Good Wives
Little Men
Jo’s Boys
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 lots 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, anyhow,’ 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’s going to be a hard winter for every one; 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.