Little Men | Louisa May Alcott | A great book deserves a long review

Little Men | Louisa May Alcott | Louisa May Alcott continues her lovely talents

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Little Men

	Little Men Louisa May Alcott Signet Classics, 2004 - 352 pages average customer review:based on 47 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

A great book deserves a long review

I read Little Men; the sequel to the classic tale of Little Women. Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Men, Little Women, Country Cousins, Eight Cousins or the Aunt Hill, and Jo's Boys was born and raised in Concord, Massachusetts, where she did all her writing. As she got older she suffered the loss of her two sisters, both at a young age. In her books she basis her characters on herself and on people she knew, including her three sisters, her mother, and her father. Overall, she had a happy life of writing, though she never got married. Little Men was first published in 1871 by the Nelson Doubleday, Inc. This book is about life at Plumfield; the school Jo Bhaer and her husband Fritz founded. Their school allows boys (and some select girls) from all locks of life into it. Because of this reason it has become well known by many people for its kindness to all. The Bhaers show great love to every child who comes through, including boys from the street, Jo's own nieces and nephews, and her own children. They treat each boy the same and give them their own jobs to do around the farm. In turn, each child learns responsibility, respect, patients, and love at Plumfield, unlike any other school.
Plumfield has many residents, but only some are characters in this book Jo Bhaer was the hero in Little Women, who ends up marries the German professor, Fritz Bhaer. She is lively as ever caring for the boys and girls of Plumfield including her own sons Teddy and Rob. Mrs. Bhaer is a gentle, caring woman who loves each child as her own. In turn the boys and girls teach her that not all lessons are learned in the classroom, in fact some are learned and she doesn't even realize it. Fritz Bhaer is a kind German professor who has a very heavy accent. He teaches the children all the regular subjects like math, science, arithmetic, and history. Father Bhaer also teaches lessons on growing crops and cultivating them, taking care of animals, and helps each child on their mishaps. For all these reasons, the boys and girls love Father Bhaer, and help him in any way they can.
Nathaniel (Nat) Blake, one of the boys taken off the street and given a second chance at Plumfield. In the beginning he is a weak and sickly boy who is sent to Plumfield by Mr. Laurie, a dear friend of Jo's. When he gets their he does not now how to read or write. Gradually, kindness and determination help Nat to get stronger, less sickly, become a great reader, and an unusually good writer.
Tommy Bangs, one of the boys who goes to Plumfield. He is the biggest troublemaker there, but has a kind heart so everyone can't help but love him. Overtime, he becomes less troublesome, and helps out more than anyone expected. Daisy and Demi, Jo's sister's kids also go to Plumfiled. They are very kind to each other and to everyone else. Daisy loves to play with dolls and cook for the residents of the school. Demi is a very smart boy, who listened to every one of his grandfather's stories, as a small boy. He learned a lot of his knowledge from those stories. He does have a downfall though. He loves to read, but he reads action books when he should be reading and studying for school. Father Bhaer breaks this habit quite easily when he finds out.
On the street Nat met many people, including a sluggish boy Dan who was nice to him. Dan ends up coming to the school also. He is not the best boy to make friends with, because he makes a lot of trouble. As the book goes on Dan gets cured from these bad ways by Father Bhaer and becomes a very nice, gentle boy. The second female resident of Plumfield is named Nan. She is nothing like Daisy or like most girls. Nan will take dares from anyone and do them, no matter how dangerous they may be! Daisy would love another girl who would play dolls and cook with her. By the end of the book, Daisy persuades Nan to play dolls with her. Nan agrees. After they play dolls Nan starts to be more girlish, but in the end she still does dangerous things.
Little Men takes place in the late 1800s in Concord, Massachusetts. At this time slavery was still in the south. The children of Plumfield had all been sent there to board, for one reason or another. Nat and Dan were sent there because they were on the streets. Nan's mother had just died and her father couldn't afford to take proper care of her anymore. Tommy's parents did not want to deal with his pranks. Daisy and Demi wanted to go to the school where their aunt and uncle taught. A boy named Jack Ford was sent there because it was cheap, and there were other reasons for the boys that come later in the book.
Little Men starts out when Mr. Laurie (one of Jo's old friends) sees Nat on the streets and sends him to Plumfield, the school run by Jo and Fritz Baher. When the door to Plumfield is answered by Asia the house maid, Nat can't help but stare at all the boys playing on the staircase, floor, and sliding down the banisters. One boy slides down the banister and lands hard on his rear. Nat rushes over to make sure he is all right. The boy says he's fine and introduces himself as Tommy Bangs. Then Mrs. Jo appears. She asks to see Nat by himself. They go into a side room and Mrs. Jo then tells Nat she will be happy to have him at their school.
Nat rests the first day and night he is there. The next day is Monday, the first day of school. Fritz Bhaer teaches the boys at school and he treats Nat with special care since Nat can't read or write. Nat does fine his first day. He then knows that he must work hard to please his new family, and he will do it willingly in between chores and play. All the boys were taught but Daisy would not be permitted. As a result, she was not allowed to play football, or other games the boys played. Mrs. Jo felt sorry for the little girl, so, her and Mr. Laurie go and buy a whole kitchen set for her. She adores it, and will cook anything for anyone. The boys get jealous and eventually allow her to play with them, if she cooks special treats for them. Daisy agrees, and once again Plumfield was at peace.
In the middle of the book, Nat's "dear friend" Dan comes for a visit. Nat pleads with Mrs. Bhaer that Dan can stay. She isn't quite sure she trusts Dan, but she agrees that he can stay. Dan ends up bringing trouble to the school by fighting the other boys, smoking tobacco, (which was strictly prohibited by the school), and setting the Plumfield on fire by not putting out his cigarette. Dan is sent to live with another boarding school for bad children like him. Meanwhile, since Dan was sent away, they have an extra bed to spare. Mrs. Jo meets a man in town whose wife has just died and doesn't want to take care of his daughter named Nan anymore. She comes to Plumfield and she fits right in with the boys better than Daisy. Daisy is heartbroken that there is finally another girl at the school, but doesn't want to play dolls and cook. She pleads and pleads with Nan and finally Nan plays with her. Nan finds out that dolls and cooking aren't that bad and she decides to do it with Daisy more often.
Nan and Daisy were cooking one day and they had an idea to have a ball. They invited Nat, Tommy, and Demi. The boys agreed to come if there would be food, and of course there would be. The boys get to the ball and everyone starts dancing. Then they sit down to have tea and pastries. When they all sat down Daisy realized that the pastries were missing! Tommy had hidden them and would not tell where he had hidden them. Nan and Daisy became furious, and ran to get Mrs. Jo. When they told her what happened she did not punish the boys. Instead, she, and the girls would not talk to the boys until they said they were sorry. They finally apologized and the girls forgave them. The night after Mrs. Jo had just came back from town and saw a straw hat and a hand sticking out from a hay bale. She gently pushed the hay aside and saw that it was Dan! He had come back! She awoke him softly and he said, "Mother Bhaer, I have come home." Those words touched her heart and carried him into Plumfield where he made a full recovery of his broken foot and tiredness.
Towards the end of the book, the children of Plumfield go huckleberry picking. Mrs. Jo doesn't want five-year-old Rob to go but Nan pleads that she'll take care of him. Mrs. Jo gives in. All the children are picking berries peacefully, until Nan and Rob say they are going to a secret spot. They go into the woods and loose their way back. Nan starts to panic, for night is coming soon, and Rob starts to cry because he is scared. Thankfully, they are found before a bear found them. Little Bess, Jo's niece comes for a visit and is treated like a little princess by all the boys. There was some peace between them all. While she is there, they put on an end of school year play. This year it is Cinderella. All the children dress up like the characters in the book and put on a magnificent play. Everyone claps and awards flowers to Mrs. Jo. They finish off the book by having a gigantic feast.
In the beginning of the book Father Bhaer tells each boy he is a crop that is growing in his garden. At the end of the year, if they are all good and whole Father did a good job furnishing them. As in all plants, the boys had weeds growing that tried to stop the way, and some of them did for a time. Nat told a lie, Jack stole Tommy's money, Tommy hid Daisy's pastries, and Demi read the wrong books at the wrong time. In the end, though there were some weeds, Father Bhaer had a very successful cultivation, and looked forward to new plants next year.

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Louisa May Alcott continues her lovely talents

Though I read Little Women many times as a girl and just again recently, I hadn't ever read Little Men. I recnetly purchased the book so I could find out what happens to the March family. The story begins slowly (even for 19th century literature) and I found myself wondering if Louisa May Alcott actually wrote it-the style seemed so different. However, as I became more involved in the book Alcott's old charm comes through. I enjoyed a thouroughly delightful tale. Little Men continues with the story of Plumfield and introduces all of Jo's boys. It is a must read for any Alcott fan!!

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Role models for your boys (and girls)!

If you are worried about the assault on sentimental values and self-reliance by badly churned out crap-4-a-buck, give your sons (and daughters) this book. It gives the gift of truths that will br drawn upon for years to come, for a lifetime. Having a read-in of this book with your family is an investment in the future. It has substance. Thank you Alcott, I know this family speaks for many.

Timeless Insights into Educating and Raising Children

If Little Men weren't an entertaining novel, it could serve as a timeless reminder of how adults can help children direct their energies in helpful ways and develop better habits. The philosophy is to provide lots of love, understanding, forgiveness, slack and carefully chosen incentives and guidance while encouraging friendships among youngsters who will balance one another out if they spend time together. You'll recognize lots of Marmee's loving approach in Jo's more rough and tumble perspective. It's a nice combination.

For those who loved the child-centered world of Little Women, you'll be entranced by what Jo does to educate and raise her own boys, her nephew and niece, a troublesome neighbor girl, male boarders and some unfortunate orphans.

Much of the novel focuses on the character development of two poor orphans, Nat and Dan, who find Jo's Plumfield (which she inherited near the end of Little Women) to be an unfamiliar paradise of a home and school that requires some adjusting to.

Although the title is Little Men, there's plenty of focus on Daisy, twin sister to Demi, Nan, an independent girl with lots of energy, and Bess, Amy and Laurie's daughter. There are pretend balls, teas, and dramatic performances that echo those in Little Women.

But the male slant that is subdued in Little Women bursts forth in Little Men as the book recounts pranks, brawls, collections of disgusting items, pillow fights, taming a colt and doing heavy chores.

Like Little Women, the chapters are really short stories involving the same characters as they progress from month to month.

If you haven't read Little Women, by all means start there. An important part of the fun of Little Men is finding out what happened next to Meg, Jo, Amy and Laurie.

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Badly typeset!

The IndyPublish hardcover edition of this book is very badly typeset--I found several errors within the first chapter alone. There are letters and punctuation missing. Don't get this edition of the book if you don't want to pay $20 for missing letters!

reviews: 1, page 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

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