Four sisters live with their mother, facing Christmas without their father as the American Civil War is underway. The family is settled in a new neighborhood, living in genteel poverty after the father lost their money. Meg and Jo March, the elder sisters, both work outside the home for money to support the family. Meg teaches four children in a nearby family, while Jo aids her grand-aunt March, a wealthy widow whose strength is failing. Beth helps with housework, and Amy attends school. Their nearest neighbor is a wealthy man whose orphaned grandson lives with him. The sisters introduce themselves to the handsome shy boy, Laurie, who is the age of Jo. 

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.

Louisa May Alcott (November 29, 1832 – March 6, 1888) was an American novelist and poetbest known as the author of the novel Little Women (1868) and its sequels Little Men (1871) and Jo's Boys (1886). Raised by her transcendentalist parents in New England, she also grew up among many of the well-known intellectuals of the day such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau.

"Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," sad Jo crossly.

"It's so awful to be poor!" agreed Meg, looking at her old dress.

"It's not right for some girls to have pretty things, and others to have nothing at all," said little Amy. "We've got Father and Mother, and each other," said Beth gently.

• 版权页

• 简　介

• 1 Four sisters

• 1　四姐妹

• 2 A Happy Christmas

• 2　快乐的圣诞节

• 3 The Laurence boy

• 3　劳伦斯家的男孩

• 4 The house next door

• 4　隔壁的房子

• 5 A surprise for Beth

• 5　白丝的惊喜

• 6 Amy in trouble

• 6　艾米遇到麻烦

• 7 Meg hears some gossip

• 7　麦格听到了闲言碎语

• 8 All play and no work

• 8　只有玩乐没有工作

• 9 Secrets

• 9　秘密

• 10 A telegram

• 10　一封电报

• 11 Beth

• 11　白丝

• 12 Love and Mr Brooke

• 12　爱和布鲁克先生

• 13 Laurie makes trouble and Jo makes peace

• 13　罗瑞惹麻烦　琼平息事端

• 14 Happier days

• 14　快乐的日子

• Exercises