一部以美国南北战争为背景，以19世纪美国新英格兰地区的一个普通家庭四个姐妹之间的生活琐事为蓝本的带有自传色彩的家庭伦理小说。小说受到当时的大思想家爱默生的影响，强调了个人尊严与自立自律的观念；内容平实却细腻，结构单纯而寓意深远，富有强烈的感染力。本书以中英对照形式向您展示这部“女性自我内战、传统与自由之争”的经典作品。

LITTLE WOMEN is one of the best-loved books of all time. Lovely Meg,talented Jo, frail Beth, spoiled Amy: these are the four March sisters, who learn the 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 and have felt their deep sadness when Meg leaves the circle of sisters to be married at the end of Part t, Part II chronicles Meg"s joys and mishaps as a young wife and mother, Jo"s struggle to become a writer, Beth"s tragedy, and Amy"s artistic pursuits and unexpected romance. Based on Louisa May Alcott"s childhood, this lively portrait of nineteenth-century family life possesses a lasting vitality that has endeared it to generations of readers.

Preface

PART I

Playing Pilgrims

A Merry Christmas

The Laurence Boy

Burdens

Being Neighborly

Beth Finds the Palace Beautiful

Amy"s Valley of Humiliation

Jo Meets Apo!!yon

Meg Goes to Vanity Fair

TheP. C, andP. O.

Experiments

Camp Laurence

Castles in the Air

Secrets

A Telegram

Letters

Little Faithful

Dark Days

Amy"s Will

Confidential

Laurie Makes Mischief, and Jo Makes Peace

Pleasant Meadows

Aunt March Settles the Question

Gossip

The First Wedding

Artistic Attempts

Literary Lessons

Domestic Experiences

Calls

Consequences

Our Foreign Correspondent

Tender Troubles

Jo"s Journal

A Friend

Heartache

Beth"s Secret

New Impressions

On the Shelf

Lazy Laurence

The Valley of the Shadow

Learning to Forget

All Alone

Surprises

My Lord and Lady

Daisy and Demi

Under the Umbrella

Harvest Time

Afterword by Nina Auerbach

Bibliography