Full of Heart, Home, and Historical Detail

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Source: Purchased

As you may remember, I have a tradition of reading an annotated edition of a Jane Austen novel every Christmas break. This tradition has brought me such joy and so much new understanding and appreciation for Jane Austen’s novels. I tell you, friends….annotated novels are amazing…so many new discoveries to make, so much history to learn! Try one if you haven’t already!

But since I read all 6 Jane Austen novels (in various annotated editions) in the 6 past years, I opted to take one year off Jane Austen and read an annotated edition for another author. And since the new Little Women film came out last month and Little Women gives me all Christmas feels, I thought I would read The Annotated Little Women, and resume with my Jane Austen annotated editions next year!

I hope you find this breakdown helpful!

• INTRODUCTION AND ESSAY:

The first sixty-six pages of this edition are comprised of an Introduction and biographical essay titled “We Really Lived Most of It” by John Matteson, who is a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer of Louisa May Alcott. Both are incredibly edifying, especially for someone who doesn’t know a lot about Louisa May Alcott and her novels. The Introduction canvasses the development of Little Women, its various influences from The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, and compares Little Women against other beloved classics that feature youthful protagonists. The biographical essay delivers the fascinating history about the Alcotts. I’m so grateful that Mr. Matteson gave such pertinent details about all members of the Alcott family, not only in this essay but throughout his annotations as well.

• ANNOTATIONS AND ILLUSTRATIONS:

A well-balanced amount of annotations help readers understand any and all references and allusions LMA makes in her story, and connects significant aspects of the Marchs’ lives to the Alcotts and The Pilgrim’s Progress. However, unlike with annotated editions of Jane Austen’s novels, there weren’t a lot of annotations that addressed word usage and meanings…I guess that, in part, might be because Little Women is American Literature written a little later than Jane Austen’s novels and not as necessary to explain or define?

This edition receives top marks for visuals with its inclusion of 200+ color illustrations and images, which included stills from film adaptations, renderings from Norman Rockwell and other children’s-book illustrators, portraits of various members of the Alcott family, and images of Orchard House and actual Alcott belongings. I was really in love with all the visuals. I appreciated the high quality of each image and I thought they all were excellent choices.

• SOME THINGS I LEARNED:
  • The Alcotts were a well-read family. Around 5 dozen authors and literary works are alluded to or referenced in Little Women.
  • Louisa wasn’t a fan of what she published. ‘Moral tales’ were not what she really wanted to write, but did it because it paid well.
  • The Alcotts were a family ahead of their time. With their independent thinking, beliefs in gender and race equality, and advocacy for a vegan diet! (that last one was a surprise!)
  • Louisa is a woman of action. If her family needs funds, she writes and sells her stories. If her country needs help, she serves as an army nurse during the Civil War. If her niece and nephews need family, she becomes their guardian or legally adopts them.
  • Louisa wanted Jo to remain unmarried.  She felt it important to show that a woman (like herself) could be happy and feel complete with their life even without being married. But Louisa added a marriage for Jo begrudgingly at the behest of her publishers.

CONCLUSION:

While perhaps a little light on objective commentary, this massive and meticulously-researched annotated edition is abundant with detail, clarifications, and correlations that enhanced my understanding and appreciation for all the Alcotts and the beloved classic, Little Women. John Matteson compiles and presents a treasure trove of fascinating information that will appeal to all readers who are interested in learning more about Louisa May Alcott and Little Women.

NOTE: This book be thickkkkkkkkkk.

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