Little Men (Puffin Classics)

I have to agree with the reviewer who complained about the sermons. This book is even more littered with preaching than Little Men and Little Women, and that's saying something. Probably a good 20% of this book is skip-worthy for that reason.

Alcott was always prone to littering her works with literary and artistic references (calling Amy "Raphael," and whatnot), but she seems to have gone dramatically overboard in this book, with references to almost all of Goethe's various fictional characters, George Eliot, Charlotte Bronte, Florence Nightingale, "Miss Cobbe" and "Miss Phelps" [?], and more, and more, and more. There are a lot of currently-understandable Shakespearean references, but a lot of the references are to obscure or long-forgotten people. It seems more like active name-dropping or literary snobbery [i.e., "Look how many literary references I can pack into my books!"] than actually adding to the story.

Otherwise, the followups are good; it's interesting to learn about how she perceived her characters at ten years older...though Teddy, and his cousin Jo (Baby Josie in "Little Men"), have turned out to be clones of the original Jo, practically. Overall, this book is not really a worthy effort. But read it if you need continuity and closure.

OF COURSE you will want to read Little Men, which is the sequel to Little Women. Little Men is in no way as good as Little Women, though it is a good sturdy children's classic.

In Jo's Boys, the story is finished out. The boys mature and we learn what happens to them. Some fare well, others don't prosper. This is what makes Jo's Boy's somewhat somber in nature. Alcott notes the passing of Marmee, and others depart as well. A sadder tale, and a bittersweet end to the saga of the March family. A funny tidbit is the appearance of fans to bother Mother Bhaer (Jo). Alcott afflicts her alter-ego with the same annoyances that the fans created for her after Little Women. One uninvited admirer even cadges a postage stamp from her desk. A bit of real-life levity in an otherwise subdued book.

Even if not up to Little Women's literary heights, Jo's Boys is a must-read if you want to know how it all turned out. (And who can resist that!)

While Little Men is not up to the literary achievement of Little Women, it is a wonderful tale for kids. It is JUST perfect for reading chapter by chapter to kids as part of an evening family night. It is as jolly as a house full of rambunctious boys could be.
Jo Bhaer, nee March, has boys of her own now and boys to spare. She and the Professor take in students based on charity and kindness. Some boys are neglected, some are badly brought up, all need love, laughter and a caring environment. Plumfield is all that and more.
The jolly goings-on make you wish you could have gone to school and lived at Plumfield. The book is prevented from being saccharine by the all-too-familiar themes of neglected kids, growing pains and the sad and much too early death of a favorite character from Little Women.
There is lots of fun, and lots to discuss in this sequel to Alcott's marvelous Little Women. Lest you think boys won't like Alcott, I know more than one man who loves Little Women even as an adult.

Mention the name Louisa May Alcott, and most people will instantly think of "Little Women." But in my mind, the less often discussed "Little Men" is just as great, if not better.

The story picks up shortly after the conclusion of "Little Women," with Jo and Frederick Bhaer running a school at Plumfield. Along with their own little Rob and Teddy, they are busy raising the neglected children of rich folks alongside the orphans they have taken in.

While the boys exist in a virtual haven for good ol' fashioned fun upon the farmlike Plumfield, Mother and Father Bhaer still manage to teach them moral life lessons along with their classroom exercises.

If you enjoy this book, be sure to pick up "Jo's Boys," which takes place ten years after "Little Men" and concludes the boys' stories.

I first read this book and its sequel "Hunters of Space" as a jr. high student in the mid '60's. in the next 50 plus years I dare say I have read thousands of books from classic to historical to science and business publications. And yet I have never forgotten this story of adventure, romance, bravery and loyalty. A story of great evil and the battles it initiates. I just found this jewel of a site that has allowed me to buy it again. After 50 years I can't wait to read it again! To say I am excited is a tremendous understatement. It may be a little weird but it simply brings back great memories of a more innocent time. And that's important too!

"Little Men" was one of my childhood favorites (I found "Little Women" too sad), and I was pleased to find on rereading it that it's almost as much fun for me now as it was when I was ten. Loosely plotted, it's a good bedtime book, because each chapter or couple of chapters presents a complete vignette. After all, you don't always want to be reading a book that keeps you up till all hours! Life at Plumfield is almost idyllic, with just enough conflict to keep things moving along. When I was a child, I longed for a museum like theirs, and a miniature cast-iron stove, and all kinds of things--the book was wonderful for my imagination. N.B.: I tried reading it to my boys, and even though it's about boys, they were bored, so it may be a girl book.

This sequel to "Little Women" continues the heart warming saga of the March family girls. It follows events in their lives as married women, and the lives of their children. This book seems to be more popular with boy readers than "Little Women", which often appeals to girls between the ages of 11-15 (depending on their individual reading level). Perhaps this is linked to the fact that there are more main characters who are boys in "Little Men". The innocent quality of romance and adventure in this plot, as well as the emphasis on morality and family relationships, make this a good gift for those concerned about the types of literature their children are reading. Adults buying this for children should note that the moral aspects of the story generally reinforce 19th century Protestant Christian values (its your choice whether that impacts your purchase or not!).
This is another book that has continued to be my favorite 20 years after reading it for the first time.

There is not that much to say about this brilliantly crafted book, for it is almost too good to describe. I decided to give this book four stars because in some cases she didn't write as enthusiaticly as in her other books. Don't get me wrong though, as a book, it deserves ten stars! As a Louisa May book, only four (out of five that is!) I cannot write to you, reader, too much about the sumery because every chapter was a new scrape or story. But don't worry, everything is connected. Jo March from Little Women now is married and has two boys of her own, plus a few orphans and sons of busy fathers. In Plumfield, boys are every where, including the musical Nat, book worm Demi Brooke, indestructable Tommy, Dan, adorable Teddy, and deticated Rob! But don't forget the three girls: timid Daisy Brooke, Giddy-Gaddy Nan, and the loveable Bess. All share scrapes and adventures that will leave you scandalized. Jo and her husband have a lot in store for them! Plus, a hint of romance at the end. Look for the sequal, Jo's Boys! So, reader, thank you for taking you time to read this review, and I honostly insist for you to read this book! Louisa May Alcott is one of my favorite authors, and maybe she can be yours too! Sincerly, A grateful reader.

Well, this book always will remain among my favorites, one that touches me and makes me feel. I think that when I was little, I saw a cartoon series about it. At that time, I didnt know that it was based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott. The success of this stories is the wide ranges of characters shown in this book, the spirit, moral conduct, inner strength, and most of all, the splash of fun and careless boyish pranks. THe setting is great, and I like to see how the old characters are developed, as well as the new. Strangely, my favorite character out of all the interesting ones was Dan, Jo's favorite firebrand. I liked how behind his rough nature and blazing dark eyes, and careless attitude, there is gentlenes, courage, and inner strength which Jo gradually brings out of him. And needless to say, Dan is a black sheep that Jo continues to cling on to. Yet, I liked the others as well, including rascal TOmmy, music loving Nat (especially how loyal Dan is to him), tomboy Nan, thoughtful Demi, little and big Teddy, (and Amy, who I am one of those rare people that wanted her to get with Laurie,) and adorable little Bess. All these heartwarming characters create a fire in the story which really warms me up. I've read Jo's Boys, and I like Little Men better because I can feel the spirit of things. Jo's Boys made me feel depressed. SO, this is a great book and surprizingly, the tone was very different from LIttle Women (which I liked greatly) and I just think that the firebrand is the most dashing character in it. He kind of reminds me of Laurie, except in a different, stronger way. Jo's Boys made me sad that all was to an end.

This is the continuation of Little Women, and Jo's Boys will be the cont. of this book. Little Men is a book about the boys and girls of all ages, and if you thought little women was much about women, READ THIS BOOK. The boys are all different ages. There is musical Nat, bookworm Demi, troublesome Tommy, fireband Dan(my fav't character), resonsible Franz, commodore Emil, Little Ted, Rob...and dont forget girls, Lovely Daisy, ms.giddy gaddy Nan, and pretty Bess....and so many other characters. They just will not be friends, but a great big FAMILY. They will be happy, sad, confused, angry...at each other, but will not be a problem for Mr.&Mrs. Bhaer(Jo), Mr.&Mrs. Brooke(Meg), and Mr.and Mrs. Laurence(laurie&Amy). These young men and women will be so different, yet so together and close!

I adore Little Women and the Rose books (Eight Cousins and Rose in Bloom). I had vaguely favorable memories of Jo's Boys from childhood, so decided to read it again on my Kindle. What a half-hearted effort this is! Except for one entertaining chapter in which Jo tries to escape a horde of fans, she's lost all her character. No longer is she the headstrong girl of the first book, or even the comforting "Mother Bhaer" of Little Men. Instead, she spends the entire book preaching. Long, LONG passages are taken up with her lecturing. Of course Alcott was always preachy, but in this book it's taken to an almost ludicrous extreme.

Otherwise, there are too many characters, and few of them are adequately developed. The standouts are Dan, Jo's "black sheep," and the "lost at sea" episode involving Emil. The rest of it is dull as dishwater, punctuated with duller lectures on women's rights and endless literary and mythological references.

The only thing I did like about this story is that Amy and Mr. Bhaer have faded into the background, and Jo and Laurie seem to spend much of their time together. It's almost enough to make one think that Alcott regretted her choice to not put those characters together-- or perhaps she simply realized that Laurie and Jo work best on paper together, and have an undeniable chemistry that the other pairings lack.

Regardless, Laurie and Jo aren't enough to save this one. Stick with the other Alcott stories, and leave this one on the electronic shelf.

This book is very heartwarming, and, at times, funny. The characters seem real, and Louisa May Alcott portrayed the girls, Nan and Daisy, very realistically-one a tomboy, one a "girl". They boys have funny jokes, and we feel Jo's pain after one boy, Dan, runs away. This is an excellent book...get it!

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.

i absolutely loved this book. little women was an amazing book and whem it ended i wanted more of the book.... a few monthslater i found this book and fell in love all over again with the little women chracters and the new charatcers like Nat!

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!

OF COURSE you will want to read Little Men, which is the sequel to Little Women. Little Men is in no way as good as Little Women, though it is a good sturdy children's classic.

In Jo's Boys, the story is finished out. The boys mature and we learn what happens to them. Some fare well, others don't prosper. This is what makes Jo's Boy's somewhat somber in nature. Alcott notes the passing of Marmee, and others depart as well. A sadder tale, and a bittersweet end to the saga of the March family. A funny tidbit is the appearance of fans to bother Mother Bhaer (Jo). Alcott afflicts her alter-ego with the same annoyances that the fans created for her after Little Women. One uninvited admirer even cadges a postage stamp from her desk. A bit of real-life levity in an otherwise subdued book.

Even if not up to Little Women's literary heights, Jo's Boys is a must-read if you want to know how it all turned out. (And who can resist that!)

While Little Men is not up to the literary achievement of Little Women, it is a wonderful tale for kids. It is JUST perfect for reading chapter by chapter to kids as part of an evening family night. It is as jolly as a house full of rambunctious boys could be.
Jo Bhaer, nee March, has boys of her own now and boys to spare. She and the Professor take in students based on charity and kindness. Some boys are neglected, some are badly brought up, all need love, laughter and a caring environment. Plumfield is all that and more.
The jolly goings-on make you wish you could have gone to school and lived at Plumfield. The book is prevented from being saccharine by the all-too-familiar themes of neglected kids, growing pains and the sad and much too early death of a favorite character from Little Women.
There is lots of fun, and lots to discuss in this sequel to Alcott's marvelous Little Women. Lest you think boys won't like Alcott, I know more than one man who loves Little Women even as an adult.