Little Women

By: Louisa May Alcott

Narrated by: C. M. Hébert

Length: 18 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

This favorite book for children, based on the author's own youthful experiences, describes the family life of the Marches in a small New England community. Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March are raised in genteel poverty by their loving mother, Marmee, while their father serves as a chaplain during the American Civil War. Jo, at 15, is ungainly, unconventional, and enterprising, with an ambition to be an author. Meg, a year older, is pretty and wishes to be a lady. Beth is a delicate child of 13 with a taste for music. Amy is a blonde beauty of 12. The story explores their domestic adventures, their attempts to increase the family's small income, their friendship with the neighboring Laurence family, and their later love affairs and destinies as women.

(P)1999 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"C. M. Herbert reads the story with the gentle affection and conviction one imagines in Jo March as she reads to her elderly aunt." (AudioFile)

great listen

the accent of the reader was perfect for story
my mom started reading this to me as a child but never finished it
it feels like closure hearing this in full

150 years later it remains a masterpiece

Timeless themes of love, loss and faith told with adept narration and truly human characters

Excellent

though I enjoyed the story overall, I had so many interruptions while listening to it that I think it unwise to rate the book here.
however, what I can attest to is the character development the writer conveyed, for each character feels consistent and individual.
As to the reader, C. M. Hebert did a great job and I haven't a single complaint.

Little women

i love this book. the story is so fun. the reader has done a fabulous job keeping things interesting.

Well Delivered Classic

This classic is well told. To be honest, the story didn't hold up as well as I thought it did when I last revisited it (focusing life around getting married is a bit difficult to imagine). Still, it is very well written and the characters are wonderful. I imagine the opportunity to narrate something like this is a real gem and someone chose well in selecting Ms. Hébert. I found her telling to be very compelling and that wasn't the case with another reading of Little Women I had purchased.

Amazing 😍

This book is an all time favorite of mine and of the world! a must read!!!!

Excellent classic

Love this story. Loved the narrator. This is one of my favorite Louisa May Alcott books.

Well done!

What a joy! The narrator was splendid! I laughed and I cried. I highly recommend this!

The best book

Wonderful characters, learning moments, growth, sadness, morals. It’s an incredible classic that all should read!

Wonderful Story and Performance

Would you listen to Little Women again? Why?

I'd consider listening to this again with one of my children or nieces. It was a wholesome story that was incredibly moving.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Little Women?

I felt so bad for Laurie at his low point, but chuckled because I knew that Jo was right.

Which scene was your favorite?

I enjoyed the girls playing at Pilgrim's Progress, but I was moved the most by Beth's final days.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Four diamonds in the rough: cut, polished and sparkle in love's light.

Any additional comments?

Read this book at your own peril. I listened to it as an audio book and can attest that you will laugh, cry, celebrate and mourn along with the characters in this book. That might sound wonderful, but when you're walking along in public with earphones in and start cracking up laughing, you'll get the strangest looks from people.

I fell in love with the March daughters in this book and find it a wonderful tale with a strong morality. While I don't have daughters, I'm picking up a copy of this book for my nieces who I hope enjoy the story as much as I did.

As I understand it, the book was broken into two parts - Little Women and Good Wives. Together, they were excellent. In the unabridged version I listened to, the narration by C. M. Hébert was outstanding. By her tone of voice, I could easily distinguish between the dozen or so characters she was portraying.

Overall, I thought this book was really good and I highly recommend it. It's a wholesome tale that will move you and very much might stir you to become a better person.