5 comments about Autobiography of Malcolm X.

1. This is a book everyone should read. It's a book you can't seem to put down. There is a part of this book that i love.."I read aimlessly, until I learned to read selectively, with a purpose". This book changed the way i viewed certain things in life!



2. I must have clicked on the wrong item, because I did NOT purposely order Max Notes. I already have two Master's Degrees and a year of Law School. So, I do not need "notes."



3. it was not clear to me upfront: this book is not the acutal autobiography. These are the notes for the book. they summarize chapters and importance of them. so if you want to read the actual book, do not purchase this one.



4. People who would like everything to be all different in a society in which everybody operates in a mentality like John Lennon on heroin will be interested in many of the changes that Malcolm made in his own life. The characters that he encountered did not disappear entirely on Y2K, but our own image of things continues to shift and shuffle continuously and perhaps more so and faster from now on than ever before even without Malcolm to lead us.



5. Before reading this book, I thought Malcolm X was a black boxer. I don't know why, but the few times I've heard people mention him, they've always focused on his anger. So, I naturally assumed that this man, who had such a strange last name, would be a fighter. How wrong was I.
   
   Malcolm X was a fighter, but not in the physical sense. Sure, he supported his beliefs with a fervor that was almost violent, but he fought his way through his difficult life with words. He trained himself to make a point, regardless of what other people, black, white, red, yellow, would think of him. He so believed in his passion for basic Afro-American human rights that he was ready to die for his beliefs. As a Muslim, he also firmly believed in Allah, who he claimed changed his life. More importantly, as a Muslim, he experienced the oneness of humanity as he traveled internationally.
   
   Overall, this book appealed to me because even though Malcolm was a devout Muslim and a civil rights leader with firm views, he was sincere in his concern for humanity. He even admitted, that he's "a human, being first and foremost" and that he's for "whatever benefits humanity as a whole." To me, Malcolm's extraordinary accomplishments were just a shadow of what can be done if mankind put concerns of humanity before itself. Picture a world where everyone worked toward a common goal. Imagine all the wars that would end!!
   
   I recommend this book to people of all races and color so that they can be inspired by Malcolm's radical belief in humanity. His message transcends time and all racial boundaries.

5 comments about Ava's Man.

1. "Ava's Man" is a book that I will keep, and read again. Anyone with an affection for, or curiosity about life in the South will be rewarded with a story of spirit, and truth. The author shows great skill in his descriptions of time and place, and in the unique character whose story he tells. This book will make you laugh, cry, and think deeply, and wish that you could read more after the last page. Highly recommended.



2. One's first impulse in seeing a follow up book by an autobiographer is to figure he wrote it to drag some more money out of his sudden massive readership. But, in this case, one would be wrong. Bragg writes this book about his mother's dad, a grandfather Bragg never knew personally. However, Bragg does his homework painstakingly enough to convince the reader that he was presenting the fully real and authentic "Ava's Man." Again, I could barely put the book down. An old alcoholic "failure" from the South was captivating me. Of course, part of the attraction was learning more about the mother that draws so much respect in Bragg's first book. If you liked All Over But the Shoutin' I encourage you to read this follow up. You won't regret it.



3. I could not put this book down! It was an incredibly easy read and I truly felt like I knew this man by the end of the book. Well written, descriptive and emotional. I highly recommend this book.



4. Ava's Man is about author Rick Bragg's grandfather, who he writes, "For most of my life, he was no more real or complete than a paper doll." Charlie Bundrum died one year before Bragg was born in 1959, and Bragg said he never forgave him for it.
   
   Bragg sets out to find out "scrap by scrap" what type of man his grandfather was. Bundrum had been dead 42 years when Bragg started interviewing his relatives about him. Bragg interviewed hundreds of relatives and people who knew his grandfather.
   
   The result is a beautifully written and powerful account of Charlie Bundrum and the culture of the dirt-poor people in the Appalachian foothills of Alabama and Georgia.
   
   Bundrum couldn't read or write, but he could calculate in his head a carpenter's needs to roof or build a house. His culture was one of "stills, eye-gouging fistfights and riverbank camp fires, where men drank clear whiskey and cussed like champions."
   
   Bragg writes that his grandfather's family "roamed the hills and valleys like gypsies, searching for a living, preoccupied with hard, bitter times." The family moved 21 times from job to job in the decade of the Depression.
   
   Some of the books most heart-wrenching tales are based in the Depression when people went hungry and couldn't afford simple medicines for their babies who died of simple illnesses such as dehydration and fevers. At one point, Bundrum sold the family's cow to pay the rent. An old kerosene lamp was of his wife's most prized possessions. If you want to know what poverty is really like, read this book.
   
   Bragg's book points out the value of knowing the good and the bad about your relatives and their culture.



5. This book was recommended to me by a writer friend as his favorite book ever, and I can see why. Excellent, fast reading portrayal of the author's relatives growing up in the depression-era south. Highly entertaining, easy read, never dull.

5 comments about The Kennedy Women.

1. This is a very thorough account of multiple generations of Kennedy women, staring with Bridget Murphy who sailed to America from Ireland and became the first Kennedy woman to live in this country. While the book is long, I never found it boring. Each generation has their own fascinating story to tell and I liked how the author flipped between different women every few paragraphs or so. I think that is why the book held my attention for so long. One minute the author would discuss Pat's life in California among movie stars, and the next, talking about Jackie's tenure as First Lady. Highly recommended for Kennedy fans.



2. I love this book. If you are fascinated by the Kennedy Family then this book is for you.



3. This book came in excellent condition and was a great buy, considering what I would have had to pay for a "new book". This is in "new" condition.



4. This is an epic book (about 800 pages excluding the acknowledgements) about a legendary family. It is extremely well researched and well written, but it could have lapsed into being a long tome of minutia given its level of detail if the saga itself had not been so gripping. It's almost a potboiler as you move from character to character, from triumph to tragedy, from decade to decade. The title is a bit of a misnomer, as you can't tell the story of the Kennedy women as distinct from that of that of their men and, of course, their many children. The story begins with their Irish forebears who came to America and had a hard time of it. One gets a deep sense of the Irish-American immigrant experience and, along the way, a better understanding of their deep and abiding Catholicism.
   
   But then the tale shifts to Joe and Rose and their nine children. Although quite in love when they married, it didn't take long for Joe to veer off into business and politics and womanizing and for Rose to pursue her separate path of children and devote religiosity. Then the tragedies with the children began. Rosemary was born mildly retarded because of anoxia (with an IQ in the 70's), after the nurse delayed the birth so that the doctor arriving late could collect his fee. She was the most beautiful of the Kennedy girls and respectable enough to be presented to the King and Queen of England for her "debut." But she was a potential embarrassment to Joe, and he sought to "improve" her condition with a lobotomy. Thereafter, she spent her ruined life alone in institutions, no longer a part of the family. Joe, Jr. was next. After John's PT-109 fame, he was trying to outdo his brother as a WW II hero. So he flew a plane loaded with explosives, intending to bail out and send it on its way into enemy territory. Trouble is, the plane blew up with him in it and he was exploded to smithereens. Then came Kathleen, or "Kick" as they called her. She was their third oldest child, and the girl with the most sparkle in the family. Several years after a five-week marriage to a Protestant who died in combat, she began an adulterous affair with another Brit whom she intended to marry against second-time-around fierce opposition from her mother. However, when their plane crashed en route from Paris to Cannes on a tryst, her death settled all issues. Of course, we all know what happened then to JFK and RFK and Ted at Chappaquiddick. Pat lapsed into alcoholism with her husband Peter Lawford, just as Joan did with Ted. Steve Smith, Jean's husband, died of cancer at the relatively young age of 62, after a long but mostly estranged marriage and many infidelities. And, of course, shortly thereafter her son Willie was tried for rape. (It seems like few of the Kennedy men, by blood or by marriage, could keep their pants on.) Jackie died at 64, also from cancer, never having wed her best love, Maurice Tempelsman. Eunice, founder and champion of the Special Olympics, had a near-fatal car accident at 69. Of this generation, only the Shrivers and Jackie emerged with most of their dignity still intact.
   
   The author also touches upon the granddaughters briefly, but theirs is an ancillary tale better elaborated elsewhere. However, this book is a "must read" for anyone interested in this celebrated family. It is well written, well researched, and a very compelling story. Five stars--I loved it!



5. I did not want this book to end! It is a fascinating, fair, well-written book about all of the Kennedy women, their men, and the lives they led. I gained new insight, especially, into Kathleen Kennedy, Rosemary Kennedy, and matriarhc, Rose.

5 comments about Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years.

1. This is the shared biography of two women who have seen and been a part of the history of civil and women's rights in the U.S. Easy read with the constant positive outlook both sisters maintain. A nice counterpoint to the dark realities of discrimination, and a success story on many levels. Each sister handles things in their own intelligent manner, defying dismissal as submissives. Can be used for middle school and higher classrooms to offer women's voices and a look at how gender impacts the language of dominance and alternate responses to repression.



2. This book came into the mail in the time frame it was estimated at. It came in wonderful condition, and the review had even said used. I will definately be ordering from this company again.



3. I received my book, "Having Our Say" in great condition and in punctual time. Look forward to doing business with you in the future.



4. Elsa's Own Blue Zone: America's Centenarian Sweetheart's Insights for Positive Aging and Living
   
   This book is a page turner with the history shared. I expected more advice from their life experience, but thoroughly enjoyed their personalities and historical information you won't see put so clearly elsewhere. More centenarians need to be profiled to share their history and wisdom. For a different take on centenarian insights and secrets, however, I suggest you read Elsa's Own Blue Zone, too. You may want to check out the website of the same name to see if it appeals to you. The videos are uplifting. Elsa is also a very special role model centenarian.



5. This book should be required reading in all high schools - it has a message that a lot of young people need to hear. A message about respect for self, family, God and the community. This was required reading for my social work class in college and I am forever grateful that I was introduced to it. It has really helped me to get back to basics and the things that are important. I can't think of a better time in history to read this book, what with all the worries we're all having. Read it, really take in the message and then practice it. For extra help, follow up with The Delaney Sisters Book of Everyday Wisdom.

5 comments about The Nearest Far Away Place: Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys, and the Southern California Experience (Cassettes).

1. The level of detail in here is absolutely astounding and this is a fascinating book. If you enjoyed Catch A Wave read this next. It will help you understand the genius of Brian Wilson and how he evolved into the master that he is. The history of the Wilson family is so well researched that it taught modern Wilsons things about their heritage that even they didn't know. This book goes well beyond what you would expect in rock and roll non-fiction/ rock biography. This delivers a window into American history and musical history. It also gives you a window into the hearts and dreams of an American family that has become a household name because of Brian.



2. The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson made unique and wonderful music over their long and successful career. If you are interested in reading the story behind this music there are several books to choose from. This book is probably a good choice for a Beach Boys fan who wants to find out about their heroes' accomplishments without delving too deeply into the tabloid type scandals of Brian Wilson's personal life and the lives of the other Beach Boys. The best parts of this book are the critical examination and praise for the Beach Boys later albums, such as "Sunflower," which are sometimes underappreciated, and the portrayal of Brian Wilson's bravery and persistence in battling mental illness. The biggest weakness of this book is the beginning, which seems to go on forever, describing the Wilson family background. Brian Wilson isn't even born until page 64! A smaller problem is that the dysfunctional lives of the Beach Boys, especially Brian Wilson, Mike Love, and Dennis Wilson, were a big part of the story, and probably deserved more attention than this author gives in order to get an accurate portrayal of the subject.



3. All in all a fascinating and detailed amount of interesting info on the Beach Boys marred only by side trips to the Southern California Experience. If you have no interest in geneaology you can easily skip the first 80 pages and not be at a loss. I read them but came away with not much being of interest or memorable. Also, if you have no interest in the various nuances of surfing or gas-powered vehicles you can skip over several more pages scattered throughout the book. But hey, I guess if you pay attention to the title you should know what to expect. The title certainly doesn't suggest that's it's totally devoted to only Brian and the group.
   
   But the Brian Wilson & the Beach Boys story alone is worth the price of admission. This includes behind the scenes studio session information, lots of details on all the side musicians who filled in with the group as well as Brian's tragic descent into mental illness. A very enjoyable read even if you just skim over the peripheral material.



4. Timothy White is a superb writer, and he really makes one understand why did the Beach Boys become who they were. Why was Dennis such a rebel? Why was Murry so abusive? The answers are here. Brian Wilson is a genius, but his fragile nature he was not born with. The Wilsons were a poor family, and full of hard luck until the boys struck gold with rock n roll.
   
   I am kind of angered and annoyed at the foolish people on this comment board that are annoyed that much of the book dealt with the ancestors of the Beach Boys. I am certain many of them are totally oblivious and ignorant of what genealogy is and how families, even way traced back, can influence and impact who you are today. The story of the Beach Boys is a truly American story with their roots going through NY, Ohio, KS, and finally California. Why were they in California? Why did they not stay in Hutchinson, KS? You just can't start with Murry and Audree as one needs to also study Murry's past...HIS relationship with his dad. Get a grip, genealogy hating posters!
   
   Why not critics here study their own genealogy if they have the intellectual acumen and they will see how the past can influence the present whether they want to believe it or not. Then they will understand the reason why biographies usually have a huge section on the ancestors of a person(s).



5. If you're interested in the early 20th-century westward migration, and in the early 60's surf and car culture, the first half of this book will be useful to you. As a history of the band, however, it's spotty at best, especially post-1970: an enthusiastic track-by-track review of 1970's "Sunflower" album is followed, not by discussion of the "Carl & The Passions" and "Holland" albums (which it doesn't even mention) but a capsule history of the discovery of polyurethane skateboard wheels and the revival of that sport. If you really want to know what was on every page of a newspaper from Hutchison, Kansas, circa 1910, then you'll probably like this book.

   White does seem to love the band, at least. Seek out his "How Deep Is The Ocean?" for a more satisfying read.

5 comments about Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist.

1. I bought two copies of this book, one for myself and one for my cousin (a senior in high school). We both like this book very much.



2. I've read almost every Buffett book around. For some reason, this was one of the last I read. Perhaps because it didn't claim to be about his investment methods and that was what I was most interested in. That was a mistake.
   
   Just as he did in 'When Genius Failed', Roger Lowenstein has a way of writing so clearly and beautifully, even on very complicated subjects. He brings people alive in his books.
   
   If you want to maximum amount of detail on Buffett's life, read 'The Snowball'. If you want to enjoy many hours of reading pleasure, you should go with 'Buffett'.



3. I couldn't put this book down. Not only is the story of Buffet's life interesting, but there are great investment pearls in this book!



4. This Audiobook, unfortunately on cassette, not CD, is a decent overview of early Buffett history. Lowenstein writes a coherent history of Buffett's major investments up through 1994. I found the part covering his childhood and investing beginnings most interesting. Buffett truly was a self-made man, starting out with paper routes and small businesses in Omaha.
   
   The narrator does a good job reading the book.
   
   This is a history of Buffett with very little discussion of his investment process - the author does not claim to teach you how to invest like Buffett. If you are interested in a general summary of early Buffett history, this is a good way to get it. The only negative is Lowenstein is so enamored with his subject that we only hear how brilliant Buffett is, without hearing of his mistakes.



5. This book is not as detailed about Warren Buffett's life as The Snowball by Alice Schroeder, but it is still an excellent read. From early childhood, Warren learned the value of a dollar by working hard at numerous jobs. He was never a spendthrift, but instead saved as much as possible so that he could invest it long-term. His determination and focus made him what he is today.
   
   Warren Buffett's investment philosophy is just so simple. Just buy excellent companies at reasonable prices and hold them long-term. This philosophy shows readers that they can do it themselves and become successful just like Warren Buffett. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in investing.

5 comments about The Map That Changed the World: William Smith and the Birth of Modern Geology [UNABRIDGED].

1. The thought that at one time people believed that fossils were simply gifts from God hidden in the strata is truly mind-boggling to those of us sitting firmly in the 21st century. We take many things for granted in our science and technology filled world and Simon Winchester does a nice job of taking the reader back in time, creating the context and thought of that time, and then pulling you through the transition to a much more modern way of thinking.
   
   Following the saga of how William Smith used coal mining assays he was doing to piece together the fossil record is interesting history. Understanding the influence on 18th and 19th century thought is pure social context and commentary. The book makes one wonder how many other "strata maps" are laying around to change our paradigms and thinking.



2. William "Strata" Smith was the father of practical geology. He travelled Britain digging canals and solving drainage problems, and on the side, making detailed records of the rocks he observed on and below the surface. Smith also collected an immense storehouse of fossils, essential to his geological surveys of the Island. After years of this field study, Smith published a map in 1815, of immense value to fellow geologist-enthusiasts, as well as those interested in evolution, climate, and commerce (it was a guidebook to finding coal and minerals).
   
   Simon Winchester, trained in England as a geologist and interested in the history of science and scientists, is uniquely positioned to tell us why William Smith did not receive much acclaim or riches for developing his geological map. In fact others copied Smith's map without attribution, Smith was forced to sell his fossils to the government for a song, and he still ended up destitute, as a guest of the Crown in a London prison for debtors. Today I think few outside the clubby world of geology even know Smith's name, his map and fossils have literally disappeared from the public's view.
   
   While Smith was a master of practical geological fieldwork and engineering, he was an abysmal failure in self-promotion and playing well with his fellow geologists. They were generally born to the manor, while Smith started out in most humble surroundings. Ultimately Smith was returned to his appropriate posts, as the geological leadership turned from blue-bloods to captains of industry and academia. Winchester seems to especially relish Smith's return to prominence in the last days of his life.
   
   Winchester covered similar ground in the study of great men of science and letters gone to ground in The Professor and The Madman. In the latter story, our protaganists are the erudite workmen who assemble the Oxford English Dictionary, some contributing entries from lunatic asylums. Read both, they tell gripping tales of how one needs to persevere in order to achieve something of lasting worth.



3. The history of William Smith (1769-1839) who is considered the father of modern geology. While working as a surveyor in English coal mines, Smith noticed the consistency of the layers of rock and how they always appeared in the same order no matter the location. He also realized that the layers, or strata, could be identified and aged by the fossils they contained. This knowledge had useful implications in locating coal and other valuable mineral deposits. Smith developed the first geological map of England in 1815 but his work was plagiarized by others, and he was eventually sent to debtor's prison.
   
   Simon Winchester does a good job enlivening what might otherwise be a very hard and dry subject. The implications of the map were enormous; this was a time when much of England took the Biblical account of the creation very literally, and an Irish priest had even determined the supposed exact date of the creation. However, Winchester doesn't spend a lot of time using it as an excuse to bash religion but focuses on the known events of Smith's life (which is often sparse) and spins it into an interesting tale. He frequently muses on the particulars, allowing himself to wonder and invent possible circumstances, but on the whole he sticks to the facts. He also tends to overplay the experience in debtor's prison as well as the significance of "firsts" ("first" time this or that was discussed or written down, etc...).
   
   I initially listened to the audio book (which I think was read by the author himself) but it was so dull I promptly quit. But the book was much better and at 300 pages (footnotes and drawings abound throughout the book) was a rather pleasant and easy read (a lukewarm 4 stars).



4. Winchester's biography of William Smith is light, entertaining reading. However, I wished that he had followed any one of the related stories a little further. Debtor's prison, the debate with the Ussherians, the debate among the Neptunians and Plutonians, the decline of the scientific dilettante-aristocrat and rise of the professional scientist, or any of a number of other interesting excursions all met at the crossroads of Smith's life and work. The story is at times a little too repetitive as Winchester foreshadows, then tells, than prepares us for what is to come, then tells it, dwells on it, and then constantly notes how certain events (the trip to prison, the theft of his work) impact Smith's later life.
   
   This book might be a light preparation to Stephenson's Baroque Cycle (starting with Quicksilver: The Baroque Cycle #1) to get them used to thinking in terms of overt class rule, or it might appeal to readers who have already enjoyed those stories.



5. "The Map That Changed the World" is the biographical story of William Smith, the father of the modern science of geology and the creator of the world's first geological map of Great Britain. There is no questioning Smith's brilliance or the courage and perseverance that he demonstrated in the face of both secular and religious opposition to his modern, forward thinking, brilliant ideas on the topics of evolution and the origins of geological strata.
   
   But the fact remains that, unlike the story of Krakatoa or the San Francisco earthquake which Winchester told to his fans in such exciting fashion, geology is a topic that is inherently slow-moving and, frankly, dull as dirt (or perhaps one might say ... pulverized rock?) Oh sure, there are entertaining moments but, by and large, "The Map That Changed the World" is pretty slow-moving stuff and barely rises above the level of interesting. I'm a long-time fan of Winchester and his version of history but there's just no way I could suggest that this particular entry ever gets elevated to the level of "compelling".
   
   Thank goodness for Winchester's detailed research, his wit and subtly British sense of humour and the power of his writing skills. Without those, "The Map That Changed the World" would have been doomed at the outset to remain an utter yawner. As it is, we'll complement Winchester by categorizing it as interesting.
   
   Recommended.
   
   Paul Weiss

No comments about Charles Kuralt's Spring Cassette.

2 comments about JFK: The Kennedy Tapes, Vol. I, Original Speeches of the Presidential Years.

1. For somebody who was not alive in JFK's time, this seemed like a great way to get a feel for the politics and history of the 1960s. This approach, though, gives only a few minutes, five at most, of each speech and so the listener gets a famous highlight, but no depth of experience. I am excited about the primary exposure, but much more content and length is necessary for this to be of much use to a serious fan of history or politics.



2. This volume was a disappointment because only portions of the various speeches are used. One would expect the complete speech including the classics (American University, Inaugural etc.) Still it is fascinating to hear one of the great modern orators making his case both domestically and internationally.

4 comments about Little Women.

1. This edition of LITTLE WOMEN is great! First of all, there's the wonderful story of the March family in the years during and after the Civil War, as the 4 daughters -- Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy -- grow to womanhood, experiencing joy and overcoming obstacles and tragedy. This edition stays true to the language and grammar used in the original. I have read versions of the novel in which the girls' grammar is cleaned up for them!
   
   In addition, the introduction by Susan Cheever is first-rate; it is neither too long or too short, and she beautifully ties it to her own experience without being cloying.
   
   Another reason why I so highly recommend this edition is because there is a glossary at the back to explain some of the obscure (to modern readers) terms and obsolete slang. Also, there's a nice essay/review by G.K. Chesterson, who warmly praises Alcott's book.



2. Louisa May Alcott wrote many books, but "Little Women" retains a special place in the heart of American literature. Her warmly realistic stories, sense of comedy and tragedy, and insights into human nature make the romance, humor and sweet stories of "Little Women" come alive.
   
   The four March girls -- practical Meg, rambunctious Jo, sweet Beth and childish artist Amy -- live in genteel poverty with their mother Marmee; their father is away in the Civil War. Despite having little money, the girls keep their spirits up with writing, gardening, homemade plays, and the occasional romp with wealthier pals. Their pal, "poor little rich boy" Laurie, joins in and becomes their adoptive brother, as the girls deal with Meg's first romance, Beth's life-threatening illness, and fears for their father's safety.
   
   The second half of the book opens with Meg's wedding (if not to the man of her dreams, then to the man she loves). Things rapidly go awry after the wedding, when Laurie admits his true feelings to Jo -- only to be rejected. Distraught, he leaves; Amy also leaves on a trip to Europe with a picky old relative. Despite the deterioration of Beth's health, Jo makes her way into a job as a governess, seeking to put her treasured writing into print -- and finds her destiny as well.
   
   There's a clearly autobiographical tone to "Little Women." Not surprising -- the March girls really are like the girls next door. Alcott wrote them with flaws and strengths, and their misadventures -- like Amy's embarrassing problem with her huge lobster -- have the feeling of authenticity. How much of it is real? A passage late in the book portrays Alcott -- in the form of Jo -- "scribbling" down the book itself, and getting it published because it feels so real and true.
   
   Sure, usually classics are hard to read. But "Little Women" is mainly daunting because of its length; the actual stories flow nicely and smoothly. Don't think it's just a book for teenage girls, either -- adults and boys can appreciate it as well. There's something for everyone: drama, romance, humor, sad and happy endings alike.
   
   Alcott's writing itself is nicely detailed. While certain items are no longer in common use (what IS a charabanc anyway?), Alcott's stories themselves seem very fresh and could easily be seen in a modern home. And as nauseating as "heartwarming" stories sometimes are, these definitely qualify. Sometimes, especially in the beginning, Alcott is a bit too preachy and hamhanded. But her touch becomes defter as she writes on.
   
   Jo is the quintessential tomboy, and the best character in the book: rough, gawky, fun-loving, impulsive, with a love of literature and a mouth that is slightly too big. Meg's love of luxury adds a flaw to the "perfect little homemaker" image, and Beth just avoids being shown as too saintly. Amy is an annoying little brat throughout much of the first half of the book, but by her teens she's almost as good as Jo.
   
   "Little Women" is one of those rare classic novels that is still relevant, funny, fresh and heartbreaking today. Louisa May Alcott's best-known novel is a magnificent achievement.



3. This book was good for a short read. It was not as good as the original little women. The book was about 4 sisters Joe, Meg, Beth, and Amy and what their life was like. If you are looking for a good short read this is one I would sugest.



4. Read the tale of four sisters Meg, Jo, Beth, & Amy as they grow up together. Learn about their hardships as they face each problem thrown at them side by side. This is a wonderfull book and is beautifully writen. I teches someone a lot about the value of family, friends, and true love. This book is more than what others amount to and would reccomend this author to anyone.