December 9, 2022 Samantha Harvey

Is little Women dated or the future?

A Christmas controversy.

Little Women is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888), which was originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869. Alcott wrote the books over several months at the request of her publisher. Following the lives of the four March sisters, the novel details their passage from childhood to womanhood and is loosely suspected to be based on the author and her three sisters.

Nothing illustrates Christmas more than the magical and uplifting world of Little Women. A family where all the graceful and independent women hand-craft their necessities and feel gratitude from giving. Some may consider this a dated lifestyle. Many have in-fact claimed Little Women no longer has value and that it should never be recommend because 'It's saccharine, has a religious agenda, and sends a bad message to girls that they should all be little domestic homebodies.' claimed one reviewer.

Many others believe Little Women reteaches us our morals and the true meaning of Christmas. Alcott guides us through the perspective of a family coping with the financial and emotional strain of grief and having a loved one away at war, something that is unfortunately all too relatable today. However, it is quite astonishing how all the beauty of nature and minimalist living can influence a positive perception of the world. As the modern economy collapses and our sinking funds continue to.. well, sink, perhaps we should be taking inspiration from such a natural and delicate lifestyle.

Whilst a natural lifestyle sounds idyllic to some, our modern day is distorted with invasive technologies and social media. The controversial reality is that you're probably reading this on a screen right now. Whilst this is very beneficial for our small business and to stay connected with one another. The true meaning of Bookishly is to celebrate great authors, start a conversation and build a bookish community who love and appreciate one another. Inspired by the beloved March Sisters, talented author-to-be Jo, tragically frail Beth, wholesome Meg, and romantic, spoiled Amy, united in their devotion to each other and their struggles to survive in New England during the Civil War. We all carry different personalities and dreams, but nonetheless, our motivations to live a rich and wholesome life remains intact.

If your feeling inspired this Christmas by the gift of giving then check out our donate a book - Christmas Edition and nominate someone special who may be in need of a little pick-me-up.

Join the conversation! Do you believe Little Women is dated or the future? Let us know your thoughts in the comment below.

Donate a book - Christmas Edition.
Purchase a surprise classic book at a discounted rate and we will send it to someone that has let us know via our signup form that they're in need of a pick-me-up. We'll gift wrap it and add a bookmark too.