December 2024 read-along pick: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Because it's the epitome of a classic, cozy Christmas read

Is it a cliche to read Little Women at Christmastime?

Or maybe the better question to ask is: Have you ever experienced the masterpiece of Little Women at Christmastime?

This novel is a bit of an old friend to me—but not so old that I’ve read it multiple times. In fact, I’ve only read this beloved children’s classic once. And it’s one of the (many) novels I’ve picked up in my (likely life-long) search to read all the classics I can comprehend, knowing next to nothing about both the storyline and author.

The story of Little Women is just as approachable as the ahead-of-their-time March sisters themselves. From childhood castles in the air to marriage proposals and all the domestic drama that comes with them, this spirited tale juxtaposes the joys and sorrows of life beautifully. Love, poverty, forgiveness, family, grief, personal growth, sacrifice… it is all here.

The first time I read this book, I read it on my Kindle Paperwhite in the dark, long nights of nursing my firstborn. I was deep in the throws of first-time motherhood, grasping for some semblance of a rhythm. I was head-over-heels in love with my daughter and equally terrified of the depth of this love—and what it would require of me. And this lovely little novel met me right where I was.

What I found woven into Alcott’s simple, yet profound words were my own struggles and my own joys and my own fears. Here was a writer speaking directly to my heart, with both motherly ideals and mistakes tumbling together in a beautiful sort of symphony.

I will never forget how I wept in the dark at Marmee and Jo’s conversation about anger. Or how my heart ached with Amy for feeling like second-best. And how I saw myself in each of the four girls in one way or another, still struggling with a sense of self and what exactly it even means to be a woman.

“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”

- Louisa May Alcott, (Jo March) Little Women

Needless to say, this is a novel I will always cherish. And I look forward to the day I can read it with my daughter. We will find ourselves a beautiful, illustrated edition and watch the films. And we’ll laugh at how lively and outspoken the March family is, and take to heart the tender care they show their neighbors—for nothing can shake the image of the four young girls toting their Christmas morning breakfast feast through the backstreets and into the humble home of the poverty-stricken mother and her many children; “funny angels in hoods and mittens.”

This time around, I am reading the novel in conjunction with a collection of Alcott’s essays titled A Strange Life: Selected Essays of Louisa May Alcott. I expect they will shed light on both her life and fiction. I’ve become quite interested in Alcott herself and plan to make a pilgrimage of sorts to Orchard House in the spring. Alcott’s humor is particularly striking to me, especially after learning about the difficulties of her personal life and family dynamics.

“I've had a lot of troubles, so I write jolly tales.”

― Louisa May Alcott

As an aspiring fiction author, it’s encouraging to read about the ways in which Alcott’s novels (and even essays) blended fact and fiction; how some realities shine forth and others are distorted just so for the purpose of good storytelling. I believe this helps to take the pressure off to create something completely new and original. “Write what you know”, as it were—and then some.

I expect you’ll have no trouble getting a copy of this widely-known book if you choose to join me in having a March family Christmas. And should you read along, I’m going to need to know what March sister quote becomes your instant favorite.

I’ll leave you with one of mine, on resilience and overcoming challenges:

“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship."

-Louisa May Alcott, (Amy March) Little Women