LIFE Little Women

That the newest film adaptation of Little Women got six 2020 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actress, seems in keeping with this beloved story. Ever since it was published more than 150 years ago, Louisa May Alcott's classic novel about the four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, has been revered and adored for its portrait of American life, its depiction of growing from adolescence into maturity, its exploration of the bonds among the siblings at the heart of the story, and its groundbreaking implication that the lives of girls and women are rich, complex, and powerful. Now, this special edition chronicles the long and nuanced history of the novel and celebrates the remarkable spirit of Alcott herself, a woman whose radical approach to life and equality was years ahead of her time. Explore her biography and the "rebellious spirit" that pervades the book. Consider the story's many adaptations that have kept her legacy at the heart of popular culture over the years, including Katharine Hepburn in 1933 and the new movie directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Saoirse Ronan. Let this special edition help you celebrate one of the most important novels in American literature.