Name: Little Women and Little Wives
Brand: Moons Rare Books
SKU: little-women-and-little-wives
Availability: InStock

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Little Women and Little Wives

$227.50

Original: $650.00

-65%

Little Women and Little Wives—

$650.00

$227.50

Original: $650.00

-65%

Little Women and Little Wives—

$650.00

$227.50

The Story

6b Lousia May Alcott. London: Frederick Warne & Co., ca. 1894. Two Volumes

Notes

Little Women tells the cherished story of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—as they navigate the hardships and joys of life in Civil War-era Massachusetts. The narrative is continued in Little Wives, which was the common British title for the second part of the story, more famously known in America as Good Wives. This sequel picks up three years after the first book, following the sisters as they transition into adulthood, pursue careers, and face the complexities of love and marriage. Together, these volumes form a complete saga of family, sacrifice, and the enduring bond of sisterhood.

Louisa May Alcott drew heavily from her own family experiences in Concord, Massachusetts, to create the semi-autobiographical world of the Marches. Despite her portrayal of domestic warmth, Alcott’s own life was one of relentless work and financial pressure; she wrote the second part of Little Women at a "punishing pace" in just two months to satisfy eager readers. She was a fiercely independent woman who served as a nurse during the American Civil War and used her literary success to support her family, including her transcendentalist father, Amos Bronson Alcott. Though she is remembered as the "children’s friend," her legacy is also defined by her secret career writing "blood and thunder" thrillers under a pseudonym, revealing a darker and more turbulent creative voice.

The London editions published by Frederick Warne & Co. are significant for how they introduced Alcott’s work to the British public. In the late 19th century, UK publishers often split the story into two distinct books, frequently using the title Little Wives for the second half. These editions are prized today for their quintessential Victorian aesthetic, featuring ornate pictorial covers and patterned endpapers. Because these copies were often gifted and heavily read, finding one in good condition with bright gilt and intact hinges is a rarity, marking it as a beautiful artifact of Alcott’s global influence

Description

Bright red cloth binding with black and gilt lettering and illustrations over the boards and spines. Little Women has a slightly cocked spine and some loosening to the text block but remains fully intact. Little Wives has some shadowing to lower board and sun fading to spine and a book plate adhered to the interior cover dated 1894. Both volumes with softening to head and foot of spine. Very good condition overall.