Little Women
by Louisa May Alcott
English • Published 1868 • Public Domain • Free to stream
Little Women follows four sisters — practical Meg, headstrong Jo, gentle Beth, and ambitious Amy March — growing up in Massachusetts during the American Civil War while their father serves as a chaplain at the front. Written by Louisa May Alcott and first published in 1868, the novel is largely autobiographical, drawing on Alcott's own childhood. It is a story of poverty faced with dignity, of sisters who love and irritate each other in equal measure, of ambition, loss, and the question of what a woman's life should look like. Jo March — one of literature's great originals — dreams of being a writer at a time when that was not what girls were supposed to want. The book became an immediate bestseller and has never been out of print.
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About the book: Little Women
Little Women is a coming-of-age novel written by American novelist Louisa May Alcott, originally published in two volumes, in 1868 and 1869. The publisher Thomas Niles recommended that Alcott write a novel about girls that would have widespread appeal. Alcott resisted this initially, but her father also urged her to do so. Written in record time, the book was an immediate commercial and critical success.
The story follows the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—and details their passage from childhood to womanhood. The novel addresses major themes including domesticity, work, and true love, all of them interdependent and each necessary to the achievement of its heroine's individual identity. It combined elements from romantic children's fiction and sentimental novels, resulting in a totally new genre that offered the first vision of the All-American girl.
The book is loosely based on the lives of the author and her three sisters, making it an autobiographical or semi-autobiographical novel. Alcott set her novel in an imaginary Orchard House modelled on her residence of the same name, where she wrote the novel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Little Women free to listen to?
Yes, completely free to stream. No account, no subscription, no ads. It is in the public domain.
Who wrote Little Women?
Little Women was written by Louisa May Alcott, first published in 1868. The story is largely autobiographical, based on Alcott's childhood with her three sisters in Concord, Massachusetts.
Is Little Women in the public domain?
Yes, Little Women is in the public domain and free to read, share, and listen to worldwide.
How long is Little Women to listen to?
Little Women takes approximately 20 hours to listen to in full.
When was Little Women written?
Little Women was first published in 1868. It is now in the public domain and free to stream.
Who narrates Little Women?
Little Women uses AI multi-voice narration. Each character has a distinct voice — narrators, heroes, villains and supporting characters all sound different, making it easy to follow the story.
Can I download Little Women?
No download is needed. Little Women streams directly in your browser — no app, no account, no signup required. Just press play.
What genre is Little Women?
Little Women is classic literature. It is a classic work of literature now in the public domain.