Header PromotionI wish I'd never read it again - Little Women
I belong to a reading group, and this year we're reading American literature. Somebody suggested we re-read Little Women, and we all said, Oh, yes, yes please, 'cos we absolutely loved it when we were young.
What a mistake! I *loved* that book when I was eleven, had such happy memories of it, and now.... I found Marmee smug, Amy irritating, and Beth too good to be true. The only character I still liked was Jo, but oh how I wish I hadn't re-read it because now I've wrecked all my happy memories of the book. Any one else ever done that, and wished they hadn't?
Yes - I'm feeling that way about Jane Austen at the moment
and Gone With The Wind also had that effect
Hugs
Sadhbh
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I have
When I was in grade 5 (1959) a teacher read us the book, Girl of the Limberlost. (I think this is spelled right).I had such fond memories of that book. I found it a a hugh used book sale they have every year to raise money for our orchestra. I was so excited and so disappointed within the space of half a day. I don't know if the teacher edited out the prejudice in the book or if it never hit me when I was 11. The love of nature was still there but it was overshadowed by the hatred towards the Japanese. The book was written during the 40's. Also the premise of the book which had to do with collecting butterflies just didn't sit well with me at all. I guess sometimes you can't go back.
PS I have never read Little Woman. Someone I didn't like had a collector's copy of it and raved how much she liked it so I never read it. Petty kid wasn't I?
When I get a little money I buy books, and then if any is left I buy food and clothes..-- Erasmus
I guess sometimes you just can't go back
Kaelee, I think you've hit the nail right on the head. Maybe because I was young I didn't see the smugness. All I saw was a girl like me - Jo - who read all the time and so wanted to write books that would be published, but, oh, it was so disappointing, and I wish I'd kept my memories. Strangely enough, some of the women in my group still liked it, but an awful lot of us didn't. Maybe Life changes you, too, the things you've experienced, been through, but you can bet I'm only going to read modern books from now on
As for being petty.... Nah, you weren't petty. Now being petty would have been what I would have done - secretly trashed the book!
Secretly trashed the book
LOL I never thought of that.
When I get a little money I buy books, and then if any is left I buy food and clothes..-- Erasmus
This subject
This subject is very interesting, that got me thinking:
1. Those books were/are used as teaching materials or very popular at that time. Is it because at different age/time of a reader, the messages come across differently? Or, does that mean our values in life changes?
2. Would this happen to all fictions? Popular in certain era, but become controversy in later time? Or even, become popular again much later?
I was just pondering ...
.
Orchid
I think I always saw Marmee
I think I always saw Marmee as smug--she reminded me a lot of my own mum and my younger sister (the baby of the family) was truly irritating and one of my older sisters was sickly--had rheumatic fever twice--the second time affecting the valves in her heart. This sister was too good to be true and there were times when I wanted to smack her and tell her to develop a backbone--hmm, even her middle name is Elizabeth--LOL. Of course, I was the Jo character in the book. Funny, how two of my three daughters see themselves as Jo and they both see their middle sister as Beth (among other problems she has a congenital heart disorder and two other life threatening medical problems). My oldest sees her youngest sister as Amy and the youngest sees the oldest as a Jo/Meg combo. I think the ability for young female readers to be able to identify so strongly with one of the characters is the beauty of the book. Maybe, as adults we cannot relate very easily, but there are still some girls that 100+ years later, can still relate that makes this such a special book.
Nancy
Is it because at different age/time of a reader, the messages c
Good point there, and I think you're probably right. That at different stages of our lives we're looking for different things, and because of that books will touch us - or not touch us - in different ways. I remember reading 'Sunset Song' many years ago because I had to - it was a class book - and my best friend loved it, and I was like, Sorry, but I don't know what all the fuss is about. I read it again six years ago and cried buckets over it, so I think sometimes the time is just right for you to read something. Mind you, there are some books I have just *never* gotten into, and I've given up trying.
As to whether books can stand the test of time... I think some can, and oddly enough - given my experience with 'Little Women' - my niece, who is eleven, has just told me she read Little Women about six months ago and not only loved it but, like her Aunty, wanted to be Jo, too!
I've been "re-reading"
the Anne of Green Gables books in audio this year (no time to add to my print TBR) and enjoying it (not as much as reading with my eyes, but it's nice to be back with those friends.
As for the March family, well, I haven't re-visited them since I was a girl. They are available in audio. Wonder if I borrow them how I'll like them? Hmmm . . . I've thought about checking the audio out from the library, maybe I will, just to see.
Or maybe not, considering that I'm starting to get an audio TBLT (to be listened to), which I didn't have before.
Penn
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