An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott

I first published this review on 2-19-2010.

I live in an old house - it was built in 1952 and it used to be a parsonage. Because of that the previous owners built on an office. Or as we call it "the study". That's the room my many books call home. This room is also where I have my computer and a very comfy easy chair that Jonathan says he's taking when he sets up housekeeping on his own. 

However, I do have a stack of "to read" books by my bed and in my living room I have 3 shelves on one side of my entertainment center with books. - Of course Jonathan keeps his books in his room and I have sewing/quilting books in the back bedroom where my sewing machine is. So - - -

Back to the living room - and my 3 shelves. The top 2 are 1st edition John Grisham Hardbacks. (more about those books another time!)

On the bottom shelf are books that have been favorites of mine in past years. As I began my serious (?) book collecting, I tried to collect books that have meant something to me or that were my particular favorites.

Today I want to look at "An Old Fashioned Girl" by Louisa May Alcott. It was originally  published in

1870. I have a 1947 World Publishing copy.  It's in very good shape and on the inside cover has my name Brenda Doane and Liberty School 1949 written beside $1.25 penciled in. My Mom bought this for me at a book sale at the country school by Orion, Oklahoma. (I wasn't born yet in 1949 - so don't get any ideas about my age!!)

I have always loved Little Women , Little Men and many of Alcott's other books but An Old Fashioned Girl is my favorite.

Polly was a country girl that went to the city to stay with friends for about 6 months. Then she returned to the city when she was older - giving piano lessons to help send her brother, Will to college.

I always enjoy books that "paint" cozy places to live and Polly's room in her boarding house sounds so cozy!

Just a very relaxing and fun book to read.

I did happen to look up some reviews about this book and had to chuckle at one written by a teen in 2004 when she said "The book is pretty good but I don't think Alcott has a given a true look at teenagers."

Hmmmm, could be 'cause it was written 140 years ago and times have changed a bit.

Oh, my, sometimes I really feel my age. (and again - I wasn't alive yet in 1949....)

Addendum: I don't live in that 1952 parsonage anymore - Jonathan didn't take that comfy chair with him. By the time he moved, he had worn it out!!