Little Women is an outstanding achievement of nineteenth-century American literature, and the first children's novel written in the United States to have become an enduring classic. When it was first published in 1868, it became an instant bestseller. The book?s gentle lessons and charming story of four adventurous sisters coming of age in Civil War-era New England was originally written as a children?s book, but quickly captured the hearts and attention of readers of all ages. The portrayal of the strains and delights of family life is unsurpassed in literature of the time, and has a telling message for the modern world. Now part of the Canterbury Classics singles series, Little Women is a must-have addition to the libraries of all classic literature lovers.