路易莎梅.奥尔科特(Louisa May Alcott,1832-1888),美国著名女作家,以写儿童读物闻名。其最著名的作品是1868年出版的小妇人,本书是以奥尔科特的童年经历为基础创作的,出版后打动了无数美国读者,尤其是女性读者,随后,一批以她早年经历为题材的作品相继问世,包括《墨守成规的姑娘》《小男儿》《乔的男孩们》。
目錄:
PART ONE
CHAPTER 1 PLAYING PILGRIMS
CHAPTER 2 A MERRY CHRISTMAS
CHAPTER 3 THE LAURENCE BOY
CHAPTER 4 BURDENS
CHAPTER 5 BEING NEIGHBORLY
CHAPTER 6 BETH FINDS THE PALACE BEAUTIFUL
CHAPTER 7 AMY’S VALLEY OF HUMILIATION
CHAPTER 8 JO MEETS APOLLYON
CHAPTER 9 MEG GOES TO VANITY FAIR
CHAPTER 10 THE P. C. AND P. O
CHAPTER 11 EXPERIMENTS
CHAPTER 12 CAMP LAURENCE
CHAPTER 13 CASTLES IN THE AIR
CHAPTER 14 SECRETS
CHAPTER 15 A TELEGRAM
CHAPTER 16 LETTERS
CHAPTER 17 LITTLE FAITHFUL
CHAPTER 18 DARK DAYS
CHAPTER 19 AMY’S WILL
CHAPTER 20 CONFIDENTIAL
CHAPTER 21 LAURIE MAKES MISCHIEF, AND JO MAKES PEACE
CHAPTER 22 PLEASANT MEADOWS
CHAPTER 23 AUNT MARCH SETTLES THE QUESTION
PART TWO
CHAPTER 24 GOSSIP
CHAPTER 25 THE FIRST WEDDING
CHAPTER 26 ARTISTIC ATTEMPTS
CHAPTER 27 LITERARY LESSONS
CHAPTER 28 DOMESTIC EXPERIENCES
CHAPTER 29 CALLS
CHAPTER 30 CONSEQUENCES
CHAPTER 31 OUR FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT
CHAPTER 32 TENDER TROUBLES
CHAPTER 33 JO’S JOURNAL
CHAPTER 34 A FRIEND
CHAPTER 35 HEARTACHE
CHAPTER 36 BETH’S SECRET
CHAPTER 37 NEW IMPRESSIONS
CHAPTER 38 ON THE SHELF
CHAPTER 39 LAZY LAURENCE
CHAPTER 40 THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW
CHAPTER 41 LEARNING TO FORGET
CHAPTER 42 ALL ALONE
CHAPTER 43 SURPRISES
CHAPTER 44 MY LORD AND LADY
CHAPTER 45 DAISY AND DEMI
CHAPTER 46 UNDER THE UMBRELLA
CHAPTER 47 HARVEST TIME
內容試閱:
“And yet your life is very different from the one you pictured so long ago. Do you remember our castles in the air?” asked Amy, smiling as she watched Laurie and John playing cricket with the boys.
“Dear fellows! It does my heart good to see them forget business and frolic for a day,” answered Jo, who now spoke in a maternal way of all mankind. “Yes, I remember, but the life I wanted then seems selfish,lonely, and cold to me now. I haven’t given up the hope that I may write a good book yet, but I can wait, and I’m sure it will be all the better for such experiences and illustrations as these.” And Jo pointed from the lively lads in the distance to her father, leaning on the Professor’s arm, as they walked to and fro in the sunshine, deep in one of the conversations which both enjoyed so much, and then to her mother, sitting enthroned among her daughters, with their children in her lap and at her feet, as if all found help and happiness in the face which never could grow old to them.
“My castle was the most nearly realized of all. I asked for splendid things, to be sure, but in my heart I knew I should be satisfied, if I had a little home, and John, and some dear children like these. I’ve got them all, thank God, and am the happiest woman in the world.” And Meg laid her hand on her tall boy’s head, with a face full of tender and devout content.
“My castle is very different from what I planned, but I would not alter it, though, like Jo, I don’t relinquish all my artistic hopes, or confine myself to helping others fulfill their dreams of beauty. I’ve begun to model a figure of baby, and Laurie says it is the best thing I’ve ever done. I think so, myself, and mean to do it in marble, so that, whatever happens, I may atleast keep the image of my little angel.”
As Amy spoke, a great tear dropped on the golden hair of the sleeping child in her arms, for her one well-beloved daughter was a frail little creature and the dread of losing her was the shadow over Amy’s sunshine. This cross was doing much for both father and mother, for one love and sorrow bound them closely together. Amy’s nature was growing sweeter, deeper, and more tender; Laurie was growing more serious, strong, and firm, and both were
learning that beauty, youth, good fortune, even love itself, cannot keep care and pain, loss and sorrow, from the most blessed for
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and sad and dreary.