This book is based on the Louisa May Alcott classic "Little Women". The story revolves around Mr. March and his experiences during the Civil War. Very thought provoking. I found the Afterword and Conversation with the Author at the end of the book to be very helpful in understanding the authors interpretation of the characters.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I'm sending this book off to Flint, MI via Paperback Swap.

Received through paperbackswap - but I'm in Minnesota - so this book has been well read! I hadn't even noticed that it belonged to a BCer until I opened it to read it! halfway done and loving it.

I very much enjoyed this book. It's the story of Mr. March, the father of the girls in Little Women. While the classic book tells the story of a year in the life of the 4 girls and wife of a man who leaves them to become a chaplain in the Civil War, Brooks picks up the story of Mr. March, the chaplain and tells the tale of a year in his life during the war.

The Marches were a Massachusetts family, very forward thinking and eager to help the cause of slavery. Mr. March enlists as a 40 year old man, very aged for those days, with the knowledge that he will be doing his part as a preacher to help the union troops. His values and expectations are hit full force as he experiences the realities of war, the nastiness, the harshness, the ability to inflict pain, the hatred - that the war brings out in the best of people. His courage is put to the test on more than one occasion and as he writes to his family, he spares them of the miseries of war and of his own spirit.

One of the things that intrigued me was the fact that Mr. March was a vegetarian, indeed a vegan. Throughout the book I figured it was the author who was imposing some sort of hidden agenda into this character. Not until I read the afterword did I figure out that she had based his character on actual journals of Mr Alcott, Louisa May Alcott's father. And Mr. Alcott, did actually experiment with veganism. I wish I had read this beforehand, because rather than be a spoiler, it would have allowed me to marvel at the fact that such thought existed 150 years ago.

One other thing that brought this narrative close to home. My great great grandfather enlisted in Massachusetts army, as did his 2 sons. My GGF lied about his age to enlist. He enlisted at age 54 by giving the false age of 44 and lasted a year before being wounded in combat.

This one is going out as a short ray, but I'll leave it open in case anyone else would like to join:

1. Glade 1 <------ on its way here!
2. MaryZee

You guys know what to do!!

Sent out to Glade1 yesterday. Hope you enjoy it!!

Received in the mail yesterday. As soon as I finish my current read, I'll get on it. Thanks!

I liked this book very much. I had been afraid that I would need to be more conversant with Little Women in order to follow this story (I read Little Women many years ago and have only a vague memory of it - as a matter of fact, I think I didn't even finish it, but gave up after the heartbreak of Beth's death). Fortunately the story stands alone very well.

I love Geraldine Brooks's writing. Year of Wonders has been one of my favorites in recent years and I'm glad to see it wasn't just a "one-hit wonder." I have People of the Book on my TBR right now and am eager to read it.

Thank you for sharing this one, istop4books! I'm awaiting MaryZee's address and will send the book along soon.

Received this safely today. I'll read this soonishly and check back here to see if anyone else has been added.

Wonderful book. This is the 2nd of Brooks' books I've read; I read The Year of Wonders several years ago and highly recommend that one too.

I don't think I've read any books similar to this before, in that the author takes a character out of another author's work and develops a new story with them. (I've heard of authors doing this, just never read one before.) I think Brooks was very true to Alcott's characters, although we didn't see much of the girls in this one. This was truly Mr. March's (did we ever learn his given name?) story, his and Marmee's.

I've visited Harper's Ferry, WV before and heard about John Brown - I learned more about him here in this marvelous historical fiction. I think that's why historical fiction is one of my favorite genres - I always learn some interesting info while reading a good story.

I'll highly recommend this author now that I've read another of her books. I also have The People of the Book on Mt. TBR - I think I'll be looking forward to it even more. You know, I never finished reading Little Women years ago (I was probably about 11-12 when I read it over summer vacation). I got thru Book One, but never read Book Two. I had to go to the library to pick this one up today. (I don't remember the last time I checked a book out of the library, but I'm pretty sure it was before BC.)

Istop4books told me to pass this on however I want. I have a special release planned for it soon. Thanks for the great read, Fitzysmom and Istop4books!

Mailed off to Larkonapost on 8/25.

I can't decide if I'll try to read Little Women first or start this right away. Thank you for sending this to me MaryZee, I hope to find another reader for it when I finish it.

Wow I finally finished this. Finally got over the reading slump. I enjoyed the ending of this (last 100 pages or so) the most. Probably because I was finally able to focus on the story.

I think Brooks' characters are so well written. They are so flawed and unique. Occasionally I found myself rereading a sentence many times over because I enjoyed it so much.

I read a portion of Little Women before reading this. This book is a great contrast to the saccharin style in that book.

I wonder where this should go next?

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Not in a tree, but by the boat shack on a ledge.