Reviews for An old-fashioned girl

The average rating for An old-fashioned girl based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2012-08-21 00:00:00 Luis Granados chavez Holy sermonizing, Batman! This isn't just an old-fashioned story, it's an old-fashioned way to tell a story -- heavy-handed preachiness in which dear little Polly, daughter of a poor minister, inspires morality among wealthy Bostonians, pleases her elders with her goodness and simplicity, and spreads joy to everyone in her path. As subtle as a tornado. If you can get past the preaching, the story has its charms. It shares some sweet elements with Little Women -- a spirited American girl grows up poor but virtuous and eventually inspires her childhood playmate to exchange his foppishness for manliness. Hmm, sorry. That still sound kinda preachy and old-fashioned. Should I be embarrassed that it appeals to me? I also need to make a confession about Alcott's sermons -- as unpopular as this book would be to modern teens, I still will want my daughter to read it some day (preferably before she masters the eye roll). Alcott's social commentary, though 150 years old, is spot-on. In fact, not much has changed beyond fashion (snoods and bustles, anyone? some fetching muttonchop sleeves?). We still complain about kids growing up too fast and then acting bored and disaffected when they reach young adulthood. We still live in a society of gossip, back-stabbing, idleness, selfishness, waste and excess. Also, Alcott hits on a middle political ground that appeals to me. Nowadays, my Republican friends rail about how the poor need to suck it up and work harder and stop bleeding the system with their laziness. My Democrat friends point out that anyone who says this is completely out of touch with those outside their own social class, many of whom only lack opportunity. Alcott manages to balance both sides in a traditional, common-sense American approach: her idea of virtue is to work hard, to value independence, to be content with little; and yet she also sees virtue as generosity, providing charity (money, work, food/clothing) to those in need, fostering sympathetic and active awareness of and kindness toward those outside your social class. (Granted, Republican Friends, all her needy characters are willing to work hard and only lack opportunity. Still, in this big, imperfect world where greed and selfishness and laziness are not limited to any one class, I'd rather err on the side of mercy...) Similarly, Alcott's old-fashioned-sounding ideas of femininity initially sound abrasive but have an appeal. She celebrates marriage as equal yoking that capitalizes on the complementary natures of men and women. But, at the same time, she shows that an admirable woman is one who is confident, capable, self-sufficient, never simpering or false or overly delicate. Uh oh. Now who's sermonizing? Sorry. She started it.

Review # 2 was written on 2010-11-15 00:00:00 Brandy Moore I'm one of the biggest fans of Louisa May Alcott after reading her Little Women when I was in high school. It was an amazing book that every girls and boys would love and cherish until end and it was one of the greatest classics that I read since I started reading. This time, Louisa May Alcott turned the old pages of this book into a magnificent old-fashioned story. Real and fluent in a way that every reader will appreciate the old ways and life of Polly Milton. Me, myself is an old-fashioned. I lived in a rural area before, no high buildings, few population, more green and fresh air. Money and style were never been a priority of every citizen. We cherish every simple blessings that we receive. Until, I went to an urban city where money and stars are ready to explode and every people are trying to catch every piece of those shiny stone. A little poverty might not hurt ones interest if we just live in simple and with harmony. This is the welcome sign built nearby the boundary of my hometown with the strong green color and blue sky that made every people live with harmony with nature. If I'm not mistaken, the city had planted many trees last month to be recognize in the Guinness Book of Records. Only few appreciated life in simple way and one of them is Polly Milton. When she was 14 she was invited by her friend Franny Shaw and to live with life in the city. Unfortunately, she was a girl with simple dresses and manner like an old-fashioned woman. She was rejected by many friends and people she met because of her taste in fashion as well as her point of view to simple life. After the rejection, she went back to her hometown and continued her life as a provincial girl. After six years, she went back to Boston to help her brother Will to enter college by teaching music lesson to her students. But a great lost happened to the Shaw, as their business become bad and they have to live in small expense. The kids were forced to live with Polly and live with their small income. Because of her selflessness and sacrifice, the Shaw brothers and sisters changed as the days came by and the simplest love become the greatest power to conquer poverty. First illustrated pictures of Louisa May Alcott's book as drawn and published by Roberts Bros. in 1870. Left, Polly went to Boston again. Right, Tom went back to Polly's place when he succeed in looking a job in the West. Like any Louisa May Alcott books, she always recognized her characters as old-fashioned in a way that they are simple, although through this book she emphasized it clearly the advantage of living with small poverty. No excess money to be used and to be contented in small things. But I must say, that the contentment of men never end as it is a continues process. At least in the end, she unleash the true essence of being simple not only for girls but to everyone. Although, Alcott's romantic interest of her characters were not interesting like in her other books. Purely, it was well written in an old-fashioned that looses the essence of writing it romantically or maybe she's not really a romantic writer itself and consider the words that her characters said as to be well-chosen. Other problem with it was too short and slow-paced that few may get interest to read this book. Her interest of making girls to read her books were more distinguished since she used a strong female characters and extras as well as dictating female clothes and manners in her generation. Not recommended to male readers but more recommended to those girls who enjoyed reading classics, chic-lit and young adult novels, and to those guys who are curious to read this book. But I can't guarantee the reader's likeness because of its girly content. The city celebrated T'nalak Festival, a week long celebration to show case its town's beauty and culture by many forms of arts by street dancing, fashion walk and many more. The T'nalak Festival is celebrated starting July 18. A must visit festival every year! Review posted on Old-Fashioned Reader . Rating: An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott, 3 Sweets Challenges: Book #190 for 2011 Book #108 for Off the Shelf!