Four Sisters (volumes 1 and 2) (Iwanami Shoten, Publishers. 1958)
*original title: “Little Women” *original first published in 1868
Author: Louisa May Alcott
Translator: Hisako Endo
They were incredibly interesting and fun.
I recall that I also found it very interesting when I was in the third grade of elementary school and borrowed a reddish-brown book, “Four Sisters”, published before WWII from a friend. I didn’t realize it was the same book as “Wakakusa Monogatari” in the school library.
Now I know that “Little Women” is the original title, and the Japanese title, “Four Sisters” is not the original either.
Another surprise is that I thought it was a British novel, but it was set in the United States.
I am also impressed by the use of the word “Yankee”. There is also a line that gives a glimpse of how the British viewed the emerging nation of America.
“American girls are very emotional, but when you get to know them, they are very nice people.”
Olcott’s Wikipedia page is very extensive, which suggests she has a lot of fans.
Indeed, Jo and her sisters, including Lauren, had strong personalities and were willing to take charge of their own lives, which might be exceptional at that time and encourage the girls of the time over the world.
(Finish reading: 2025.4.26)
