Little Women By Alcott, Louisa May

A talented, ambitious, restless tomboy with a wild imagination, Jo bridles against ladylike conventions. She has no interest in becoming a lady; she will become a writer. Fortunately for Jo, her family supports her ambitions and understands her eccentricities. With their father serving as a chaplain in the Union Army and little money coming in, Jo and her three sisters work hard to help their mother keep the household afloat.

Rarely has a novel had as large an impact on society as Little Women, while generating virtually no controversy. Immensely popular from the day it was published, it struck a chord with generations of young American women, supporting traditional Protestant values while demonstrating that women could pursue their dreams freely without compromising their virtue.