Shealy (English, Univ. of North Carolina; ed., Alcott in Her Own Time) uses Little Women's first edition (1868-69) for this heavily illustrated and annotated volume rather than the more prevalent amended version from the 1880s. His annotations are a means to further engage the lay reader as he grounds the text historically, biographically, and philosophically, providing a solid framework for a deeper, more enjoyable understanding of the novel. Readers can engage in the novel and his annotations simultaneously as the oversize format places notes in the wide margins of the text. VERDICT Although annotated editions of Little Women already exist (e.g., the 2004 Norton Critical Edition that Shealy cites several times), this one, in presentation and explication is not geared simply to scholars but is equally inviting to the general reader, breathing new life and relevance into an enduring American classic.-Audrey Snowden, Orrington P.L., ME (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

This handsomely produced and exhaustively annotated edition augments the 1868-69 Roberts Brothers edition of Little Women. The annotations indicate the linguistic changes in later editions of the novel and comment on significant contemporary events and the lives of the Alcott family and their literary acquaintances. Commentary supplied by Shealy (University of North Carolina at Charlotte), who has edited or coedited numerous other works about Louisa May Alcott, e.g., Alcott in Her Own Time (CH, Dec'05, 43-2024) and The Journals of Louisa May Alcott, (CH, Jan'90, 27-2554), includes pictures of the Alcott homes and Concord itself, as well as reproductions of well-known 19th- and 20th-century illustrations of the novel. These selections, presented along with scenes from films, help to reveal the story's impact upon many generations of readers. Richly presented, this Harvard Belknap edition offers a multifaceted picture of American life to academic and general audiences. It also makes a fine gift book for fans of Louisa May Alcott's classic. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers. J. J. Benardete formerly, Hunter College