And the moral of the story is?

Sometime last week I had wandered into a used book store in hopes of finding some "like new" copies of the Percy and the Olympian Series as I had borrowed them and did not own them. My plan of attack for used book stores always involves starting in the children's section, no matter what I'm looking for. Honestly even in retail book stores like Barnes and Noble and Borders I tend to start in the children's section first. It might have something to do with the nature of kids books, they just inspire a happiness in their simple story telling. Or maybe it has something to do with the years of teaching I did that I feel the need to stay up to date with what's what in the world of kid's stories? Whatever the reason, I know that in used book stores I like starting in the children's section because there nestled among the goosebumps that I never liked and the Baby sitter's club that I never read are some of my first friends in literature. Though my search for Percy books was unsuccessful, I did happen to stumble upon a book with friends I had been thinking about lately. I left the store with a two dollar copy of Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott, the last story in a series about the March Girls of Little Women.

I doubt many people of my generation read the sequel to Little Women, which was Little Men. But I would think even less had ever even heard of Jo's Boys. But when I first read the classic Little Women, I feel in love with the March Girls and the Laurence Boy from next door. I was thrilled to find out there was another story after the last page. Overcoming my disappointment at Jo refusing Laurie and somehow ending up with Mr. Bhaer (that I honestly still feel every time I watch the 1994 or 1949 movies, because who would ever say no to that adorable Christian Bale? or Peter Lawford?). I went on to read Little Men, here Louisa May Alcott gave me a house full of characters and I soon forgot how perfect I had thought Laurie was for Jo. After that read, I went on a search for the last book of the series and found it at one of the many libraries that I visited. I read the whole series only that once over a decade ago (maybe a bit longer) but its still one of my favorites. I finally purchased my own copy of Little Women sometime in high school, having chosen it as the subject for my junior term paper. After finishing that paper and having re-read the start of the adventures, I bought Little Men also. But I never really went looking for the last book though I had enjoyed the story, I couldn't remember being impressed.

Watching some episodes of the PAX mini series, Little Men, I caught myself thinking about that last book. I couldn't remember what had become of the youth of Plumfield, or the children of the March sisters. It was fate that brought me to discovering the not so beat up copy of Jo's Boys in that bookstore. I found myself just as enthralled as I re-read the last tale in one night. It is clear why I don't remember liking the last story as well because it was about the boys and children as young adults. My favorite characters were making life choices, getting married and choosing careers and finding purpose. It wasn't just a tale of funny antidotes of boys and girls, there was no coming of age that I could relate to in this novel like there had been in the first two. Because though the March girls had gotten married in the second part of Little Women, it was romantic and painted pretty. But in Jo's Boys the story was about being adults, being supported by the family but ultimately having to be independent. I read it this time seeing the value of the motherly figure that Jo has become, in my opinion so much greater that Marmee ever was. I see the struggle of Dan and Nat, I see the importance in the decisions of Emil and Franz. I hate to admit it but I was relieved when Tom stopped chasing Nan. But in the end I found myself enjoying the book more because I suddenly can relate to it more.

The other interesting point about these stories is their simple nature. There are sections of all of them that are preachy and lecture youth discreetly through the characters. But these tales were written over 100 years ago and still prove to be universal. Here was a series, originally four books ( I had a slight freak out about having missed a tale when I saw that there was once a Good Wives, but discovered that it had become the second part of Little Women) that wasn't taking the audience to an ultimate end point. Everything after Little Women was for the fans, to fuel a desire to know about the characters. These books were written like years of Christmas cards, a collection of updates on Jo, Meg, Amy and Laurie. There is no over-arching plot, no real obstacle besides self improvement that exists but there is something powerful within each story.

I was inspired and the creative process sparked as I let my characters and their emotions guide me in trying to set a beginning. Thank you Miss Louisa May Alcott for the years of updates on the Marchs that will more than likely always inspire me and make me smile.