Wednesday Book Recommendation: October Booking It Update

I'm curious how many people who were Booking It in January are still Booking It? I thought that I might give it up mid-summer, but as it is, I've only missed one book/month from my original list and I may still be able to make it up before the end of the year. I managed to finish my October choice in record time and enjoyed every minute of it.

As you can tell from the picture, my book of choice for October is an extremely old copy of An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott. My brother-in-law, a fellow book lover, found this book who-knows-where and handed it over as an anniversary gift. Peter wasn't sure how this was a gift for both of us since it was our anniversary - but since he didn't have to buy the book for me, I guess it was the gift of saving his money! It has been sitting on various bookshelves since then and I have never managed to get around to reading it - until now! I don't know what took me so long as I love Alcott's other books (Little Women, Little Men, Jo's Boys, Good Wives, Eight Cousins, Rose in Bloom, and even her unusual novel, The Long, Fatal Love Chase).

General Overview: It's the story of a girl named Polly, who goes to visit friends for a few weeks. She is "old fashioned" in her manners, thoughts, and dress, but she has a wonderful influence on the people she meets. The first half of of the book is about her very first visit to the Shaw's house. The second half of the book takes place six years later, when Polly is a young woman who must make her own way in the world. Honestly, it's a typical Alcott story - and if you've read any of her books, then you'll know what I mean by that! Honest hardworking woman, cold cruel world, making the best of every situation and eventually turning down the wealthy gentleman in favor of the poor, but good, man.  The End. 

It's an easy book to read and if you haven't read any of L.M. Alcott's work, then this is as good a book to start with as any. The characters are charming (though sometimes tedious in their thick-headed-ness), it's easy to like Polly, and the story flows quickly. All in all I would give it two thumbs up - just don't go into it expecting something on the level of War and Peace.

I'm down to my last book (save the one that I missed in August), so for November I'll be reading Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman. I read this book in college for an English class and loved it - Postman nails this "amuse me" society. I can't wait to read it again (it has been 10 years since I read it the first time) and see if I still agree. Until then, Happy Reading! I'll link up to the next Booking It post over at Life as MOM when Jessica hosts.

Disclaimer: All links are part of the Amazon Associates program, but all opinions are my own.