Little Women
Little Women is Louisa May Alcott's coming-of-age novel, first published by Roberts Brothers of Boston, with the first volume on 30 September 1868 and the second in April 1869. Loosely based on Alcott's own family, it follows the four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy.
- Editions tracked
- 2
- First edition
- Roberts Bros, 1868
- First published
- Roberts Brothers, Boston, 1868
- Series
- March Trilogy
The first edition of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott was published in Boston by Roberts Bros in 1868. We track 2 editions.
Which edition do you have?
First edition
- 1st Roberts Bros1868 Hardback · March Trilogy 1 I own Little Women, Roberts Bros 1868 Log in to want this
Later and other editions
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
Adaptations
- Little Women film, 1917
- Little Women film, 1918
- Little Women film, 1933
- Little Women film, 1949
- Little Women television series, 1950
- Little Women television series, 1958
- Little Women television series, 1970
- Little Women television series, 1978
- Little Women film, 1994
- Little Women film, 2018
- Little Women film, 2019
- Little Women television series
Setting and characters
- Set in
- Massachusetts, London, Paris, Heidelberg, New York City, Nice (American Civil War, 1862)
- Characters
- Jo March, Meg March, Beth March, Amy March, Laurie, Aunt March, Marmee March, Mr. March
- Genre
- developmental novel, Bildungsroman, autobiography, realist novel
Read next
- Followed by
- Little Men: Life at Plumfield with Jo’s Boys
In print
- Editions recorded
- 1888 on Open Library, 1555 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 46 languages
- Free to read
- Project Gutenberg (out of copyright in the US)
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
Pictures of the book
Freely licensed pictures of the work. They are not necessarily the edition you hold: check the points on each edition's page.
More by Louisa May Alcott
Questions about Little Women
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Know what you are looking at
How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
Read the guide →6 min readBook Condition Grading: Fine to Poor Explained
Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of Little Women?
The first edition of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott was published in Boston by Roberts Bros in 1868.
How many editions of Little Women are there?
We track 2 editions of Little Women, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Has Little Women been adapted?
Yes, including Little Women (musical), Little Women (television series), Little Women (musical), according to Wikidata.
What should I read after Little Women?
In order, it is followed by Little Men: Life at Plumfield with Jo’s Boys, according to Wikidata.
Can I read Little Women for free?
Yes: the text is out of copyright in the United States and free to read on Project Gutenberg. Collectors still pay for the first edition, which is the physical object, not the words.
Where these facts come from
- Little Women, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- Alcott, Little Women, Christie's (christies.com.cn)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 17 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.