The Mysterious Key and What It Opened

Description

The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Fiction / General;

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Customer Reviews

Charming story.
It was a very fast read. Charming story but without too much depth, but I did enjoy it.

2010-02-23 | CiCi loves mysteries and thrillers (San Jacinto, CA, US) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 3

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Surprising Mystery from Louisa Alcott
This mystery story is not the type of writing usually associated with Louisa Alcott and I was delightfully surprised at the way she weaves clues into the story. You know a character or an event will somehow relate to the mystery, but there are several possible explanations for each event or character. I couldn't predict the ending, though it makes perfect sense when things are explained. What the mysterious key opens comes as a complete surprise and is a little shocking, especially for a story written in that time period. The story reads quickly, not bogged down by excessive description. Highly recommend it!

2010-02-08 (Iowa) | Helpful Votes: 6 | Rating: 5

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Pauline's Passion and Punishment

Description

The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Young women; Fiction / Classics; Fiction / Horror; Fiction / Romance / General; Fiction / Action

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Customer Reviews

Short story of 'Revenge and Punishment'
N , Seattle : well written, but none the less a morality play. Perhaps, the least interesting piece I have read of L. A. Alcott's to date. Still, this important as an example of her writing for the moral betterment of men and women.

2010-01-23 | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 2

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Under the Lilacs

Description

Under the Lilacs is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Louisa May Alcott is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Louisa May Alcott then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection.

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Customer Reviews

great service
Under the Lilacs was important to me because it replaced a favorite book from long ago. The one received is in great condition and must have been new! It was received in excelent condition and after only a few days from ordering.

2010-08-11 | lauramushkat (schenectady, ny) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

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Old-fashioned classic
Vignettes of nostalgic town life reminiscent of Tom Sawyer or the Five Little Peppers. We first meet Babs and Betty Moss at a dolls' tea party in which they discover the clever show dog Sancho foraging for his master Ben, a runaway from the circus. Ben's father had left the circus for a more promising job, intending to send for his son once he was settled. With his father's protection gone, Ben is harshly treated by the circus master and runs away.

Arriving soon after the runaways are Celia and her young brother Thornton, returning to their old home after being gone for years. Thorny is weak from a long illness and is wheelchair-ridden and crabby although he admits that Celia is "the best sister that ever was". She hires Ben to amuse her brother during his convalescence while allowing Babs and Betty, whose mother takes care of the premises, to continue to play house on the porch and path. The kids occupy themselves with botanical expeditions, ship-building, water wheels and other waterworks play, picnics, baseball and archery. Babs loses Sancho at a circus and Betty finds him again in pitiful shape after accompanying Thorny to the dentist. Celia breaks her arm after a fall from her horse and is rescued by Ben. He is gradually weaned away from the roving circus life although Celia invites the school to a splendid birthday party for him where he shows himself in his former circus glory as Cupid on a galloping horse. There is a little trouble with missing money and false accusations but Ben, who is honest and true, gradually endears himself to the two families. Several joyous unions and reunions take place at the end as well as one intended for the future, although in the midst of preparing for one, the incorrigible Babs almost burns down the house under the lilacs. The tone is quaint and old-fashioned but the simple pleasures of life shine through and Ben is both boy-like and engaging.

2010-07-19 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Nostalgia
Young people may find it corny, but older adults will delight in the adventures of a "lost boy" in a caring community (before social workers) and his adventures with the neighboring children. All the elements of old-fashioned story-telling: a crippled lad, a rich lady with horses, a day at the circus, the "stolen" money. This reprint has a lot of typos which, in a strange way, adds an authentic "feel" of the times.

2008-09-29 | Armchair traveler, (Harrisburg, Pa) | Helpful Votes: 6 | Rating: 5

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A real classic
Under the Lilacs is a wonderful story about a young boy and his dog. I loved all the adventures that the kids had. A must read for anybody who loved Little Woman.

2005-11-08 | Jen D (Ca.) | Helpful Votes: 3 | Rating: 5

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Juvenile yet complex
I enjoyed Under the Lilacs immensely. It is a wonderful story of children and how they mature. The characters at times seemed rather flat and uninteresting yet the story is a very fun one. It is full of laughter and tears and eventually a happy ending. I would recommend this book to people who have enjoyed Louisa May Alcott in the past or those who enjoy a relatively juvenile book yet will be able to understand references to relatively older literature.

2003-03-02 | Helpful Votes: 16 | Rating: 4

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On Picket Duty And Other Tales

Description

Sunshine streamed in through the one small window, where a caged bird was blithely singing, and a few flowers blossomed in the light. But blither than the bird's song, sweeter than the flowers, was the little voice and wan face of a child, who lay upon a bed placed where the warmest sunbeams fell.

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Jack and Jill

Description

Jack and Jill is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Louisa May Alcott is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Louisa May Alcott then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection.

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Customer Reviews

Alcott's books deserve proper editions!
I've long been a fan of the lesser Louisa May Alcott books and now my daughter has discovered them too. I was pleased to find Jack and Jill available in this handy paperback by an on-demand publisher. My seventh-grade daughter pounced on the book first, in great excitement. It was a bit deflating that there was no book-specific cover art or back cover material--it is a standard, rather ugly cover and the back text advertises the publisher itself. But I guess there's no arguing with that part. Far worse, my daughter found a minefield of typos in the first few pages, which proved very distracting. Then she found that about 1 1/2 pages from 3-4 were repeated verbatim on pages 5-6. She showed me both problems and she was absolutely right: the printing process had gone completely haywire. There was no reason to expect these issues were confined to the first few pages, and we had lost faith in the whole edition. Regretfully, we have sent the book back.

2009-11-15 (Plymouth, NH USA) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 1

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Child's rhyme and story
This has a sticky, preachy quality about it -too sweet. but although the beginning bears a resemblance to the rhyme, the story is for young adults and adults. No where as good as Little Women

2009-05-12 | ann4fun (Portland, OR) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 2

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LOVE this book.
I love this book. Took a star off for the typical Alcott preachiness. But I read it off the Gutenberg project and loved it so much I bought it off Amazon. It's so sweet. Storyline similar to What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge, girl is stubborn, injures herself (well and jack), may be paralysed, after a bit of preaching, she decides to be good and she eventually heals but is better for the lesson. Sounds boring, but the characters are interesting and sweet. And they're believable. Loved it.

2008-10-18 (WA, Australia) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Child Life in 1800s New England
While this is not my favorite Alcott novel, I still enjoy reading it as a portrait of the responsibilities and amusements of boys and girls in the 19th century. While Jack and Jill recuperate from their injuries sustained "coasting" on the "lulla," they mature and change, as do their friends, whose small projects to make their life better result in, if not in unimportant monetary wealth or fame, happier times to last them the rest of their lives.

2006-10-12 (Marietta, GA USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Enjoyable!
Alcott has the amazing knack of entertaining while educating at the same time and you don't know you've been given a good moral to digest until its too late. You've already read and thoroughly enjoyed the book! You never really feel patronized or preached to...this is perhaps second tier in her fine line of literature (for her) but absolutely first tier when looking for wholesome reads for your own children. I highly recommend it.

2005-10-05 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Louisa May Alcott's Christmas Treasury

Description

A publishing first - the first and only complete collection of all Louisa May Alcott's Christmas short stories and novellas.

Louisa May Alcott has been loved for generations of readers for her timeless stories like Little Women, Little Men, and Jo's Boys. Few authors have equaled her ability to bring characters to life in such a way that readers truly care for and believe in them-and are inspired to be like them.

Now for the first time, all of Alcott's known Christmas short stories and novellas have been gathered into a single exquisite collection, which is sure to brighten the holidays for book lovers.

Readers of all ages will cherish these fifteen enchanting tales filled with hope, sorrow, faith, joy, redemption, strength, and goodness.

Louisa May Alcott's Christmas Treasury is a wonderful gift for oneself or a loved one.

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Customer Reviews

Nice volume.
This is a lovely treasury of Louisa May Alcott's Christmas stories. It is exceptionally made.

2009-10-09 | HPS (New England) | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 5

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Christmas Stories
Arrived on time, in excellent condition. If you like Louisa May Alcott, this is a nice addition for your collection.

2009-05-24 | Helpful Votes: 3 | Rating: 5

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a must read every Christmas
A lovely, feel-good book that should be read around the fire on Christmas Eve, with children tucked in around you, and hot chocolate aplenty.

2008-02-24 (Indianapolis) | Helpful Votes: 7 | Rating: 5

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