March

What Ever Happened with Mr. March, Father and Husband of the Little Women?

I loved reading this book, the key word here being "reading". It has been a long time since I have thoroughly enjoyed the process of reading, per se. I approached March with some trepidation, having previously read Geraldine Brooks' book, People of the Book, which I bought in hard cover, thus spending a chunk of change on it, and in the end was somewhat disappointed. March does not disappoint. It is the story of what happened to the father in Louisa May Alcott's classic Little Women. To enjoy this book, you don't need to have read Little Women, however, I've heard it said that in March, one can find echoes of Little Women. It is written in language, styled from its day, early 1860's, and at times it reads as poetry. The book is about the father's experiences in his position as a Chaplain in the Union army, positioned below the Mason-Dixon line. It moves between New England, where the family lives, and the places of war. There is no lack of demonstrating the savagery of war and the savagery of Slavery and racism. War is neither idealized, nor demonized in the book.

The author uses two techniques that I love to find in fiction. The first is mixing in real historical characters among her fictional ones (reminiscent of E.L. Doctorow's Ragtime and The Book of Daniel) so you feel you are getting to personally know them, in this case... Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson are neighbors of the March family. You get to see John Brown, the famous abolitionist who advocated insurrection as his means of ridding the country of slavery, as basically having tricked Dr. March into lending him a huge sum of money and consequently losing it all, which proved to be the financial downfall of March and his family. It is a very interesting interplay of fact and fiction. The other device, that I have always loved, is the use of letter writing as a means of moving the story along ( this for me is reminiscent of one of my all time favorite novels, A Woman of Independent Means, by Elizabeth Forsyth Hailey). It is in March's letters that some of the most beautiful descriptions and eloquent use of language can be found. Here is but one example...

"There was a little barge-ferry then, that would stop on request, at a jetty on the island's northern tip. I had alighted there on a whim and walked the mile and a half to the house whistling the song of the boatman who had poled the crossing. The white dogwoods were in flower all the way up the drive, and the air seemed viscous and honey-fragrant, unlike the mud-scent of a chill May morning on Spindle Hill."

I highly recommend this book.

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Astoundingly disappointing.

When I heard about the premise of this book--a novel about the father of the March Sisters from that perennial favorite 'Little Women'--I was tremendously excited. When that novel shortly thereafter received the Pulitzer, I rushed right out to get it from the library, even though I thought I would probably end up buying it. I'm so glad I didn't. I've been interested in Bronson Alcott and his community for some time, and was rabid to know how Brooks based Mr. March on him. My first problem with the book was this: in elementary school, I was a historical novel fan, and read a great many civil war books, and as I read I realized to my disappointment that there was nothing new in 'March.' I felt like I had read such similar happenings, such similar moral dilemmas before that I was left bewildered. My second problem was this: Brooks, apparently unable to write the character of Marmee as Louisa May Alcott created her, chose instead to make her into a completely different person, and one who I strongly disliked. I was left feeling like Brooks hadn't taken 'Little Women' itself very seriously, but had rather used it as a gimmick. All in all, I think there are many better books available, and urge you to read those.

4 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

Impacting Poetic Writing Style

Geraldine Brooks has written such a full and rich story in so small a book. I almost put it down after reading the first few pages because the writing was so descriptive that I felt as if I was amongst the wounded soldiers in the civil war (and I am very squeamish). I am glad that I pressed on though because the book was unique and enlightening. It tells the imagined story of Mr March of Alcott's Little Women. It is by no means an imitation of Alcott's style or content though. Brooks story is tragic, intense and 'real' in it's portrayal of the human condition. "March" examines the morality of the intellect alongside the passions and failings of human nature.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Not "my" Geraldine Brooks

I became infatuated with Brooks with "Book" and fell in love after reading "Year". "March" left me nonplussed. I think it is a topic not of interest to me, not her.

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

thoughtful and inventive

took Mr. March out of Little Women scenerio and gave him a life of his own. Brings the Cival War to life thru Mr. March in a different way. Also deals with racism and the ethos of slavery and how it relates to where we are today in our nation. quite inventive and insightful. A bit hard to read at first until you get used to the manner of the prose. But worth the read. Good for a book club.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I loved this book

Many other people have reviewed this book, so you do not need another plot summary. All I can say is --READ THIS BOOK. It is wonderful.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

March by Geraldine Brooks (Katie)

March by Geraldine Brooks takes us on a journey back in time, and into the middle of hell; the civil war where a brother may come to kill a brother. She begins with Mr. March's wonderful letters, being a compassionate man he writes to his wife often on his "lap desk" however, even though he is in the middle of a war, that is not entirely the picture he sends to her. For her he centers the conversation within his letter on the concept that his ink is in fact made of black berries. Instead of telling his wife of war he gives her "sweet words" showing us how his love can drive him to see only a little blood on the table of a butcher. Somehow he had to gain the strength to whisper a prayer so close into a young man's; a Childs ear, as the surgeons blade soon came down upon that part of him which could now only serve to be a Burdon.
This is not entirely a love story, not at all! But it is a story of war, and why people fight them; the freedom of that child who no longer has a mother to fight for him. Geraldine gives this child a true voice not educated in proper grammar; he is not allowed to learn it as a slave. She describes pain even in happy moments, the forbidden love, or ambition Mr. March has to educate those who are not lucky enough to know their ABC's, or perhaps are not allowed to know them. Mr. March did profoundly love his wife a conductor of the Underground Railroad and his love for her is no doubt a part of his ambition to go on this dreadful journey.
March by Geraldine Brooks is both a heart wrenching and inspiring story, it depicts Mr. March constantly surrounded by death or suffering "For as soon as a man lets his eye drop from the heavens to the horizon, he risks setting it on some scene of desolation." However Mr. March appears strong, though humanly so, he does not cease to inspire.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Not MY Mr.March!

While I can appreciate the author's desire to write a Civil War book from a unique angle, I feel Geraldine Brooks did not study her literary research carefully enough. I consider myself fairly knowledgeable about Louisa May Alcott, having read all of her works (Little Women repeatedly) and books concerning her life. Therefore, I approached Ms. Brooks' March with interest, seeking to find what Mr. March, the father of Little Women, might have done during his stint in the Civil War. From the first, though, I kept thinking: who is she writing about? Having Mr. March gush about his first meetings with Marmee (mentioning her gorgeous voice, although she never notably sang in Little Women) was too much. Suddenly Marmee had this wild temper and was politically involved in major issues of the day. Louisa May Alcott always presented Marmee in a light of quiet wisdom--yes, she told Jo she had had her own wild streak, but one had the feeling it had long been assimilated into a more constructive form. Ms. Brooks also seems to have borrowed heavily from Bronson Alcott (Louisa's actual father) for her portrayal of Mr. March. L.M Alcott, on the other hand, tempered the depiction of her Little Women's father with intelligence: Mr. March was a respected, wise man. But in Ms. Brooks' rendition, he seems to have been taken over by a demon striving for a best-seller.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Little Women for the grown-up

When a book is written about a family, the perspective change will inevitably create a vast change in the tale: how many of us could reflect accurately of the intimacy of another's marriage, while we could expound forever on the nuances of our own. Readers must be willing to make this shift--- Lest you overlook an intimate, wonderful story, and lose the chance to place yourself in those times for a moment or two. Unlike one review which cites Brooks as 'ruining' Marmee, I felt wholeheartedly that what Brooks provides the reader is a glimpse of the MOTHER as she feels within her own heart while 'Little Women' portrays her as she is seen BY her daughter. What woman would wish for her child to see or hear or observe her doubts about her marriage, her struggle for self-discipline, her moments of anguish, or even the mixed underlayment of the 'public' victories? At least none of us would wish for our child to witness them raw, only perhaps deduce a more subtle version of the effects of the 'tough times'. I felt that Brooks was honest to this difference of view point and NAILED the frequent misperceptions between the spouses, at times almost humorously. For those who like me are modestly sensitive to the legacy of MS Alcott, Brooks does, 'I feel', keep intact the faithfulness and steadfast NATURE of the characters. In the end they typically choose the noble way to act, even if you must 'forgive' them their humanness in their thoughts. I felt this novel reflects how many people have kept their marriages together across time, in tough times, and relayed a depth to the characters that could OFTEN be omitted due to carrying the plot as high priority. Here the character development WAS the plot. Well done.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Falls very short...

The premise of this book is amazing itself, but in Brooks' hands, it was ruined. Instead of writing a book as a continuation of Little Women, Brooks destroyed the characters I so love from the literary classic. Marmee is everything in March that she is not in Little Women Brooks would have done better to just create a new woman all together. There were several repetitive passages as well. I often felt like I had just read what I was reading. Frankly, Brooks promises much more than she delivers.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

The best

Of GB. Read it!!

Very good read -- recommended

I loved Little Women. In fact, I would go so far as to say it shaped my moral landscape as a child. So I read this book with great anticipation, and I will say that I feel that Brooks did an excellent job of portraying Mr. March. His voice completely fits in with the March family. My one criticism is her portrayal of Marmee. Although she explains her choices in the Afterword, I feel she overplayed her hand. That said, this is still most definitely a recommended read.

Great read!

I read one of her books last year and she quickly became one of my favorite authors. I love her characters, because despite being overall good people they are usually greatly flawed in some way, and they struggle to accept the mistakes they have made in their lives.

If you're going to ride the coattails of an American Classic, show a little respect to the author's efforts.

Although Brooks has a talent for description and tempo in general, the entire premise of this novel is, to me, arrogant.

If you're going to write a civil war story, use your own characters. Don't knock off of beloved characters from a book designed to create hope and courage by slinging it through the gutter.

Most of the characters I read in March were so dissimilar it made me feel ashamed that this book would ever be associated with Little Women. Pulitzer Prize or no, this author needs to grow a backbone and let a novel stand on it's own.

Deserves another Pulitzer.....Excellent

Beautifully written historical story of a familiar American family during and preceding the Civil War. Geraldine Brooks creates a wonderful window looking backward onto this time period and presents it like a beautiful poem. Very believable. I love the way she writes. I also thoroughly enjoyed reading "People of the Book" that she wrote later. Great author and great story teller.

Another Wonderful Book by Geraldine Brooks

Geraldine Brooks writes prose that is a delight to read. Her historical research in thorough, and she makes the characters come alive. This book is enjoyable even if the reader has read extensive material about the Civil War. The viewpoint of Mr. March as an abolitionist participating in the war with Union troops is quite unique. I highly recommend this book.

A reviewer

This was a fabulous take on some literary characters who were based on real folks! I loved that they weren't all sugary and sweet, patriotic but ignorant! They saw their situations and the situations of others in the harsh light of reality. Mr. March found that his high aspirations were unrealistic and had to adjust! Mrs. March was a strong woman and mother/wife who did the best she could with her situation. These were real people and not the unreal goody-goody characters of the children's classic. They grew older and wiser as they matured - just as, hopefully, we all will do!

A reviewer

This book is written as if the main characters are animals, and they would be surprised. Read it and see what I mean,.

A Wonderful Surprise

I had no idea what to expect when I was given this book, but by the end I was amazed. Brooks makes Mr. March into a realistic, remarkable character. The book reminds readers of the atrocity of war and the heartbreak it brings. Another unexpected delight was the presence of historical characters like Thoreau and Emerson. Highly recommended.

Read it before it won

Okay, so I know how to pick them. I read this book before it won and I was telling everyone the MUST read it. Those who didn't listen are now diving in--head first. I've read everything this guy has written, starting with RAGTIME and working my way up. It's all good, but MARCH is his best so far.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.