【編者按】古人云，三日不讀書，便覺言語無味，面目可憎。假期過到現在，是不是內心有些空虛？本期特刊為您介紹幾本“改變美國青少年人生的書籍”，看看哪些文學作品鑄就了今天的美國人，或許對我們的人生也會有所啟發。

1. Little Women《小婦人》1868年

作者：(美)路易莎·梅·奧爾科特

[梗概]

19世紀，在風景如畫的美國新英格蘭地區，父親馬奇去了戰場，而家里的四個女兒——假小子喬、美麗的梅格、敏感的貝思以及浪漫主義的艾美——正當妙齡。

In picturesque 19th-century New England of the US, the 4 March sisters - tomboyish Jo, beautiful Meg, fragile Beth, and romantic Amy - come of age while their father is off to war.

[簡評]

--我這本(《小婦人》)大概已有55年的歷史了，我看過至少25遍。這本書講述了一個家庭在特殊歷史時期通過特殊方式生存下來的故事。——讀者科里

My copy of this is probably 55 years old - I've probably read it at least 25 times. This is a story of a family that functioned in a particular way in a particular time. - Reader Corrie

--這本書棒極了。每個女孩都能在其中找到自己的影子。——讀者瑪莎

This book is so great. It has characters every girl could ever relate to. - Reader Martha

[精彩片段]

--"沒有禮物圣誕節怎么過？"喬躺在小地毯上咕噥。"貧窮真可怕！"梅格發出一聲嘆息，低頭望著身上的舊衣服。"有些女孩擁有榮華富貴，有些卻一無所有，我認為這不公平。"艾美鼻子輕輕一哼，難掩嫉妒之情。"但我們有父母姐妹，"坐在一角的貝思提出抗議。

"Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug. "It's so dreadful to be poor!" sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress. "I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all," added little Amy, with an injured sniff. "We've got Father and Mother, and each other," said Beth contentedly from her corner.

--"是的，喬。快樂的老處女勝過家庭怨婦，也勝過到處搜羅丈夫的不正經女人，"馬奇夫人用堅定的口吻說道。

"Right, Jo; better be happy old maids than unhappy wives, or unmaidenly girls, running about to find husbands," said Mrs March decidedly.