8 h 20 minAudiobook12 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What if a grieving girl's new life begins with seven boy cousins and a doctor who questions every rule?
Thirteen-year-old Rose Campbell is rich, orphaned and unsure of her place among relatives she barely knows. At the Massachusetts home of her great aunts, Plenty and Peace, kindness comes with fussing and worry. Then her guardian, Uncle Alec, arrives with firm ideas about what she needs—and keeping her indoors is not part of his plan.
In Eight Cousins, Louisa May Alcott follows Rose through a year of family quarrels, friendship and growing confidence. Alec favours fresh air, useful work and plain food over tight clothes and medicine. Seven lively cousins bring their own troubles, while Phebe, an orphan working in the kitchen, becomes a close friend. Beneath the household bustle lies a question: how should a girl grow?
What you’ll discover
- A household full of contrasts Meet fussy aunts and cousins whose different tempers turn family life into lively company.
- Room to grow stronger Follow Rose outdoors as walks, rowing and riding challenge the sheltered life expected of her.
- A friendship beyond wealth Get to know Phebe, whose hard work and proud heart matter deeply to Rose.
- More than being ornamental Explore Alcott's question of whether girls should merely look pretty or learn useful things.
- Warmth with honest friction Enjoy a gentle story that makes room for mistakes, quarrels, humour and making up.
Is it for you?
This book suits readers who enjoy family stories, nineteenth century domestic life and young characters who grow up on the page. It is good for fans of Little Women. If you want fast plot and sharp suspense, its gentle pace and open lessons may feel slow.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Rose arrives among her aunts
- A guardian begins an experiment
- Seven cousins fill the house
- Fresh air, work and a stronger body
- Phebe, a friend from the kitchen
- Cousins make mistakes and Rose learns
- What the book says about girls
- Family, money and growing up
- How Alcott tells the story
Who’s who
- Rose CampbellA thirteen year old heiress, pale and shy after her father's death, who must learn to be strong and useful.
- Uncle AlecRose's guardian, a travelled doctor who believes health comes from fresh air, work and common sense, and who tries an experiment on her.
- Aunt PlentyOne of Rose's two great aunts, a kind and fussy woman who loves to feed and protect her niece.
- Aunt PeaceAunt Plenty's gentle sister, who worries easily and wants Rose kept safe and warm.
- PhebeA young orphan who works in the kitchen, with a lovely voice and a proud heart, and who becomes Rose's close friend.
- ArchieThe eldest of the cousins, steady and thoughtful, who acts as a sensible older brother to the rest.
- MacA quiet, bookish cousin who wears glasses and prefers study to games.
- CharlieA charming, vain cousin who likes to be seen as grown up and who worries his family.
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- Audiobook
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- 15-minute summary
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- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
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Les huit cousins
by Louisa May Alcott· 1875
An orphaned girl adjusts to life with seven boy cousins.
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Language: Français
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1 of 9
Rose arrives among her aunts
The story opens with Rose Campbell sitting in a quiet room, sad and alone. Her father has died, and she has been sent to the home of her great aunts, Plenty and Peace. Their house stands on a spot the family calls the Aunt Hill, because so many Campbell relatives live close by. Rose is thirteen, and she has no brothers or sisters.
The two aunts mean well, and their names suit them. Aunt Plenty loves to feed and fuss over people, and Aunt Peace is gentle and easily upset. They see Rose as a delicate flower that might fade at any moment. So they plan to give her remedies, keep her warm and indoors, and watch her every cough.
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The author
Louisa May Alcott
1832–1888 · American novelist
Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888) was an American novelist born in Germantown, Pennsylvania. She lived mainly in Massachusetts, including Boston and Concord. She wrote Little Women, published in two parts in 1868 and 1869, An Old-Fashioned Girl in 1870, Little Men in 1871, and Work: A Story of Experience in 1873.
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What is Eight Cousins about?
It tells of Rose Campbell, a thirteen year old orphan who goes to live with her family on the Aunt Hill. Her doctor guardian tries to make her strong, and she makes friends among her cousins.
Who are the eight cousins in Eight Cousins?
The title counts Rose and her seven boy cousins. They include Archie, Mac, Steve, Charlie, Will, Geordie and Jamie, each with a different temper and place in the family.
When was Eight Cousins written?
Louisa May Alcott published it in 1875. It is a work of fiction, but it reflects real ideas about girls' health, clothing and education that were debated in her day.
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