Podcast
The Ezra Klein Show
In the episode with Patti Smith, she recalled reading Little Women as a young writer and described Joe March as an early hero who embodied a tomboyish spirit and a desire to write. Smith highlighted how the novel inspired her own ambitions to become a writer, emphasizing the book's impact on her personal journey. The discussion presented Little Women as a formative and motivating work for aspiring writers.
Episode: Patti Smith on the One Desire That Lasts Forever
Joe March in this book served as an early hero for the speaker because she was a tomboyish girl who wanted to be a writer.
When I wanted to write, but really wasn't sure if I could ever write, reading Little Women, of course, Joe March was an early hero, a girl who wrote. A girl like me was sort of a tomboy who didn't like the fuss and feathers of being a girl and wanted to be a writer.