Little Women, Part 1 and Part 2, were written in 1868 and 1869 respectively. They were a fictionalized retelling of Louisa May Alcott's childhood and early adulthood. Little Women, Part 1 was what kick-started Alcott's career as a writer. They were so popular that publishers demanded a second volume immediately. However, the draft that she submitted had Jo remaining single (the end of part 1 was well before the Professor suggested marriage). This shocked publishers and they refused to print this version of Alcott's work. They demanded that Jo be married for the publication to continue, most people assumed (even today) that Jo would marry Laurie. Publishers and readers alike were shocked when Jo dismisses Laurie and instead marries the Professor. What followed were two other books that followed Jo's life into married life and her career thereafter. She never really forgave the public or the publishers as she angrily wrote in her journal. What readers got in the Part 2 and the following books was not the fierce Jo that Alcott had dreamed to create.