Write me at louisamayalcottismypassion@gmail.com and let’s talk!
Louisa May Alcott is My Passion
Analysis and reflection from someone endlessly fascinated with Louisa May Alcott. Member/supporter of Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House (including the Alcott International Circle) and the Louisa May Alcott Society.
I just finished reading “Hospital Sketches”….. I can’t tell you how much I loved it. I laughed straight through the first two chapters (where she described her journey to the hospital) and then cried through the hospital scenes…. Louisa’s writing is an enigma to me. How she can write with both dry humor and aching warmth at the same time baffles me.
Joe
Critics say this is when Louisa found her true voice, in realism. Hospital Sketches is a wonderful book filled with her sharp humor and poignant remembrances. I’ve stated a few times on this blog that some of her best writing is about death because she was not afraid to stare it straight in the eye and embrace the profound truths it reveals. Louisa’s writing gift was not so much artistry as it was a well-honed craft; she had an amazing ability to adapt to different genres. I would highly recommend that you read Madeleine Stern’s Louisa May Alcott A Biography – there’s a link to where you can find it on Amazon on the My Growing Library page of this blog. Glad you so enjoyed Hospital Sketches!
I haven’t read the Stern Bio yet, but it’s the next one. I’ve read “The Woman Behind Little Women” and “Eden’s Outcasts”– both of which were terrific (although neither of them made me think very highly of Bronson Alcott).
I doubt there will be any bio that will do that! At best, he is one complicated dude!
What if Beth March had lived? Read “Concord,” an e-book by Ginger Rapsus, available at Amazon.
We just visited the Fruitlands Museum and I am interested in sharing some more information about it with my kids. I found the book Becoming Little Women which I think would interest them but am curious what specifically it addresses in the book that you mention in your review as too current and adult. I’d appreciate any info you can provide.
I stumbled across a very cool book online last year. It’s called Little Women Letters From the House of Alcott and it’s a compilation of some of the Alcotts’ journal entries. The book was put together by Jessie Bonstelle and Marian De Forest.
Have you seen or read this book? It really let’s you see into their lives and minds. I don’t know of too many books featuring the Alcotts’ words other than those from Louisa May.
Anyway, I really enjoyed and I hope you enjoy it as well!
I have read that book and I love it! Were you able to read a hard copy or did you read it online? I loved all the illustrations in it – that’s one book I would love to add to my collection.
I wrote some posts about it – the first post is how I came upon this and other like books at the Worcester Public Library and the other two are about the Little Women Letters:
http://louisamayalcottismypassion.com/2012/01/13/getting-to-know-the-alcotts-through-neighbors-and-friends/
http://louisamayalcottismypassion.com/2012/01/17/intimate-letters/
http://louisamayalcottismypassion.com/2012/02/17/fleshing-out-anna-alcott-pratt/