Louisa May Alcott is My Passion
Begun in 2010, this blog offers analysis and reflection by Susan Bailey on the life, works and legacy of Louisa May Alcott and her family. Susan is an active member and supporter of the Louisa May Alcott Society, the Fruitlands Museum and Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House.
Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without the wonderful holiday programs at Orchard House! Here are their offerings: PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT IS FOR MEMBERS ONLY. Interact with Living History portrayers in the festively decorated house, enjoy seasonal refreshments and music, catch up with old friends -- or make new ones -- and shop our Museum Store …
Continue reading "Holiday programs at Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House"
A trip to the Book Bear in West Brookfield, MA never disappoints. A warehouse of antiques, rarities and just plain used books, The Book Bear has books on every subject imaginable. It's where I found the book on Nonquitt which showed rare photos of Louisa plus her summer house (now sadly destroyed by fire). It's …
From the Barnes and Noble collection of Christmas stories by Louisa May Alcott calledĀ Christmas Tales and Stories (edited byĀ Laura Ciolkowsk) comes a sweet tale with a lot of fodder between the lines for those of us well-acquainted with the life of Miss Alcott. "A Christmas Turkey, and How It Came" The premise is familiar: a …
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Louisa May Alcott had remarked in her journal that memories of her November 29th birthday were not always happy ones. The gift of self-denial Thereās the famous story of birthday number 3, celebrated at her fatherās Temple School where, in the end, she had to deny herself her own birthday treat and give it to …
Continue reading "Happy birthday! Bronson Alcott at 216, Louisa at 183"
This ran in 2011 and captures Thanksgiving perfectly. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
One of Abigail Alcottās best friends was author and abolitionist Lydia Maria Child. A successful childrenās author in the mid 1800s, Child is best known for a poem about Thanksgiving, part of which is set to music: Here is an image from her three volume book called Flowers for Children, of the first few stanzas: …
Ever long to go to school as a child in a one-room schoolhouse? Sound romantic? The school of Bronson Alcott's childhood Madelon Bedell inĀ The Alcotts: Biography of a Family described the nature of school in the days of Bronsonās childhood (early 1800s in Connecticut). If you were a child, would you want to be where: …
Continue reading "The reality of the one-room schoolhouse makes Bronson Alcott look pretty good ā¦"
Bronson Alcott's favorite book of a lifetime was John Bunyon's The Pilgrim's Progress. He discovered it when he and his cousin William had begun to search through the homes of their neighbors for discarded books in order to create their own library. As a small child, tracing his letters in the sand on the floor,Ā …
Continue reading "Reading is a love affair. Just ask Bronson Alcott."
Reading Eve LaPlanteās duo biography on Abigail and Louisa in Marmee & Louisa: The Untold Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Mother, I kept seeing references to a little-known book about Abigail titled Transcendental Wife by Cynthia Barton, published in 1996. Having just finished the book, I can see why LaPlante and other Alcott …
Continue reading "Cynthia Barton’s Transcendental Wife on the life of Abigail Alcott a must read"
Over the past few weeks I wrote the longest piece I have ever written, over 6000 words. Life has been far too busy for my taste lately so I could only work on it in bits and pieces. I have my hour carved out first thing in the morning for writing, beginning with the first …
Louisa May Alcott is My Passion 