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.
Author: susanwbailey
My name is Susan Bailey and I find the life of Louisa May Alcott endlessly fascinating. I come from New England (specifically Massachusetts) and my family has been here in one form or another since the 1630ā²s. I live fairly close to Concord, MA where Orchard House, the homestead of the Alcotts, is located, and visit often. Every few years or so I go on a reading ābingeā about Louisa and this time around was so good, I just had to start a blog about my passion. The binge, by the way, still goes on!
Iāve been happily married for over 30 years and my husband is a deacon in the Melkite Church (Eastern Catholic ā I am Roman Catholic). We are proud parents of a grown son and daughter.
Iāve worked happily for the last 17 years at Rutledge Properties in Wellesley, MA, supporting the agents in the office.
And in my āother life,ā Iāve performed, written and recorded music exploring my Catholic faith. I have a website (www.susanbailey.net) where you can hear samples and find out more about this. I sing at various masses at my home parish of St. Luke the Evangelist in Westboro, MA.
Other interests include history (especially photographic), nature (especially bird watching), and I have the same āinordinate love of catsā that Louisa had. :-)
As a follow-up to American Bloomsbury, and in an effort to continue to build on knowledge of life in New England for women in the 19th century, I've started reading Mr. Emersonās Wife by Amy Belding Brown, at the advice of a friend (good advice!). This is a beautifully written book that attempts to fill …
BethĀ "Little Women" (1868) Louisa May Alcott Photography by Jennifer - re enactment - January 2008 Black and white silver film, hand developed, limited to 100. "There are many Beths in the world, shy and quiet, sitting in corners till needed, and living for others so cheerfully that no one sees the sacrifices till …
The Boston Globeās āGlobe Westā section featured a front page article on Orchard Houseās 100th year celebration (see the official Orchard House site for details). When Louisa May Alcottās hyacinth bloomed pink one spring day in 1868, she considered the flower a ātrue prophetāā of good things to come. That same day she received $100 …
Quick question: I saw this on the following page http://theloopny.com/2011/03/10/march-happenings-furniture-drive-a-judge-and-a-sculpture/ Harriet Hosmer (1830ā1908) was regarded as the nationās most prominent woman sculptor and was seen as instrumental in promoting women in the field of sculpture.Ā After moving from Boston to Rome in 1852, she was, according to Culkin, the only American woman sculptor working in …
The Orchard House is not complete without a good old Christmas photograph. This is the first photograph my camera and I ever took of The Orchard House and I happen to adore this on as well. The black and white silver film did it's "magic" as love to say - snowflakes on the wooden fence, …
Jenniferās comments: Here she is, Louisa May Alcott re-enactment. The furnishings are all copies of what is found in The Orchard House today. The lace on dresses collar is from the 1860's. Hitchcock desk chair:Ā 1830's; Secretary:Ā 1830"s; Desk:Ā 1840's; The staging room:Ā 1740's; The book:Ā "Flowers and Fables" (1854); The model, a beautiful young …
I had the pleasure of meeting a wonderful local photographer, Jennifer Bernard, who has taken her love of Louisa May Alcott and translated it into a series of beautiful black and white photographs recreating scenes from Little Women. Over the next 4 days I will present a large representation of each photo with comments from …
I know I said I would not finish American Bloomsbury but I really do enjoy Susan Cheever's writing style despite the problems her books pose. This is the second non-fiction book I've read by Cheever and it's frustrating that her work is so uneven. She is either utterly brilliant or totally inane. Despite several factual …
In May of 1868, a publisher asked an author to write a book specifically targeted "for girls." His plan was twofold: to capitalize on this up-and-coming author's growing popularity, and to capture a corner of a brand new genre of children's literature. The author begrudgingly obliged, and ended up producing one of the best selling, …
I suppose if I'm going to be so long in reading Little Women , I might as well be long in seeing the film too! My lovely husband, keenly aware of my interest, set the DVR to tape Little Women on the Oprah Winfrey Network so I could watch it (awfully nice, thanks Rich!). I …