Louisa May Alcott’s spirituality, and her better self in Sylvia Yule

Finishing up chapter V in the 1864 version ofĀ  Moods ("The Golden Wedding"), I walked away with two thoughts, regarding Louisa's spirituality and her romanticized self in Sylvia Yule. Louisa May Alcott's Spirituality I want more than ever to write a longer treatise on the spirituality of Louisa May Alcott. Although she did not belong …

New promotional videos on Louisa May Alcott biography added to this site

Click on the Audio/Visual tab and scroll down to the VISUAL section where I've just posted a promotional video featuring Susan Cheever discussing her book, Louisa May Alcott A Personal Biography. She does a nice job of explaining the motivation behind the book and her feelings about Louisa being such a modern woman who can …

A brief lesson (for me) in editing

I admit it's a bit confusing reading both versions of Moods at the same time but it's sure been an eye-opener with regards to editing. As I sheepishly admitted in a reply to a comment from a recent post, I thought once a book was published that it was set in stone. ReadingĀ  Little Women …

How “Moods” is helping me to get to know Louisa May Alcott, and myself, better

Progressing through Moods, I can see that even though I love it, it may not be a book to suit everyone's tastes. Of all the current biographies (meaning in the last 30 years) that I've read or are reading on Louisa (Louisa May Alcott: A Modern Biography by Martha Saxton, Louisa May Alcott The Woman …

The eBook experience

Okay, I admit it! I was one of those purists who said I'd NEVER convert to eBook reading because I loved the tactile experience of holding a real book and turning the pages. And I still do. BUT . . . I am loving the eBook experience since I got my iTouch. Here's why: 1. …

Getting to know the principal characters in “Moods”

The 1882 version of Moods includes 3 interesting chapters which develop the principal characters of the novel and their interaction with each other. Geoffrey Moor Chapter 2 gives us a glimpse into Geoffrey Moor, based upon the loyal, lifelong friend of Bronson Alcott, and the Good Samaritan who quietly and discreetly helped the Alcott family …

“Moods” so far

Moods was Louisa May Alcott's first serious novel and her"baby," most likely the book that Jo referred to in Chapter 27 of Little Women, "Literary Lessons." Louisa describes Jo's writing process which likely mirrors her own. "Falling into a vortex," as she calls it, it's like Louisa/Jo steps into another dimension, oblivious to the outside …

Winona Ryder learns from “Little Women”

Here's an article of interest regarding the resurrection of Winona Ryder's career after her arrest and conviction. Before I give my opinion, how about I get yours? What did you think of this writer's take on Little Women and how the movie interpreted it?

“The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott” given honor by the ALA

I am pleased to report that Kelly O'Connor McNees' debut novel, The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, has been included on the American Library Association's Amelia Bloomer Project 2011 list of "well-written and well-illustrated books with significant feminist content." Her novel was listed in the category intended for young adults. You can read more …

Watch Harriet Reisen on CSPAN talk about her bio on Louisa May Alcott

Be sure and visit my Audio/Visual page and scroll down to "See the author, Harriet Reisen, onĀ  CSPAN discussing her book" to watch the video. It lasts a little over an hour but has many fascinating insights.