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.
I am pleased to present a guest post by Julia Gordon-Bramer, a scholar of Sylvia Plath. This post is an excerpt from her upcoming book titled The Magician's Girl: the Mysticism of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes. Bramer writes, "It is my goal to teach the world more about Plath's transcendentalism, where it comes from, …
Continue reading "Reaching Across Generations of Women: Louisa May Alcott’s Impact on Sylvia Plath"
The 1930s was an interesting time in Alcott scholarship. The year 1932 marked the one hundredth year of Louisa’s birth. 1938 not only marked the 50th anniversary of Louisa and Bronson’s death but also the 70th anniversary of the publication of Little Women. Thus in 1937, two important biographies were released – Odell Shepherd’s Pedlar’s …
To Mother I hope that soon, dear mother, You and I may be In the quiet room my fancy Has so often made for thee, - The pleasant, sunny chamber, The cushioned easy-chair, The book laid for your reading, The vase of flowers fair; The desk beside the window Where the sun shines warm and …
Continue reading "Honoring our mothers on Mother’s Day as Louisa honored her Marmee"
Jo’s Boys is tinged with sadness. And wistfulness. Louisa worked on Jo’s Boys for seven years beginning in 1879, the year her youngest sister May died six weeks after bearing her daughter Lulu. Abba, known as “Marmee” had died in 1877. Laurie and Amy’s idyllic life Chapter Two, “Parnassus” has us visiting the palatial home …
Reading Eve LaPlante’s 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"
I just received my copy of Little Women An Annotated Edition, edited by Daniel Shealy and I was stunned by the beauty of the book! Don't be fooled by the cover - it doesn't begin to tell the story. This is a gorgeous oversized edition (9.6 x 9.3 x 2 inches) with an elegant choice …
As mentioned in a previous post, a new dual biography on Louisa and her mother is coming out in November called Marmee & Louisa: The Untold Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Mother by Eve LaPlante. LaPlante's website indicates that previously undiscovered private papers were found which form the basis of her book. These …
Continue reading "Companion volume to Marmee and Louisa includes newly discovered private writings"
Yet another new book is coming out about Louisa and this time it pairs her off with her mother. Marmee & Louisa: The Untold Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Mother by Eve LaPlante is due out November 6, 2012 according to Amazon.com. LaPlante reveals how Abigail May Alcott (Marmee) was the true force …
It feels like a lifetime since I started reading March by Geraldine Brooks a little over a month ago. Between this work and The Glory Cloak by Patricia O'Brien, my way of thinking has gone through a transformation. Fortunate, because otherwise, I never could have appreciated March. Opening the mind Historical fiction has proven to be …
You know how they say that behind every great man is a great woman? How about behind every great woman? In studying the life of Abba Alcott through the reading of Marmee, the Mother of Little Womenby Sandford Meddick Salyer, there indeed was a great woman behind Louisa May Alcott. She was a mother whose …
Continue reading "Abba Alcott’s contribution – behind every great woman stands a mother"
Louisa May Alcott is My Passion 