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 came and brought a couple of nice additions for my bookshelf collection. Delightful children's biography The first was Louisa The Life of Louisa May Alcott by Yona Zeldis McDonough. This is a juvenile biography with lively and colorful illustrations by Bethanne Anderson. The book presented a good overview of Louisa’s life; I was pleased …
Continue reading "Santa was good to me! Louisa gifts for Christmas"
This is a book that is long overdue. Anyone who has read Little Women and felt the overarching presence of Marmee (and the lack of presence of Mr. March) has to know just how important Louisa's mother was to her. Marmee was based on a living, breathing woman who was far more complex (and interesting) …
I realize it's been nearly a month since I posted and I wanted to let you know why. I am hip deep in reading. And it started with a field trip to Fruitlands in Harvard, MA. And it will end there too. After visiting Fruitlands, I wanted to read more about it. I ended up …
Here is a video I found of Susan Cheever discussing her book, Louisa May Alcott A Personal Biography: Click to Tweet & Share: Watch Susan Cheever discuss her book, Louisa May Alcott A Personal Biography http://wp.me/p125Rp-1eY Are you passionate about Louisa May Alcott too? Send an email to louisamayalcottismypassion@gmail.com to subscribe, and never miss a …
Continue reading "Susan Cheever discusses her biography on Louisa May Alcott"
The Wordy Birds site has a 28 minute interview with Harriet Reisen, author of Louisa May Alcott The Woman Behind Little Women that I found quite interesting. Their description reads: In a fresh, modern take on the remarkable Louisa May Alcott, Harriet Reisen’s vivid biography explores the author’s life in the context of her works, …
When I requested Lizzie’s diary at Houghton Library, I received a thick, bound volume full of many treasures. Some of those treasures included Anna’s childhood diaries. Anna is an engaging writer While Lizzie’s writings read more like lists, Anna’s read like little stories. Anna was very faithful about keeping her journal and lamented if she …
Continue reading "My 3 days with Louisa (conclusion): Windows into the past, and a lasting memento"
My last of three days with Louisa was spent in the most intimate fashion, buried in papers written by the hands of her sisters and father at the Houghton Library at Harvard Square in Cambridge. What is Houghton like? Unlike Harvard’s main library, the Grand Dame known as Widener, Houghton is the little sister tucked …
This was the day I was waiting for. Ever since I started reading Eden’s Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father, I have been dying to talk to John Matteson. His penetrating insights into Bronson and Louisa have forever changed the way I look at them (most especially Bronson). Unique understanding In …
Louisa May Alcott hated being famous. Or so she said. Stories abounded of how she often masqueraded as a maid before answering the door at Orchard House to discourage would-be fans. She knew that readers imagined her looking like the dashing young Jo with her two tails of chestnut hair flying behind her when in …
As a followup to yesterday's post about the wonderful conversation presented at Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House by Annie Leibovitz and Doris Kearns Goodwin, here is a report by the MetroWest Daily News on the opening of the exhibit, beginning with a teaser: Revealing a dramatic departure from her [Leibovitz's] meticulously staged portraits, the photographs …
Continue reading "Annie Leibovitz’s Pilgrimage exhibit opens at the Concord Museum"
Louisa May Alcott is My Passion 