“Pauline’s Passion and Punishment”

I'm currently reading chapter 6 in Susan Cheever's book, Louisa May Alcott A Personal Biography which focuses on the years of 1863-65 when Louisa would serve as a nurse in the Civil War, and taste her first literary successes. Louisa had been writing her "blood and thunder" tales to earn money for "the pathetic family" …

From Hillside to Thoreau to Irish Immigrants

I just finished the section in Louisa May Alcott A Personal Biography by Susan Cheever about the 3-1/2 years the Alcott Family spent at Hillside (must make a point of touring Hillside, now known as the Wayside, next summer). Cheever spent a couple of pages on Thoreau and how Louisa felt about him and it …

Catching up on Susan Cheever’s new biography on Louisa

At 257 pages, I would have thought that my read of Susan Cheever's Louisa May Alcott A Personal Biography would have been quick and easy. Not so, especially since I've adopted the habit of taking notes as I read! This reminds me of school. 🙂 But I can't tell you how many times I have …

Richard Francis unveils his new book on Fruitlands at the Concord Bookshop

Yet another new book on the Alcotts has been released, this one written by British scholar and professor Richard Francis. Entitled Fruitlands The Alcott Family and Their Search for Utopia, this book is destined to be the definitive work on the failed Fruitlands experiment conducted by Bronson Alcott (with wife and daughters including young Louisa), …

Meeting author Susan Cheever at book signing

I had the pleasure of meeting Susan Cheever, author of the newest biography on Louisa, Louisa May Alcott A Personal Biography. Susan is doing a book tour mostly on the East Coast, and came to Tatnuck's in Westborough, MA on Saturday, Nov. 13. Speaking to Alcott enthusiasts and burgeoning writers, Susan first spoke about the …

Quick preview of Susan Cheever’s new bio on Louisa May Alcott

I’m here at Barnes and Noble, killing time before I have to attend a work event (some of us are representing our real estate firm, Rutledge Properties (in Wellesley, MA), in a town-wide spelling bee – goodness, I hope we last at least one round! ). I figured I would see if Susan Cheever’s book, …

Book review: Louisa May Alcott The Woman Behind Little Women by Harriet Reisen

I just finished reading Harriet Reisen's book (which I bought for myself), Louisa May Alcott, the Woman Behind Little Women and already wishing I could turn back the clock and read it all over again. It's been a wonderful companion this past month. Having read several biographies on Louisa May, I wondered if I could …