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'm in trouble. There's an antique store right down the street from my house and already I've found two big thick books, one dated 1866 and the other, 1878. The bug of collecting antique books is beginning to take hold! As I read more and more about Louisa May Alcott, her family and her works, …
Continue reading "What was the 19th century equivalent of the Ladies Home Journal?"
(Disclaimer: Admittedly I've only just started pouring over Louisa's works, and I haven't yet ventured into her "blood and thunder" tales, so my comments here are limited to the later stage of her writing which proved to be the most successful). Louisa's genius I've often said that Louisa May Alcott's genius was twofold. She crafted …
Continue reading "Controversy wrapped in sentiment: Louisa May Alcott’s genius"
Better late than never, I finally finished An Old-Fashioned Girl! And I have lots to say about it through several posts in the next few days. I have already written a few posts about this book which you can find here. I have to admit that the book lost me somewhere in the middle, before …
Continue reading "A continuing discussion on An Old-Fashioned Girl"
It's interesting how the supposedly old-fashioned Polly is actually more modern than the sophisticated Fanny. That's if you think in 21st century terms. In the Shaw household, the acquisition of wealth and keeping up with fashion are both considered "sophisticated" and desirable, whereas purposefulness and little kindnesses are considered "old-fashioned." Yet, as Louisa May Alcott …
Continue reading "Was the “Old-Fashioned Girl” actually modern?"
In chapter 3 of An Old-Fashioned Girl, it's obvious that the newness of living the privileged city life has grown old for Polly: Polly soon found that she was in a new world, a world where the manners and customs were so different from the simple ways at home, that she felt like a stranger …
Continue reading "Polly finds the palace not so beautiful after all"
