Answers to the Little Women quiz; information needed on a late 19th-century British version of Little Women

Results of True/False Quiz I see some of you tried the True/False quiz of what was real and what was made up in Little Women. No one got 100% but you were very close! Here are the answers: Hannah the servant FALSE - The Alcotts could not afford any servants in those days The Christmas …

Continuing to trace the steps of Little Women: Madeleine B. Stern’s brilliant analysis, part three: Can you tell what’s real and what is made up?

Little Women  has been called autobiographical because Louisa May Alcott used so many episodes from her own childhood and that of her family to create the story. But where does fact end and fiction begin? Or does it even work like that? Stern says, “Fact was embedded in fiction, and a domestic novel begun in …

Unpublished Alcott Letters: Lizzie to her family from Swampscott, August 16, 1857 (and a cosmic coincidence)

Concord is not the only place where you can take a Little Women pilgrimage. Last week Sylvia (a friend I met through the Summer Conversational Series) and I visited Swampscott, a small community on the North Shore next to the city of Lynn. It was here in August of 1857 that Abigail took Elizabeth for a …

Greetings from the Beyond

You may recall the last post I wrote about Work: A Story of Experience where I reiterated the religious importance of this autobiographical novel by Louisa May Alcott.  I was moved by the consolation Christie Devon received as described in chapter 19, "Little Hearts-Ease." She heard husband David's "voice" as the breeze blew near his flute. …

New book: Little Women An Annotated Edition, edited by Daniel Shealy: it’s gorgeous!

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 …

Love this blog - Louisa May Alcatt - feminism in the form of a torti cat (the cat with the most 'tude!). Here the author shares the anniversary of Lizzie's death with a lovely tribute.

Do Louisa May Alcott’s didactic tales of fantasy have a place in children’s reading today?

Last December I had the opportunity to tour Orchard House during the Christmas season (see previous post, “A lovely holiday visit to Orchard House, capped off by some great finds!”). The theme of the period decorations was Louisa May Alcott’s “first born,” Flower Fables. To properly prepare for the tour, I decided to read this …

“The March Sisters at Christmas:” So, what did you think?

December 2017: This movie is now showing on TV. It would likely be featured on the Hallmark Channel but I've seen it on local stations as well. It is also available for purchase on Amazon. I went into this movie preparing to hate it. I don't watch Lifetime and am not a huge fan of …

Louisa continues to inspire me

Thanks to my involvement with Louisa May Alcott and this blog, the writer in me has reawakened. I wanted to share with you two guest posts that I wrote for a couple of spiritual blogs: On the Spiritual Travels blog -a review of a book that touched me deeply, A Child Lost in Flight On …

Beth March as a doll

I received a wonderful email from the mother of Amelie Lasker, the young actress who portrayed Beth March in the Concord Players' production of Little Women this past May (see past post for more on this play). She shared with me the sweet remembrance given to each March sister cast member, created by the costumers …