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.
This an amazing post from one of our readers, a young educator who spoke for the first time at the Summer Conversational Series this summer. She certainly made me rethink "Dead Poet's Society," one of my favorite movies.
My thanks again to Kristi Martin for sharing her notes and her photos with this site. Kristina West's presentation highlighted the educational work of Bronson Alcott and his role as arguably the father of modern child psychology. This is one workshop I wish I had not missed. West’s careful study of Bronson serves to redeem him …
Ever long to go to school as a child in a one-room schoolhouse? Sound romantic? The school of Bronson Alcott's childhood Madelon Bedell in The Alcotts: Biography of a Family described the nature of school in the days of Bronson’s childhood (early 1800s in Connecticut). If you were a child, would you want to be where: …
Continue reading "The reality of the one-room schoolhouse makes Bronson Alcott look pretty good …"
Uncle Alec affected big changes in Rose’s life as chapters 7 and 8 of Eight Cousins demonstrate.Joy lackingEarly in the book, there were several reasons why Rose was a timid, teary child (the untimely death of her dear father, too many “cooks in the kitchen” with all her aunts, etc.). Much of the joy had been …
From time to time I have posted about Bronson Alcott, mainly from my reading of Eden’s Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father by John Matteson. I had been wanting to find a simpler explanation of Bronson's educational reforms; they were considered quite radical in his day but over time became incorporated …
Continue reading "What were Bronson Alcott’s educational reforms? Here’s a simpler approach"
Since a children's biography (The Story of Louisa May Alcott by Joan Howard) introduced me to Louisa, I have a special fondness for children's books on the subject. During a recent trip to the Worcester Public Library, I discovered Louisa May Alcott Her Girlhood Diary, edited by Cary Ryan with illustrations by Mark Graham. It …
Continue reading "Book Review: Louisa May Alcott Her Girlhood Diary"
Part 4 of a series on Bronson Alcott: his rise, fall and redemption, based on reflections from John Matteson’s biography Eden’s Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father If you want to refresh your memory on previous posts in this series, here are the links: Read Part One here Read Part Two here …
Part 3 of a series on Bronson Alcott: his rise, fall and redemption, based on reflections from John Matteson's biography Eden’s Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father If you want to refresh your memory on previous posts in this series, here are the links: Read Part One here Read Part Two here …
How did a remote and poor farm boy evolve into a visionary educator? This is one of the great questions regarding Bronson Alcott for which I wanted answers. John Matteson in Eden’s Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father provides some interesting insight. In the beginning In the first chapter Matteson traces …
Continue reading "Finding his mission: Bronson Alcott, part 2 (reflections on Eden’s Outcasts)"
Louisa May Alcott is My Passion 