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 am pleased to present this guest post by Richard Smith. Meeting Thoreau In March 1840, Bronson Alcott and his family moved to Concord, Massachusetts. Along with Bronson were his wife, Abigail May, and their three young daughters: nine-year-old Anna, seven-year-old Louisa, and Elizabeth, aged four. There would soon be a fourth daughter added to …
Continue reading "“Our Pan” — Henry Thoreau and the Alcotts"
I am pleased to present this article that was recently published in the Summer 2020 edition of Discover Concord magazine. You can find the article on page 44: https://issuu.com/discoverconcordma/docs/dcsummer20.full_book Here is a tease: "[Scholar Ray Angelo's] most recent project (which is ongoing) pinpoints as many of Henry David Thoreau's place names in Concord and Lincoln, …
Continue reading "“Following the footsteps of Thoreau,” featured in Discover Concord magazine"
Read the Boston Globe story about this discovery, first revealed on this blog. I am thrilled to be able to reveal, for the first time, previously unknown photos of Anna Alcott Pratt and John Bridge Pratt to you. Approached by local researcher I was recently contacted by Ray Angelo, an amateur botanist and former resident …
I recently tried a couple of the exercises in Corinne Hosfeld Smith's book, Henry David Thoreau for Kids--"Record Wild Animal Behavior" and "Draw a Sound Map." It was a wonderful time outdoors and I was surprised how much I heard! Here's my Sound Map: I wrote more about this on my other blog (Be as …
Continue reading "On the journey to harmony–Thoreau, the Sound Map and opening up the inner eye"
As promised, here is an extensive and fascinating interview with Corinne Hosfeld Smith, author of Henry David Thoreau for Kids (see previous post for review). I see that you became interested in Henry David Thoreau in high school, having read "Civil Disobedience" and Walden. What was it about Thoreau that attracted you? First of all, …
Continue reading "Talking with Corinne Hosfeld Smith, author of Henry David Thoreau for Kids"
Henry David Thoreau for Kids is geared towards children ages nine and up but I am going to review this book as one for adults as well. Abridged version of Thoreau Cutting right to the chase—I loved this book. As a perpetual student of Louisa May Alcott and as someone who appreciates nature, I have …
I am glad that I somehow got the idea from another blog that Mac and Rose did not get together. It pained me to see how Mac wooed her and she would not give in. When he shared his Thoreau essays with her and found them well received, it pained me again. So you can …
I came across two fascinating blog posts today that shed a new light on cherished Alcott/Concord lore. Thoreau and rocks First of all, the Thoreau Society is running an interview with author Robert M. Thorson where he reveals something entire new about Thoreau.. It was discovered during his research for his book, Walden’s Shore: Henry David …
Continue reading "Wayside, and Thoreau, as you’ve never seen them before; and some news"
The Journals of Bronson Alcott by Odell Shepard My rating: 5 of 5 stars I just finished reading The Journals of Bronson Alcott, edited by Odell Shepard. I was fascinated, stimulated and deeply moved. Let no one judge Bronson Alcott until they have done a thorough study of his life (which I have not yet …
Day Two of the Summer Conversational Series featured a fine array of speakers. Kristi Lynn Martin and Duty's Faithful Child Starting off the morning was Kristi Lynn Martin, a doctoral candidate at Boston University. Martin’s many years of experience as a tour guide at Concord’s finest historical homes (The Old Manse, “Bush” (aka the Emerson …
Louisa May Alcott is My Passion 