In the footsteps of Louisa May Alcott in the Castelli Romani Part 2

Guest post by Lorraine Tosiello In March 1871, Louisa May Alcott, her sister May, and May’s friend Alice Bartlett spent two weeks in the hill towns south of Rome. Based in Albano Laziale, the women had access to the nearby lakes of Albano and Nemi, picturesque villages such as Frascati and Grottaferrata, gardens to walk …

In the footsteps of Louisa May Alcott in the Castelli Romani Part 1

Guest post by Lorraine Tosiello In March 1871, toward the end of their Grand Tour in Europe, Louisa May Alcott, her sister May, and May’s friend Alice Bartlett were ready to quit Rome. Alcott had suffered from neuralgia during a rainy winter and had seen the Eternal City through blue glasses. Her dislike of nobility, …

How did May Alcott Nieriker’s “Studying Art Abroad” influence American art students flocking to Europe?

I am pleased to present this guest post by Lisa Francesca who is currently researching Carlotta Norton Smith, an art editor in New York’s Gilded Age. May Alcott Nieriker’s guide, Studying Art Abroad: And How to Do It Cheaply (Roberts Brothers, 1879), reads like a confidential chat over tea with a wise and experienced friend. …

It’s here! “The Forgotten Alcott: Essays on the Artistic Legacy and Literary Life of May Alcott Nieriker” landed on my doorstep.

IMPORTANT UPDATE:  Please note that the book is currently unavailable for purchase due to errors on the part of the publisher. The editors are working closely with Routledge to correct this situation.  Once settled,  The Forgotten Alcott will be made available for purchase again. On behalf of the editors and fellow contributors, I apologize for …

It’s out! The first academic study of May Alcott Nieriker is now available.

Titled The Forgotten Alcott Essays on the Artistic Legacy and Literary Life of May Alcott Nieriker, This book is truly a labor of love and I am so grateful to our distinguished editors, Lauren Hehmyer and Azelina Flint for all of their hard work in bringing this book to life. The book is available through …

Another stab at fiction – Father, sisters and childhood from Lizzie’s point of view

The Littlest Woman: The Life and Legacy of Lizzie Alcott, the Real Beth March

This is a series of scenes that I wrote for fun a few years ago. Sometimes I wish I didn’t work so slowly! I hope I stay healthy long enough to write a novel as well as a biography. I really love taking Lizzie’s point of view and seeing life as I imagine it through her eyes. But I can always write scenes. 🙂

This is the first draft.

Memories of Father

My first memory was of his face. It was a kind face with blue eyes like still pools, and I could see myself in them. Such a sweet countenance, one I could look at from morning till night. It broke into a smile, and a quiet voice spoke my name: “Elizabeth.” My arms shot up in an instant, hoping he would lift me.  He granted my wish, and as I snuggled close to his chest, he looked into…

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Greta Gerwig’s Little Women: Will Amy March finally catch a break?

Smithsonian.com thinks so. Writer Erin Blakemore presents her hopes that Greta Gerwig's adaptation of Little Women will finally present a well-rounded and fair portrayal of the most maligned of the March sisters by borrowing from the rich life of May Alcott Nieriker. The New ‘Little Women’ May Finally Do Justice to Its Most Controversial Character …

1950 biopic of Louisa May Alcott

Thanks to Lorraine Tosiello for this great find -this 15 minute biopic is pretty good! It makes me wonder if it was made in conjunction with Madeleine B. Stern's biography of Louisa released in the same year. Judging from what it included in this film, it makes me thing there was some connection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMu2OPoXDsg&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1qW9Y-UieXTjLi1AY7CgL-Iqb4Kk62DAnqBswNxdIvEn2QYnfqYsyyt6I

“Let the World Know You Are Alive”: May Alcott Nieriker and Louisa May Alcott Confront Nineteenth-Century Ideas about Women’s Genius

I am pleased to share with you a wonderful essay about the professional lives of Louisa  May Alcott and May Alcott Nieriker written by Lauren Hehmeyer, a professor of History and English at Texarkana College. Professor Hehmeyer presented at the May Alcott conference in Paris in June of 2018 (see previous post) and is currently …

Meet the artist to whom May Alcott acted as mentor: Daniel Chester French

Before May Alcott left for Europe to study and become a professional artist, she gave lessons from a studio at Orchard House which her father Bronson made for her. A student of hers created one of the most iconic pieces of sculpture in America: One of his first commissioned works is in Concord: That artist …