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.
In reading through the large collection of letters and journal entries I have from Alcott family members, it occurred to me that with a few exceptions, the sisters did not disparage one another. This is remarkable since sibling rivalry and age differences can present many challenges. Since any show of anger was frowned upon in …
Continue reading "Sibling rivalry – did “Little Women” spur May on to success?"
I visited the Houghton Library in mid July and was greeted with the most wonderful surprise: Houghton is now granting permission to post the actual handwritten letters from the Alcott family! I can't tell you how excited I am to be able to share these letters with you! I have photographed probably over a hundred …
The Houghton Library at Harvard University has acquired the complete set of notes made by Henry David Thoreau as he visited the site of Margaret Fuller's drowning along with her husband and little son aboard the steamship Elizabeth. Here is a teaser from the article, published in the Harvard Gazette: A recent Houghton Library acquisition …
In my continuing research on Elizabeth Alcott, I find that letters by her mother offer the most poignant moments. I am already obsessed with Lizzie and Abba's comments act as gasoline on an already roaring fire. I'm told that obsession with a character will produce a good story; I sure hope so! I believe in …
Continue reading "Lizzie’s favorite hymn, perhaps the one sung at her funeral"
For the first time in my life, I have to courage to dream and dream big. My passion for Louisa May Alcott fuels it. And it’s led me on a thrill ride adventure that gets better every day.
Note: This is a post I wrote nearly a year ago, right after I started this blog. It talks about dreams, and I am happy to report that some of them are already coming true. It is especially sweet for me to read this and know I have been moving forward, confident of what I feel called to do. It took me over fifty years to become confident enough to take a chance and dream, and then work to make the dream come true.
I hope this post inspires you to chase after your dreams too.
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Recently I rediscovered early Barbra Streisand and her classic live album, “A Happening in Central Park.” As when I was a child, this performance…
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Work is progressing, albeit slowly, on my book project. I am enjoying all aspects of the process from the thinking and planning while I drive (I’m one of those crazies that talks to myself all the time), to the research, to the paragraphs percolating in my head, to the final writing. I’m falling more in …
What's your dream for the ultimate summer vacation? Is it a trip to a new and/or exotic place? Is it time all to yourself to do whatever you wish? How about both? That’s been my dream for many summers and this year, it came true. New and exotic places Back in June, our whole family …
Continue reading "The vacation of my dreams: 3 days with Louisa May Alcott"
In conjunction with an exhibit at the Houghton Library at Harvard University entitled Louisa May Alcott: Family Life & Publishing Ventures, Alcott scholars Daniel Shealy and Joel Myerson contributed a post to Houghton's blog called "You've Got Mail" (highlighting various letters from Houghton's vast collection) regarding a sequel to Little Women. Here's a tease. Be …
Louisa May Alcott is My Passion 