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.
The day began with a conversation with the venerable, entertaining and much-loved Pultizer-prize-winning Alcott author and scholar John Matteson. He remarked on his good fortune to have this association with Orchard House and everyone present admitting that “I come here and I don’t feel worthy.” The kindness, goodness, and dedication that he feels every time …
This is the latest update from Orchard House on their long-awaited documentary: For a sneak peek at our Documentary, click to view a two-minute trailer. "We are thrilled to announce that, thanks to you, our Documentary donors, the film has been completed! It will be shown on public television stations nationwide this month, and will also …
Continue reading "Long-awaited Orchard House documentary to air on PBS this May"
2017 has been a banner year for Alcott fans (and more is promised in 2018 and 2019 as the 150th anniversary of the publication of Little Women looms). As a result it has also been quite the year for this blog! Especially within the last several months, the growth of readership has been extraordinary. I …
In a collaboration between the Louisa May Alcott Society and Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House, a new Facebook discussion group has been created. It is called Louisa May Alcott: A Group for Fans, Readers, & Scholars. I hope you will all join in on the discussion! Here's a tease as to what is available in …
Recently I took in a tour of Orchard House (I've lost count how many times I've toured this wonderful home) and learned some fascinating new information with regards to the renovations made to the house. Merging the main house with a cottage The tour guide disclosed information from the Fox family whose ancestors had owned …
Continue reading "You can never tour Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House too many times"
This is a wonderful tour of the places where Jo March and family members dwelled through the real-life Alcott family members. My thanks to the “Much Ado about Little Women” blog.
By Trix Wilkins
There is something intriguing about the history of a home – who designed it and why, what accomplishments occurred under its refuge, who might have met within its walls and what precious moments might have consequently transpired? This trail follows the homes from the life of Louisa May Alcott that appear to make cameo appearances in Little Women – from their humble homes in Concord to the Hancock family manor in Boston.
“In a suburb of the city…an old brown house, looking rather bare and shabby, robbed in of the vines that in summer covered its walls, and the flowers which then surrounded it.”
According to Louisa’s teacher, Henry David Thoreau, Hillside was haunted by one of its previous owners. Despite this, Louisa spent happy early teenage years here and it became one of the homes…
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“Noble Companions and Immortal Labors”*: The Alcotts, Thoreaus, and the Quest for Social Justice Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House SUMMER CONVERSATIONAL SERIES Sunday, July 16 – Thursday, July 20, 2017 Transcendental neighbors and thinkers Amos Bronson Alcott and Henry David Thoreau shared ideals and hopes for changing society. Ever interested in improving the world to …
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From Women and Health in America (first edition) there is this intriguing essay titled "What Ought to Be and What Was: Women’s Sexuality in the Nineteenth Century" by Carl N. Degler. Quoting Dr Charles Taylor, 1882— “It is not a matter of indifference whether a woman live a single or a married life … I …
Continue reading "Louisa May Alcott was not the only Alcott working off sexual energy"
From Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House: We are currently accepting proposals for our July 2016 Summer Conversational Series and Teacher Institute, Finding Beauty in the Humblest Things: Louisa May Alcott’s Literary Vision. Deadline for submission is February 15. Please include, with your one-page proposal, your title and a brief bio, and submit to ladams@louisamayalcott.org and …
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This past Sunday, November 8, a group of Alcott enthusiasts had the distinct pleasure of attending a book signing and reading with John Matteson, the editor of The Annotated Little Women at The Concord Bookstore. Surprise! As he was about to speak, we were greeted with a surprise guest, "Louisa" (aka Jan Turnquist) herself! She …
