I read all of Louisa May Alcott's books as a child or young adult. I also read March by Geraldine Brooks, which is a book about the father of the little women and his experiences during the Civil War. So when LibraryThing offered this book for their Early Reviewer draw I put in a request and received it.

This book is subtitled "The Life of Louisa May Alcott" but it really is the story of the whole Alcott family. What I didn't realize until I read this biography is how much the family in Little Women was based upon the Alcott family. The major difference is that Bronson Alcott did not go away to fight in the Civil War but he was mostly absent leaving his family to fend for themselves. If theres a villain in this book it would probably be Bronson. As a gentleman he couldn't see himself working for others but he could never make enough money as a teacher or a speaker to support his family. This never seemed to really bother him and so it was up to Mrs. Alcott and later the two older girls to work. But of course they were also ill-suited for employment other than being a governess or a companion. Fortunately Louisa parlayed her writing ability into a very good lifelihood. The Alcott girls were blessed to have Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Nathaniel Hawthorne as close family friends which certainly gave them intellectual riches even if their material goods were lacking.

This book is aimed at ages 10 to 14 but personally I would offer it to the latter ages as there are some difficult concepts to take in. ( )

Synergy: Louisa May Alcott

Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888) is an American author best known for her novel Little Women. She worked to support her family from a young age and used pen names to publish her work. Based on her childhood experiences, Little Women was published in 1868 leading to several other novels.

Read the recently published biography for youth then learn more at the website.

SCRIBBLES, SORROWS, AND RUSSET LEATHER BOOTS by Liz Rosenberg tells the story of author Louisa May Alcott’s experiences living in nineteenth-century New England. Based on primary sources including journals and letters, the well-researched biography covers her entire life including her efforts with reform movements and caring for her family.

Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House website contains a photo gallery and information about the home where Alcott wrote Little Women. It also contains biographical sketches of the Alcott family members. The digital discovery section features audio, video, and educational resources.

To visit the website, go to https://louisamayalcott.org/

ARC courtesy of Candlewick, an imprint of Candlewick Press. ( )

A quick, albeit depressing, look at Louisa May Alcott's unconventional life. Prior to reading this biography I knew nothing about Louisa's life. I had of course read Little Women many times and count it as a childhood favorite, but that is where my association with the author ended. It was interesting to learn about how unique her upbringing was, and how that shaped her into the woman who would do anything for her family, even at the detriment to her own health and ambitions. Dirt poor from a young age, Louisa knew what it was like to want more. She vowed that when she was older she would become a successful writer and no one would ever want for anything again. She slowly started having short stories published and a few small books, but when Little Women hit the market, she finally found her fame and success. She modeled the March sisters after her and her three sisters and she of course was the spitfire, Jo. As she promised no one in her family lacked for anything and Louisa worked herself to the bone and to an early grave trying to maintain that promise. It's sad that she never really seemed to do much for herself. An enlightening read. ( )