Now to the post. This is my first ever post in the A-Z Challenge. What is the A-Z challenge?
From a-zchallenge.com:My theme, of course, is books, being that this is a book blog. I will focus on anything and everything having to do with books: authors, specific books, book types, characters, you name it. Today's focus is on Louisa May Alcott.
The brainchild of Arlee Bird, at Tossing It Out, the A to Z Challenges to post the letter of the alphabet every day during the month of April, with Sundays off for good behavior. We will start with A on Monday April 1st. Whether you go with a theme or freestyle, your post must match the letter of the alphabet for that day.
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Why do I like Louisa May Alcott? I have read three of her works: Little Women, Little Men, and Moods. I absolutely want to read more of her work, especially in the Little Women series. Her writing combines the best of children's literature with the best of regular/adult? (well, it's not adult content, but what else can you call it) literature. It's classic. It doesn't just have the label, it belongs to the label. Her characters are real. They don't always do what we want. We don't get the expected ending. We get the real ending. Her characters take control. That's what I like about her writing.
Ten Facts about Louisa May Alcott:
- Born November 29, 1832 in Germantown, PA which is now part of Philadelphia.
- The second of four daughters.
- Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson were family friends.
- Sometimes used the pen name A.M. Barnard.
- 1847, her family served as station masters on the Underground Railroad.
- 1854, her first work, Flower Fables, was published.
- 1878, her younger sister, May, married and had a daughter whom she named after Louisa.
- 1888, final published piece, A Garland for Girls.
- Died March 6, 1888 in Boston.
- Buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, MA.
Major Works of Louisa May Alcott:
- Flower Fables (1854)
- Hospital Sketches (1863)
- Moods (1864)
- Little Women (1868)
- An Old Fashioned Girl (1869)
- Little Men (1871)
- Aunt Jo's Scrap Bag (1872-1882)
- Work: A Story of Experience (1873)
- Eight Cousins (1875)
- A Modern Mephistopheles (1875)
- Rose In Bloom (1876)
- Under the Lilacs (1878)
- Jack and Jill: A Village Story (1880)
- Jo's Boys and How They Turned Out (1886)
- A Garland for Girls (1888)
The Literature Network: Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women
New World Encyclopedia: Louisa May Alcott
Wikipedia: Louisa May Alcott
Biography: Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House
Louisa May Alcott Biography and Notes
One Christmas when I was about nine, I think, I was given three copies of Little Women, all by different people. I was somewhat disgruntled with the book for a while because my sister gained three different books (especially as, at the time, I was far more into adventure stories) :). Most interesting post.
ReplyDeleteLittle Women is great, but I still would rather have three copies of three different books than three copies of Little Women.
DeleteLove your theme. I've only read Little Women, but now I'd really like to read the others she wrote as well.
ReplyDeleteMy Writing Blog
My Life Blog
I am sad to admit that I have not read any of her books. That can't be right. I Am sure I had, but looking over that list and on Wikipedia I realize I haven't.
ReplyDeleteHmm.
I am going to have to change that.
Looking forward to seeing what you do all month.
--
Tim Brannan
The Other Side and The Witch
Red Sonja: She-Devil with a Sword
The Freedom of Nonbelief
You should! Thank you!
DeleteI love Louisa May Alcott and enjoyed your post. I didn't know that her parents were station masters in the Underground Railroad. I would like to read up more on that. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome!
DeleteLittle Women was one of the first non-fantasy books I ever read. I loved it.
ReplyDelete