Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Did You Know? Louisa May Alcott

After my fascinating conversation with Jo March yesterday, I thought it would be fun to go in search of some fun facts related to the author of Little Women, Louisa May Alcott. Here's what I was able to find out.


Did You Know...

  • Little Women was published in two volumes? The first, Little Women, was published in 1868, and the second, Little Wives, was published in 1869.
  • The book was one of the first novels to portray women as independent and strong-minded? It's views were decades ahead of its time.
  •  Little Women was popular with women of many different social backgrounds because there was something in there that everyone could relate to?
  • The book opened up a new market of young women and girl readers?
  • Growing up in New England, Louisa May Alcott and her family were transcendentalists? They rubbed elbows with folks like Emerson, Hawthorne, and Thoreau.
  • When she first started writing, she used the pen name of A.M. Barnard?
  • During the Civil War, she spent six weeks as a nurse in a field hospital in Washington?
  • The character of Jo is based on Louisa May Alcott?
  • While serving in the field hospital during the war, she contracted typhoid fever?
  • She died in 1888 at the age of 55, just two days after her father?

Interesting stuff, that. Now, here's the trailer from the 1994 film version of Little Women. I have to admit that I love this movie--there's so much great stuff going on, and it's very well done!


4 comments:

  1. I love the book and the movie. I learned a ton about the author here. Thanks for enlightening me! Imagine the conversations those writers had together! WOW!

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    1. Yes, what a great influence for someone just starting to write. Some authors led such fascinating lives! Thanks for reading!

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  2. Did you know that your Mother read "Little Women" 42 times between 3rd grade
    and 6th grade. It was my go-to book when the library was closed or I ran
    out of reading material!

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    1. Now that's something I never knew mom. Thanks for sharing!

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