About The Author
Louisa May Alcott was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania on November 29, 1832. She moved to Boston where her father became a teacher. Her father opened a school called Temple School. Three years later, in 1855, her first book, Flower Fables was published. At this point, the Alcott family moved to Walpole, New Hampshire but Louisa stayed on in Boston to further her literary career. Tragedy struck the family in 1856 when the third daughter, Lizzie, contracted scarlet fever. Lizzie would recover for the time being but her illness forced the Alcott's back to Concord where Emerson purchased Orchard House for the family. Lizzie's sickness returned and she passed away on March 14. Yet happiness was soon to follow as Anna, the oldest announced that she was to be married. Anna's wedding and Lizzie's death forced Louisa to return to Concord house in 1857. She wished to help comfort her mother during this time and try to help alleviate the lose of two daughters. Louisa saw that her loving heart was need by more than just her family and she headed for Washington, DC. in 1862 to serve as a Civil War Nurse. Like many other nurses, Louisa contracted typhoid fever and although she recovered, she would suffer the poisoning effects of mercury (the doctors at the time had used calomel, a drug laden with mercury to cure typhoid) for the rest of her life. Her stay in Washington prompted Louisa to write Hospital Sketches which was published in 1863 followed by Moods in 1864. At this point Louisa's publisher, Thomas Niles, told her that he wanted "a girls story" from her. Having spent her life with three of the most interesting girls, Louisa wrote furiously for two and a half months and produced Little Women based on her own experiences growing up as a young women with three other sisters. The novel, published September 30, 1868, was an instant success and sold more than 2,000 copies immediately. In fact the country was so taken with Louisa's story that her publisher begged for a second volume. April 14, 1869 saw the release of the second volume with a response of more than 13,000 copies being sold immediately. Alcott's story of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy had launched her into stardom and helped to alleviate the family's financial problems. Louisa followed up her success with Old Fashioned Girl in 1870.
Needing a break, Louisa and her youngest sister May headed off to Europe in 1870. The next few years, however, saw Alcott's career grow and grow as book after book was published and enjoyed by a huge audience of young readers. Little Men was published in 1871 followed by Work in 1873, Eight Cousins in 1874, and Rose in Bloom in 1876. During this time, Alcott became active in the women's suffrage movement, writing for "The Woman's Journal" and canvassing door to door trying to encourage women to register to vote. In 1879 Alcott became the first woman in Concord to register to vote in the village's school committee election. Unfortunately, Abba's health was failing and she passed in November of 1877.Yet sorrow was not to last long in the Alcott family as May announced her marriage to a wealthy European in 1878. May gave birth the following year, November 8, 1879 to Louisa May Nieriker. Sadly complications arose, and May died December 29th of the same year. Her dying wish was for Louisa to care for her namesake, Lulu. In 1880 Lulu moved to Boston with Louisa and helped to bring joy and fulfillment to Alcott's life. In 1885 Louisa moved what remained of her family into elegant Louisburg Square, Boston. Still writing as best as she could, for the mercury poisoning she had received early in life was beginning to take its toll, Louisa published Jo's Boys in 1886. Her father's health finally failed and he passed March 4, 1888. Two days later, at the age of 56, Louisa May Alcott died in Boston, leaving a legacy in wonderful books to be admired and cherished for generations to come.Protagonist Jo March’s character is based on Alcott herself and her sisters form the basis for her other characters whose adventures and lives she recounts in this tale set in New England during the American Civil War. Highly successful upon publication and subsequently inspiring numerous adaptations to the screen, Little Women is still one of the most popular novels read by people of all ages. Alcott wrote many other highly acclaimed works in her time and was an active supporter of the women’s suffrage and abolition movements, but it is her wholesome tales penned from her own experiences growing up that she is best remembered.Born on 29 November 1832 in Germantown (now part of Philadelphia), Pennsylvania, Louisa May Alcott was the second daughter of Abigail `Abba’ May (1800-1877), women’s suffrage and abolitionist advocate and Amos Bronson Alcott (1799-1893), transcendentalist philosopher and education and social reformer who helped found the controversial and pioneering Temple School in Boston, Massachusetts in 1834. Amos played an active role in the education of Louisa and her three sisters Anna, Elizabeth, and May. In 1856 Elizabeth Alcott died of scarlet fever, and Anna married. Louisa and her mother were a great support to each other in this time of loss and change. She was writing for the Atlantic Monthly when the Civil War broke out and she enlisted as a nurse and went to the Union Hospital in Washington, D.C. in 1862. Hospital Sketches (1863) is a result of her letters home and was critical to her success as an author. She had contracted typhoid fever during her service and the treatment for it which included mercury would hamper her health for the rest of her life.