Author of the Month: Louisa May Alcott

Welcome to the first edition of "Author of the Month!" This month, my featured author is Louisa May Alcott. Enjoy!

Most know Louisa May Alcott simply as the author of the timeless classic, Little Women, yet she was so much more. She wrote several other novels, including some books for adults, and many short stories and articles. She was also a suffragette, as well as an abolitionist.

Born on November 29, 1832 in Germantown, Pennsylvania, Louisa May Alcott was one of many children. The relationships she had with her sisters would later influence her greatest work, Little Women. The Alcott's moved numerous times before settling in Concord, Massachusetts in a home they called "Orchard House." Her father, Amos Bronson Alcott, taught her and her siblings at home. As a young adult, she worked as a teacher and a nurse, while writing on the side.

Before publishing Little Women, Louisa wrote articles, short stories, poems, and thrillers that were moderately successful. She often wrote under a pen name in these instances. She decided to write a story inspired by herself and her sisters, and thus Little Women was born. It was published in 1868 and was a success. Upon the book's success, she wrote the sequels Good Wives, Jo's Boys, and Little Men, among other stories for young adults. She also wrote novels for adults, such as Work, and A Modern Mephistopheles, as well as some romance novels she'd written as a young adult and were published after her success. Most of her stories are inspired by her life with her siblings, and are full of morals and faith.

Louisa May Alcott died from a stroke on March 6, 1888. She was buried in Sleepy Hollow cemetery on a hill is that is called "Author's Ridge." Her childhood home, Orchard House, was turned into a museum. Fans of the novelist and history buffs alike can visit the home in Concord, Massachusetts year round. (For more information on opening and closing dates as well as pricing, click here.)

To this day, Louisa May Alcott's classic novels continue to warm our hearts and teach us the basic things of this life, showing us that "life and love are precious when both are in full bloom." She is not only a timeless author, but also a great inspiration to many.

-Miranda Atchley