Louisa May Alcott: A Personal Biography

I noticed on Good Reads that a lot of people complained about the same things with the book. The first thing is that the author offers opinions — frankly, with the subtitle of “a personal biography” I assumed this was going to be somewhat subjective, and in the intro the author does talk about her personal connection to “Little Women” and to this journey. The second was that some people felt that too much space was given to the people around her, the communities and movements her family was a part of. I’m not sure what to say about this, because when you’re talking about the development of a human being, especially in but not relegated to childhood,, the background and events they are a part of shape who a person becomes. You can’t have the one without some of the other, unless you want an elementary level biography. I found it a very good read. And the authors approach felt like discussing what was known of Alcott’s life with a good friend who was also a curious fan, who had stopped in for tea and biscuits and stayed till the sun was setting and dinner should have been started.

Rather than give us a dutiful all-too-typical recitation of chronological facts, Susan Cheever has elected to tread new territory, to create a reflection not only in the life of L. M. Alcott, but a reflection on the meaning of her life and what that holds for us today. Naturally, to accomplish this Susan Cheever had to borrow the "new journalism" approach of injecting her own thoughts and inexperiences into the text; but rather than detract from her subject in doing so, Cheever has achieved a rare hybrid of biography and personal memoir in which the subject's accomplishments serve to illuminate the way we live our lives today. Part of what makes Little Women a timeless classic is how we can reach across the centuries and relate to the sisters joys and sorrows. Susan Cheever has built upon and extended this quality. In short, she gives us a Louisa May Alcott for our time.

Interesting look at the life of this remarkable author in the context of the world situation during her lifetime as well as personal friendships with neighbors.. Quite compelling.

Cheever answers this question as well as it can be answered by a biographer. She was a woman to her ownwho devoted herself to caring for her demanding nuclear family. But she also served as a nurse in thr Civil War, devoted herself to worthy causes, and became a brilliant writer

I thought the book had too much about Bronson Alcott and not enough about Louisa May. But it was an interesting read, and I learned a lot about my favorite author from childhood.

In process of reading book now. So far, so good. informative.

Fascinating! Very readable yet factual. I love Susan Cheever's style especially the way she weaves in historical events such as Louisa's experiences during the Civil War. The author also cautions us not to compare to current day social attitudes. I also read eeCummings and recommend it.

I am a great fan of Louisa Alcott so I enjoyed the book as background on her life. That being said it was pretty dry. I am glad I read it but would be deadly for those who are not a great fan

Not being a Louise May Alcott scholar or expert, I found this a lively, interesting read. Other reviewers who know far more about the subject than I do, have noted a number of factual errors; however, blissfully unaware of this, I enjoyed the book and found Susan Cheever's writing to my taste. I particularly like the way she paints the historical background of the time that Louisa May Alcott and her family lived in, including the Civil War in the USA. The book has inspired me to read more on the subject of Louisa May Alcott and her fascinating life.

I bought this book following a visit to Louisa May Alcott’s house. The tour highlighted things I wasn’t aware of in Louisa’s life and that of her family. I am enjoying the book immensely.

『若草物語』の作者ルイザ・メイ・オルコットの生涯を、膨大な資料をもとに書いたもので、オルコット女史の生涯だけでなく、19世紀後半、南北戦争を中心とする数十年のアメリカの暮らしを大変興味深く物語っています。文章は平易で、ユーモアもあり、細やかで的確な表現力を持っています。 『若草物語』は多分に自伝的と言われていますが、この伝記はオルコットとジョーのずれを指摘しながら、現実をフィクションにしてゆく際の心の動きを辿っています。

If you like Louisa’s stories, and also the films, I would recommend reading this book about her life. Such a great role model, and I learned a number of things about her which I was unaware of. A great read. Haven’t found this book in any bookshops to date, so thank you Amazon.

Arrived in good condition as described and is a really interesting read. I haven't finished it yet and I'm already thinking that I must re-read 'Little Women', 'Little Women Wedded' and the rest of her oeuvre.