Louisa May Alcott

Date of Birth: November 29, 1832

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Date of Death: March 6, 1888

Biography

Louisa May Alcott was an American novelist and poet best known for her novel “Little Women” and its sequels “Little Men” and “Jo’s Boys.” Born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, Alcott grew up among many of the well-known intellectuals of the day, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau. Her family suffered financial difficulties, and she worked to support them from an early age. Alcott began writing to help support her family and published her first book, “Flower Fables,” in 1854. Despite her early successes, it was “Little Women,” published in 1868, that brought her lasting fame and financial security. Alcott was also a staunch abolitionist and feminist, which influenced her writing and personal life.

5 Interesting Facts about Louisa May Alcott

1. Louisa May Alcott served as a nurse during the American Civil War and wrote about her experiences in “Hospital Sketches.”

2. She initially wrote under the pen name A.M. Barnard, producing sensation stories and thrillers.

3. Alcott never married, despite her portrayal of marriage in her novels.

4. She was an advocate for women’s suffrage and was the first woman to register to vote in Concord, Massachusetts.

5. Her father, Amos Bronson Alcott, was a prominent transcendentalist and educator.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Louisa May Alcott

1. “I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”

2. “Good books, like good friends, are few and chosen; the more select, the more enjoyable.”

3. “The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely.”

4. “Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.”

5. “I like good strong words that mean something.”