The Life and Writings of Louisa May Alcott

On October 1, 1868, "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott was published in America by Roberts Brothers of Boston. An excerpt from the article:

"Becoming a Writer
She published her first novel, Moods, in 1864, traveled to Europe in 1865, and in 1867 began editing a children's magazine.

In 1868, Louisa May Alcott wrote a book about four sisters, published in September as Little Women, based on an idealized version of her own family. The book was successful quickly, and Louisa followed it a few months later with a sequel, Good Wives, published as Little Women or, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, Part Second. The naturalism of the characterizations and the non-traditional marriage of Jo were unusual and reflected the Alcott and May families' interest in Transcendentalism and social reform, including women's rights.

Louisa May Alcott's other books never matched the lasting popularity of Little Women. Her Little Men not only continues the story of Jo and her husband, but also reflects the educational ideas of her father, which he was never able to communicate effectively in writing.

Illness
Louisa May Alcott nursed her mother through her final illness, while continuing to write short stories and some books. Louisa's income financed the move from the Orchard House to the Thoreau house, more central in Concord. Her sister May died of complications of childbirth, and assigned guardianship of her child to Louisa. She also adopted her nephew John Sewell Pratt, who changed his name to Alcott.

Louisa May Alcott had been ill since her Civil War nursing work, but she became worse. She hired assistants to care for her niece, and moved to Boston to be near her doctors. She wrote Jo's Boys which neatly detailed the fates of her characters from her most popular fiction series. She also included the strongest feminist sentiments in this final book.

By this time, Louisa had retired to a rest home. Visiting her father's deathbed on March 4, she returned to die in her sleep on March 6. A joint funeral was held, and they were both buried in the family cemetery plot.

While she is best known for her writings, and is sometimes a source of quotations, Louisa May Alcott was also a supporter of reform movements including anti-enslavement, temperance, women's education, and women's suffrage."