Scandalous Book Review: Louisa May Alcott, The Woman Behind Little Women
I recently watched the American Master's program on Louisa May Alcott. More a docurama, than a documentary Broadway actors Elizabeth Marvel and Daniel Gerroll played Louisa and Bronson respectively, recreating key moments in Alcott's life, using extracts from her journals and letters. Afterwards, I was determined to learn more about this writer that I had only really known through Little Women . The program mentioned Harriet Reisen's new biography Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women . I immediately ran to the library to take out a copy. After reading the book, I made wonder why Alcott is not taught in high school American Literature classes. She belongs up there with other 19th century luminaries like Hawthorne, Melville and Henry James. While other popular 19th century authors are no longer read (Gertrude Atherton, Sarah Orne Jewett), LittleWomen has become a classic of American Literature and not just of YA fiction. Harriet Reisen's book ...