|
Whose book appeared in stores in September 1868 and sold out in less than a month? Who wrote The Abotts Ghost under the pseudonym of A.M. Barnard? This person was Louisa May Alcott, that's who. Louisa May Alcott was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1832. Her parents were Amos Bronson Alcott and Abigail May Alcott. As a child she grew up in Boston and Concord, Massachusetts with three other sisters. Anna, the oldest, tried her best to bear poverty though she wanted a comfortable life. Lizzie was a girl who thought a person who works hard has love as a reward. May was the youngest and was very artistic. When Louisa was young she published a family paper called The Olive Leaf. Later in life she wrote Flower Fables and Moods. But, after meeting James T. Feilds it sparked her enthusiasm to write Little Women. She wrote the first part of Little Women in less then three months! She incorporated the Alcott's into Little Women. Anna was the beautiful Meg March. Louisa was the tomboyish Jo March. Lizzie was the angle-like Beth March, and artistic Amy was played by May Alcott. In three years over 87,000 copies of Little Women had been sold. Of course many things happened before that. Louisa was a nurse before she wrote. She worked at a Civil War hospital, but in January 1863, she developed a deadly case of typhoid pneumonia. She was given some calomel to treat the typhoid, but calomel contained high levels of mercury which is poisonous. For the rest of her life Louisa suffered from mercury poisoning. Her nursing career ended when her dad took her home. After the typhoid was over Louisa traveled with her sister Anna around in Europe. When she got back, tragically Louisa's mother passed away. Then in 1888 her father died. Louisa died shortly after. Personally, I think she was one of the greatest writers that ever lived.
|