Bronson Alcott's Fruitlands

by Clara Endicott Sears

In June of 1843, Bronson Alcott and Charles Lane, both reformers involved in the Transcendentalist movement, founded Fruitlands in an attempt to strengthen their spirituality through self-reliant, simple living. Joinmed by their families and about a dozen other individuals, the Con-Sociate family (as they called themselves) was to bring about a new Eden by cultivating a mystical and scetic way of life in a rural retreat. Compiling, in their own words, from letters, diaries, and books, and from the comments of friends and associates such as Emerson and Thoreau, Clara Endicott Sears, founder of Fruitlands Museum, tells the story of this famous encounter of transcendental philosophy with the realities of the New England soil and climate and the vagaries of human nature. Louisa May Alcott's classic satire based on her father's experiment, "Transcendental Wild Oats," completes the picture of a noble failure.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography

204 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1977

Reviews

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A recent move to the Fruitlands area prompted this read. There is much to learn beyond this book but it was helpful in understanding the era. A new “Little Women” movie by Columbia pictures was being filmed during October/November 2018 at this location, and the town center, which brought much excitement to the town and a renewed interest in the Alcotts, Transcendalism and an environmental philosophy. Written in period language is not a barrier. Certainly a visit to the museum is a bonus and the Alcott’s house hosts events to learn more. Check out Fruitlands Museum in Harvard if you are visiting the Concord/Lexington/Boston area.

[David Streb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting history by Clara Endicot Sears from interviews and letters. Bronson Alcott and Charles Lane were characters. Joseph Palmer was one of the more rational men, and he was a bit odd himself. Looking forward to revisiting Fruitlands and seeing the verdant view for myself!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Transcendentalists Bronson Alcott and Charles Lane started a utopian community he named Fruitlands as the basis of the diet was to be fruit. Their spiritual life was to be enhanced by simple living free of meat, dairy, tea, coffee, hot water, and anything imported or made by slave labor. In keeping with their vegan ideals, no animal products were to be used at all, including manure for fertilizer, and no animals put in harness. The experiment lasted less than a year. This book is an account of some of the colorful characters involved in the community, along with letters and excerpts from diaries. Unfortunately, it does not give an account of Fruitlands during the downhill slide as Bronson Alcott destroyed the pages from his families diaries that describe that part of the venture. if other accounts exist, Sears, who wrote this in 1914, did not have access to them. Fruitlands was a sincere, if doomed, attempt self-reliant idealism, but Sears kept it alive both in this book and by creating the Fruitlands museum. If you're in the Boston area, it's worth a side trip. As Mr. Lane claimed in a letter, the prospect truly is sublime.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1843, Transcendentalist philosopher Bronson Alcott and his British associate Charles Lane founded a utopia community in Harvard, Massachusetts. Fruitlands is best remembered as a failure, humorously satirized by novelist Louisa May Alcott later in her life. The community was a radical manifestation of popular experiments in associative living, that aspired to do away with abuses to animals and the corrupting influences of property, and devote life to individual self-improvement as a means to reforming the world. Sears, the woman responsible for preserving the Fruitlands farmhouse, compiles valuable primary sources. Her account notably includes the insightful perspectives of Charles Lane, and two of the Alcott children, as well as Louisa May Alcott's "Transcendental Wild Oats."

[Dottie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bronson Alcott is a fascinating person. He and the circle in which he moved make interesting reading.

[Ceri and Rumaysa Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Revealing desciption of the Fruitlands experiments. Particularly enjoyed the chapters which focussed on Father Hecker and other members of the community.