Louisa May Alcott: Her Girlhood Diary

by Louisa May Alcott

Through journals that the noted author of Little Women kept from the ages of ten to thirteen, young readers can learn about her inspirations and follow her progress as a writer.

Genres: Classics, Nonfiction, Biography, History, Biography Memoir

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Louisa May Alcott was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known for writing the novel Little Women (1868) and its sequels Good Wives (1869), Little Men (1871) and Jo's Boys (1886). Raised in New England by her transcendentalist parents, Abigail May Alcott and Amos Bronson Alcott, she grew up among many well-known intellectuals of the day, including Margaret Fuller, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Alcott's family suffered from financial difficulties, and while she worked to help support the family from an early age, she also sought an outlet in writing. She began to receive critical success for her writing in the 1860s. Early in her career, she sometimes used pen names such as A.M. Barnard, under which she wrote lurid short stories and sensation novels for adults that focused on passion and revenge.
Published in 1868, Little Women is set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts, and is loosely based on Alcott's childhood experiences with her three sisters, Abigail May Alcott Nieriker, Elizabeth Sewall Alcott, and Anna Bronson Alcott Pratt. The novel was well-received at the time and is still popular today among both children and adults. It has been adapted for stage plays, films, and television many times.
Alcott was an abolitionist and a feminist and remained unmarried throughout her life. She also spent her life active in reform movements such as temperance and women's suffrage. She died from a stroke in Boston on March 6, 1888, just two days after her father's death.

Reviews

[CJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up reading Louisa May Alcott's stories, and still find comfort and strength in her characters. However, this is the first time I've read anything biographical or autobiographical about her life, and I'm so grateful this was my introduction. It's short enough for children who fell in love with stories like Little Women and Eight Cousins to appreciate, and shows just how interconnected her life and works were.
Happy Birthday Ms. Alcott.

[Juli Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's not quite as much meat here as I would have liked, but there's still much to glean. This would be a great companion to Invincible Louisa: The Story of the Author of Little Women.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A charming short book to read after Little Women. It is a bit more than a diary. There are connections made with Little Women, also notes from Louisa's mother, and writings (background and connections with the life of Louisa) by Cary Ryan ~ along with pieces of Louisa's diary.

[Jemieca A. Bulalhog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love it. Jo is Louisa and Louisa is Jo. I love the tenderness of the Alcott Family and their love for literature. The writing skills of L.M. Alcott was always beautiful even as a child. The poems were superb and the way all of these were presented was amazing. I just hope it was a little bit more. I guess. But I did loved the fact that I can read it in one sitting and that's probably one of the reasons why I picked it up from the shelf.

[Silas N · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is of 10-15 year old Louisa May Alcott’s interesting girlhood diary. It includes many little passages from her diary, about her day and her feelings. This book is definitely for fans of Little Women.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting more diary entries and less commentary.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little book. Written for kids but there is no way they would really get it. If you do not know Little Women, which is referenced quite a bit, then some of the book will make little sense.