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Louisa on the Front Lines: Louisa May Alcott in the Civil War
An eye-opening look at Little Women author Louisa May Alcott's time as a Civil War nurse, and the far-reaching implications her service had on her writing and her activism
Louisa on the Frontlines is the first narrative nonfiction book focusing on the least-known aspect of Louisa May Alcott's career -- her time spent as a nurse during the Civil War. Though her service was brief, the dramatic experience was one that she considered pivotal in helping her write the beloved classic Little Women . It also deeply affected her tenuous relationship with her father, and inspired her commitment to abolitionism. Through it all, she kept a journal and wrote letters to her family and friends. These letters were published in the newspaper, and her subsequent book, Hospital Sketches spotlighted the dire conditions of the military hospitals and the suffering endured by the wounded soldiers she cared for. To this day, her work is considered a pioneering account of military nursing.
Alcott's time as an Army nurse in the Civil War helped her find her authentic voice -- and cemented her foundational belief system. Louisa on the Frontlines reveals the emergence of this prominent feminist and abolitionist -- a woman whose life and work has inspired millions and continues to do so today,
Louisa on the Frontlines is the first narrative nonfiction book focusing on the least-known aspect of Louisa May Alcott's career -- her time spent as a nurse during the Civil War. Though her service was brief, the dramatic experience was one that she considered pivotal in helping her write the beloved classic Little Women . It also deeply affected her tenuous relationship with her father, and inspired her commitment to abolitionism. Through it all, she kept a journal and wrote letters to her family and friends. These letters were published in the newspaper, and her subsequent book, Hospital Sketches spotlighted the dire conditions of the military hospitals and the suffering endured by the wounded soldiers she cared for. To this day, her work is considered a pioneering account of military nursing.
Alcott's time as an Army nurse in the Civil War helped her find her authentic voice -- and cemented her foundational belief system. Louisa on the Frontlines reveals the emergence of this prominent feminist and abolitionist -- a woman whose life and work has inspired millions and continues to do so today,
256 pages, Hardcover
First published February 26, 2019
26 people are currently reading
720 people want to read
About the author
Samantha Seiple
10 books23 followersSamantha Seiple’s latest book is Louisa on the Front Lines: Louisa May Alcott in the Civil War (Seal Press), the first narrative nonfiction book focusing on the least-known aspect of Louisa May Alcott's career – her time spent as a nurse during the Civil War. Though her service was brief, the dramatic experience was one that she considered pivotal in helping her write the beloved classic Little Women. It also deeply affected her tenuous relationship with her father and solidified her commitment to human rights.
Louisa on the Front Lines has been praised as “Lively, well-researched… engaging and informative… Alcott herself would have marveled at how Seiple's biographical and historical account reads like a novel!” by leading Alcott scholar Daniel Shealy, co-editor of The Journals of Louisa May Alcott and The Selected Letters of Louisa May Alcott.
Seiple enjoys uncovering forgotten and little-known aspects of history and meticulously crafting the factual story to read like a novel. Louisa on the Front Lines is her first biographical account for the adult audience.
Her previous narrative nonfiction books for young adults include Ghosts in the Fog: The Untold Story of Alaska’s WWII Invasion, a YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Nominee and a Junior Library Guild Selection; Lincoln’s Spymaster: America’s First Private Eye, a Junior Library Guild Selection; Byrd & Igloo: A Polar Adventure; and Death on the River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Amazon Adventure, a Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Gold Award winner.
Seiple lives in Asheville, North Carolina with her husband, Todd, and tiny toy poodle, Lucy.
Louisa on the Front Lines has been praised as “Lively, well-researched… engaging and informative… Alcott herself would have marveled at how Seiple's biographical and historical account reads like a novel!” by leading Alcott scholar Daniel Shealy, co-editor of The Journals of Louisa May Alcott and The Selected Letters of Louisa May Alcott.
Seiple enjoys uncovering forgotten and little-known aspects of history and meticulously crafting the factual story to read like a novel. Louisa on the Front Lines is her first biographical account for the adult audience.
Her previous narrative nonfiction books for young adults include Ghosts in the Fog: The Untold Story of Alaska’s WWII Invasion, a YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Nominee and a Junior Library Guild Selection; Lincoln’s Spymaster: America’s First Private Eye, a Junior Library Guild Selection; Byrd & Igloo: A Polar Adventure; and Death on the River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Amazon Adventure, a Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Gold Award winner.
Seiple lives in Asheville, North Carolina with her husband, Todd, and tiny toy poodle, Lucy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
March 26, 2019
Little Women is not only my favorite book, but also the only book I have read more than once. It is my all time comfort read, and one I turn to when I have a readers slump. Despite this I knew little about Louisa's life, which I have now rectified. She was amazing, such a wonderful person, I would have loved to have met her. Here father, Bronson, was a Transcendentalist, more concerned with his thoughts, his own opinions being more important than attending to the material concerns of a family. So often the family was in debt, sometimes not enough to eat, quite distressing to the young Louisa. In his favor, Bronson believed girls should be educated, should have the same opportunities as boys.
Way before running was considered a sport or a way to relieve stress, Louisa ran. Ran for fun, to release her feelings, and missed it when she could not. Her family, staunch abolitionists, spoke out against slavery. When the Civil War broke out, Louisa volunteered to nurse the injured men of the Union. She would never forget what she saw, experienced and the strain, long hours almost cost her own life.
Her path though was as a writer, and using her skill she was able to help her family. She was quite a woman, and another person ahead of her time. Also, a wonderful addition to my woman's month reads.
Way before running was considered a sport or a way to relieve stress, Louisa ran. Ran for fun, to release her feelings, and missed it when she could not. Her family, staunch abolitionists, spoke out against slavery. When the Civil War broke out, Louisa volunteered to nurse the injured men of the Union. She would never forget what she saw, experienced and the strain, long hours almost cost her own life.
Her path though was as a writer, and using her skill she was able to help her family. She was quite a woman, and another person ahead of her time. Also, a wonderful addition to my woman's month reads.
November 12, 2018
I appreciate this author’s commitment to insulting Bronson Alcott every time she brought him up. Mad respect.
December 22, 2018
Louisa on the Front Lines by Samantha Seiple recounts the little-known story of Louisa's experience as a nurse and how it affected her life and her writing.
At a time when women were considered to be weak physically and intellectually, Louisa May Alcott challenged every stereotype of her sex, from running through the streets for health to supporting a woman's right to vote
Her father Bronson Alcott's extreme idealism made him unsuitable as a father of a large family. His wife Abby worked any job she could find to support them. Lu took the burden of breadwinner on herself, working in various jobs "suitable" for a gentlewoman and by writing sensational stories. She was expected to marry and thereby help her struggling family but preferred independence. "I'd rather be a free spinster and paddle my own canoe," she wrote.
When the Civil War broke out, Lu watched the young men march off and felt frustrated with merely sewing "for the boys" and making lint for the hospitals. The establishment of the Sanitary Commission and appointment of Dorothea Dix as superintendent of female nurses led to a call for the first women nurses. A nurse had to be single, over thirty, and "plain." Lu applied and, with her family's blessing, traveled to Washington, D.C. to work in a hospital.
It is all very well to talk of the patience of woman; and far be it from me to pluck that feather from her cap, for, heaven knows, she isn't allowed to wear many; but the patient endurance of these men, under trials of the flesh, was truly wonderful. Their fortitude seemed contagious, and scarcely a cry escaped them, though I often longed to groan for them, when pride kept their white lips shut, while great drops stood upon their foreheads, and the bed shook with the irrepressible tremor of their tortured bodies. from Hospital Sketches by Louisa May Alcott
Louisa wrote Hospital Sketches about her experiences, the first to document life for nurses during the war. It was a sensation during her lifetime. Somehow, we have forgotten this part of her life.
In vivid detail, Seiple recounts the hard work and long hours in a subpar facility, the suffering of the boys, the awful food, the ineffectual medical treatments, the high death rate, and how workers stole from the supplies and the wounded. Lu realized the importance of her role as surrogate mother, sister, and wife for the suffering and dying men.
....at the Hurly burly Hotel, disorder, discomfort, bad management, and no visible head, reduced things to a condition which I despair of describing. from Hospital Sketches by Louisa May Alcott
The experience changed Lu's life. She had seen the world, became close to the dying boys, and had contracted typhus and became mortally ill. Bronson brought Lu back home and she survived, although her health never fully returned.
Having lived fully, profoundly affected by the men she nursed, Lu went on "to create characters and stories that would transcend the page and full her readers' hearts." Including her most famous novel, Little Women.
I very much enjoyed Louisa on the Front Lines. Although it focuses on the few months Lu spent as a nurse, there is enough background information on her family and life to provide a fuller context. The battlefield is brought to life as a background to the men Lu nursed. It is a moving story.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
At a time when women were considered to be weak physically and intellectually, Louisa May Alcott challenged every stereotype of her sex, from running through the streets for health to supporting a woman's right to vote
Her father Bronson Alcott's extreme idealism made him unsuitable as a father of a large family. His wife Abby worked any job she could find to support them. Lu took the burden of breadwinner on herself, working in various jobs "suitable" for a gentlewoman and by writing sensational stories. She was expected to marry and thereby help her struggling family but preferred independence. "I'd rather be a free spinster and paddle my own canoe," she wrote.
When the Civil War broke out, Lu watched the young men march off and felt frustrated with merely sewing "for the boys" and making lint for the hospitals. The establishment of the Sanitary Commission and appointment of Dorothea Dix as superintendent of female nurses led to a call for the first women nurses. A nurse had to be single, over thirty, and "plain." Lu applied and, with her family's blessing, traveled to Washington, D.C. to work in a hospital.
It is all very well to talk of the patience of woman; and far be it from me to pluck that feather from her cap, for, heaven knows, she isn't allowed to wear many; but the patient endurance of these men, under trials of the flesh, was truly wonderful. Their fortitude seemed contagious, and scarcely a cry escaped them, though I often longed to groan for them, when pride kept their white lips shut, while great drops stood upon their foreheads, and the bed shook with the irrepressible tremor of their tortured bodies. from Hospital Sketches by Louisa May Alcott
Louisa wrote Hospital Sketches about her experiences, the first to document life for nurses during the war. It was a sensation during her lifetime. Somehow, we have forgotten this part of her life.
In vivid detail, Seiple recounts the hard work and long hours in a subpar facility, the suffering of the boys, the awful food, the ineffectual medical treatments, the high death rate, and how workers stole from the supplies and the wounded. Lu realized the importance of her role as surrogate mother, sister, and wife for the suffering and dying men.
....at the Hurly burly Hotel, disorder, discomfort, bad management, and no visible head, reduced things to a condition which I despair of describing. from Hospital Sketches by Louisa May Alcott
The experience changed Lu's life. She had seen the world, became close to the dying boys, and had contracted typhus and became mortally ill. Bronson brought Lu back home and she survived, although her health never fully returned.
Having lived fully, profoundly affected by the men she nursed, Lu went on "to create characters and stories that would transcend the page and full her readers' hearts." Including her most famous novel, Little Women.
I very much enjoyed Louisa on the Front Lines. Although it focuses on the few months Lu spent as a nurse, there is enough background information on her family and life to provide a fuller context. The battlefield is brought to life as a background to the men Lu nursed. It is a moving story.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
April 28, 2019
Louisa May Alcott's experience as a Civil War nurse has been neglected. Those who choose this book to read about it will be disappointed because it is only about half of this short book.
Written for young adults, this book can be a starting place for those who know very little about this author. The Alcott family, LMA’s low paying jobs, her early writing and later success, her illness/healing, and her work on behalf of women’s suffrage are sketched. Besides the anticipated but brief material on LMA's Civil War experience nursing wounded soldiers there are commentaries on the battles, the generals and the Lincoln’s.
Parts of the book read more like a novel than a biography. Two notable examples are the second chapter on the wounded soldier and the later material on Laddie. The wounded soldier is not connected to LMA until the second half of the book and the Laddie episode does not connect to the Civil War.
Because there is always interest in Louisa May Alcott, there will be interest in this book. Young adults will like the biographical material, will see every day examples of the unfairness of restrictions on women in the 1860's, and get a glimpse of the not always unified people of the union. The content is rather thin for adult readers who are most likely acquainted with most of this. They may be inspired to read Alcott’s “Hospital Sketches”.
Written for young adults, this book can be a starting place for those who know very little about this author. The Alcott family, LMA’s low paying jobs, her early writing and later success, her illness/healing, and her work on behalf of women’s suffrage are sketched. Besides the anticipated but brief material on LMA's Civil War experience nursing wounded soldiers there are commentaries on the battles, the generals and the Lincoln’s.
Parts of the book read more like a novel than a biography. Two notable examples are the second chapter on the wounded soldier and the later material on Laddie. The wounded soldier is not connected to LMA until the second half of the book and the Laddie episode does not connect to the Civil War.
Because there is always interest in Louisa May Alcott, there will be interest in this book. Young adults will like the biographical material, will see every day examples of the unfairness of restrictions on women in the 1860's, and get a glimpse of the not always unified people of the union. The content is rather thin for adult readers who are most likely acquainted with most of this. They may be inspired to read Alcott’s “Hospital Sketches”.
March 17, 2019
Louisa
Many readers of literature like myself know Louisa May Alcott as the author of “Little Women.” She was born to a loving family; her mother and sisters bonded like true friends. But her journey for thirty-six years until Little Women was published was not smooth. She improvised a wardrobe from the ragbag to the later years; she witnessed the hardship of Marmee, her beloved mother who had borne the hard years so bravely, and a father immersed deeply in philosophy never understood the generally accepted paternal obligations. Young Louisa was encumbered with family responsibilities, moved with the frequency and restlessness. In her relatively short life of fifty-six years, she lived in her home state of Massachusetts, New York, and Europe as governess to Anna Weld, and a Grand Tour of her own with her sister.
One of the highlights of Alcott’s amazing life besides her work in literature was zeal for her beliefs that all people are born equal. She was an ardent abolitionist and fierce fighter for equal rights. The future of suffrage movement that paved the way for the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that granted American women the right to vote, a right commonly known as women's suffrage was born out of passion for equality in Alcott household. Louisa’s patriotism was reflected when she chose to volunteer to work as a nurse during the Civil War. Her coworkers included Walt Whitman and John Burroughs at the Union Hospital at Georgetown in Washington D.C. During her younger days in Massachusetts, she had the privilege of being in the illustrious company of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Frank Sanborn, Elizabeth Peabody, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Theodore Parker.
The study of Louisa May Alcott and her writings are illustrated in several books including John Matteson’s acclaimed book in 2007 that won the Pulitzer Prize; the 2009 PBS documentary Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind “Little Women” directed by Nancy Porter; and the work of UNC professor Daniel Shealy. Many of the books including the current t book accounts for influence of Abigail Alcott, the mother of Louisa Alcott on Louisa’s thinking and writing. It is well known that Abigail was the model for Marmee in Little Women, and Alcott scholars have appreciated how she encouraged her daughter to become a writer and politically active for abolition, equality and women’s rights. In 1877, the New England Woman Suffrage Association campaigned to allow women to vote in local town meetings. Later the state of Massachusetts voted to pass the measure.
In this book, the author focuses on Louisa Alcott’s work as a nurse that highlighted the unacceptable conditions in military hospitals and the sufferings endured by the soldiers of civil war. The narrative method employed by the author is engaging to connect with her stories and sometimes breaks off too quickly. For example, Alcott’s relationship with Anna Weld ends abruptly in Switzerland. In the next paragraph we find she is flying to Paris. There are some interesting day-day incidents at the Switzerland hotel when Louisa Alcott comes to meet the Polk family from Tennessee. Colonel Andrew Polk one of the wealthiest plantation owners had fought for confederate army and badly wounded. The author’s work has a marked appreciation of Alcott’s work as a nurse. Considering many scholarly works on Alcott’s life, this work with reference to her career in nursing stands out as a distinct work of literature.
Many readers of literature like myself know Louisa May Alcott as the author of “Little Women.” She was born to a loving family; her mother and sisters bonded like true friends. But her journey for thirty-six years until Little Women was published was not smooth. She improvised a wardrobe from the ragbag to the later years; she witnessed the hardship of Marmee, her beloved mother who had borne the hard years so bravely, and a father immersed deeply in philosophy never understood the generally accepted paternal obligations. Young Louisa was encumbered with family responsibilities, moved with the frequency and restlessness. In her relatively short life of fifty-six years, she lived in her home state of Massachusetts, New York, and Europe as governess to Anna Weld, and a Grand Tour of her own with her sister.
One of the highlights of Alcott’s amazing life besides her work in literature was zeal for her beliefs that all people are born equal. She was an ardent abolitionist and fierce fighter for equal rights. The future of suffrage movement that paved the way for the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that granted American women the right to vote, a right commonly known as women's suffrage was born out of passion for equality in Alcott household. Louisa’s patriotism was reflected when she chose to volunteer to work as a nurse during the Civil War. Her coworkers included Walt Whitman and John Burroughs at the Union Hospital at Georgetown in Washington D.C. During her younger days in Massachusetts, she had the privilege of being in the illustrious company of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Frank Sanborn, Elizabeth Peabody, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Theodore Parker.
The study of Louisa May Alcott and her writings are illustrated in several books including John Matteson’s acclaimed book in 2007 that won the Pulitzer Prize; the 2009 PBS documentary Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind “Little Women” directed by Nancy Porter; and the work of UNC professor Daniel Shealy. Many of the books including the current t book accounts for influence of Abigail Alcott, the mother of Louisa Alcott on Louisa’s thinking and writing. It is well known that Abigail was the model for Marmee in Little Women, and Alcott scholars have appreciated how she encouraged her daughter to become a writer and politically active for abolition, equality and women’s rights. In 1877, the New England Woman Suffrage Association campaigned to allow women to vote in local town meetings. Later the state of Massachusetts voted to pass the measure.
In this book, the author focuses on Louisa Alcott’s work as a nurse that highlighted the unacceptable conditions in military hospitals and the sufferings endured by the soldiers of civil war. The narrative method employed by the author is engaging to connect with her stories and sometimes breaks off too quickly. For example, Alcott’s relationship with Anna Weld ends abruptly in Switzerland. In the next paragraph we find she is flying to Paris. There are some interesting day-day incidents at the Switzerland hotel when Louisa Alcott comes to meet the Polk family from Tennessee. Colonel Andrew Polk one of the wealthiest plantation owners had fought for confederate army and badly wounded. The author’s work has a marked appreciation of Alcott’s work as a nurse. Considering many scholarly works on Alcott’s life, this work with reference to her career in nursing stands out as a distinct work of literature.
November 25, 2018
This book is a loving examination of one of the lesser known times in LMA's fascinating life. It's a relatively quick read, but it's insightful and really does help bring a stronger sense of understanding and awareness to this brief but extremely influential part of her life. If you like nonfiction books that read like novels, then you'll definitely warm to the style Samantha Seiple uses to tell LMA's story. As a general rule, I'm not a huge fan of that style because authors tend to rely on speculation rather than actual fact, which can muddy up the authenticity. (Example not quoted from any book, just one I'm making up on the spot to make my point: As Eleanor Roosevelt walked down the stairs, her breath quickened, and her heart raced with anticipation of the night to come.
She wondered achingly what the evening ahead held in store for her.) However, it seems that Seiple probably did have a lot of primary sources from LMA that express LMA's feelings, thoughts, and even particular actions she might have done in her morning routine or how she held a pitcher, etc. since LMA was naturally a descriptive writer when it came to seemingly insignificant details.
That being said, the book feels more like a narrated version or an annotated edition of LMA's collected journals. About 75% of the book felt like it was just a retelling of the journals due to the high amount of direct quotations from the original documents. While that's not always a bad thing, I tend to think I could probably get the same experience out of reading this section of her journals combined with Hospital Sketches. Now THAT being said, if you're someone who's interested in just this particular period of LMA's life, and you have no interest in reading the rest of her journals, then this is a great kind of Cliffsnotes that far exceeds adequate. Other people's perspectives (friends, family members, fellow nurses, etc.) of LMA's work as a nurse and personality are included, an addition that is invaluable and definitely can't be found if reading Hospital Sketches or LMA's journals.
Overall, this book illuminates a part of LMA's life that doesn't receive a lot of attention, and it does it well. If you like quick reads, novel-esque nonfiction books, and women's history, then this book is definitely worth a read!
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
She wondered achingly what the evening ahead held in store for her.) However, it seems that Seiple probably did have a lot of primary sources from LMA that express LMA's feelings, thoughts, and even particular actions she might have done in her morning routine or how she held a pitcher, etc. since LMA was naturally a descriptive writer when it came to seemingly insignificant details.
That being said, the book feels more like a narrated version or an annotated edition of LMA's collected journals. About 75% of the book felt like it was just a retelling of the journals due to the high amount of direct quotations from the original documents. While that's not always a bad thing, I tend to think I could probably get the same experience out of reading this section of her journals combined with Hospital Sketches. Now THAT being said, if you're someone who's interested in just this particular period of LMA's life, and you have no interest in reading the rest of her journals, then this is a great kind of Cliffsnotes that far exceeds adequate. Other people's perspectives (friends, family members, fellow nurses, etc.) of LMA's work as a nurse and personality are included, an addition that is invaluable and definitely can't be found if reading Hospital Sketches or LMA's journals.
Overall, this book illuminates a part of LMA's life that doesn't receive a lot of attention, and it does it well. If you like quick reads, novel-esque nonfiction books, and women's history, then this book is definitely worth a read!
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
February 26, 2019
GNab . Samantha Seiple brings us a much more frank look into the life of Louisa May Alcott and her family than I was previously aware of, and the time she spent in Washington as a nurse, as well as the illness that brought her back home to Pennsylvania and her writing history thereafter. I was excited to receive this book, and the detailing of the life that produced such an independent, outspoken woman in a time of female suppression. This is a book I am happy to refer to friends and family.
I received a free electronic copy of this biography from Netgalley, Samantha Seiple, and Perseus Books, De Capo Press, Seal Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.
Pub date Feb 26, 2019
Perseus Books, De Capo Press, Seal Press
I received a free electronic copy of this biography from Netgalley, Samantha Seiple, and Perseus Books, De Capo Press, Seal Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.
Pub date Feb 26, 2019
Perseus Books, De Capo Press, Seal Press
May 3, 2019
Louisa May Alcott spent one month as a nurse in a Civil War hospital before she became very ill and was sent home. Somehow, the author managed to write an entire (albeit slim - only 200 pages) book about it.
Of course, the book includes much more than that one month - it includes a lot of detail of LAM's life before her work as a nurse, as well as details on the Civil War and particular soldiers that she nursed. It also includes a little bit of detail after she came home and began seeing success from her writing.
Despite everything included, the book seemed incomplete. Although much was written about the Civil War and LAM's time in the military hospital, the author didn't include any information about the Civil War after LAM went home. For instance, there is nothing about the Civil War ending or how LAM felt about it - which I was very curious to read, considering her feelings on the subject and how devoted she was to serving, and the fact that she'd had to leave her post before the war was over. The final chapter, about how LAM worked to give women the right to vote, is very short and doesn't really seem to belong to the rest of the book.
The writing is good, and vivid, and I can appreciate all of the research the author must have done to put this together, and how many choices were made about what to include and what to leave out. But I was left with the conflicting desire for both less information (I got confused over all the characters and battles mentioned), and more (nothing about the end of the war, or the end of LAM's life).
I received this free as part of the Amazon Vine review program, and all opinions are my own.
Of course, the book includes much more than that one month - it includes a lot of detail of LAM's life before her work as a nurse, as well as details on the Civil War and particular soldiers that she nursed. It also includes a little bit of detail after she came home and began seeing success from her writing.
Despite everything included, the book seemed incomplete. Although much was written about the Civil War and LAM's time in the military hospital, the author didn't include any information about the Civil War after LAM went home. For instance, there is nothing about the Civil War ending or how LAM felt about it - which I was very curious to read, considering her feelings on the subject and how devoted she was to serving, and the fact that she'd had to leave her post before the war was over. The final chapter, about how LAM worked to give women the right to vote, is very short and doesn't really seem to belong to the rest of the book.
The writing is good, and vivid, and I can appreciate all of the research the author must have done to put this together, and how many choices were made about what to include and what to leave out. But I was left with the conflicting desire for both less information (I got confused over all the characters and battles mentioned), and more (nothing about the end of the war, or the end of LAM's life).
I received this free as part of the Amazon Vine review program, and all opinions are my own.
July 24, 2019
Review to Come
June 8, 2019
I liked this book. It wasn’t written in the most sophisticated manner, but it was informative and entertaining. Even having been to Orchard House, I felt like I gleaned more about LMA from this book.
April 6, 2019
While not original in terms of Alcott scholarship, this work will appeal to general readers and Alcott fans who are interested in Alcott's experiences serving as a Union army nurse and her life during the Civil War. Seiple is a young adult author, and much of the text reads in the tone of a young adult book, with the narrative appeal of a novel. There are some pitfalls to this style, which can tend to ambiguously blend imaginative details with facts, particularly since only quotations bear citations in this publication. There are several claims introduced in this text that would have benefited from citation to authenticate them, and other instances in which errors are borrowed from other scholarship. Several of the early chapters could have benefited from more editing attention to eliminate repetitive language, and much of Alcott's biography is simplified in order to get to the main topic of Seiple's interest. Seiple seemed to hit her stride in Chapter 9, which with Chapter 10, standouts out as the strongest chapters in this book. The writing suddenly began to flow, and Seiple's style came to live with detail. These chapters wonderfully incorporated quotations and details from Alcott family papers that are under-utilized in scholarship.
January 8, 2019
This is a truncated summary of Louisa May Alcott's life, focusing on her very brief tenure as a nurse during the Civil War. The author used the nickname Lu in place of her full name in which to refer to Louisa. I found that usage to be overly familiar and very undignified. Seiple's work contributes nothing new nor significant to the canon of Alcott's life, in my opinion, that hasn't already been explored. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.
April 22, 2019
I loved this book! Not only did I thoroughly enjoy reading Little Women as a child and balled my eyes out when Beth died in the Wynona Ryder movie, but I love Civil War history and the stories of those very real people who participated. This was a great look back on pivotal experiences that helped shape Louisa's writing.
I had no idea how dependent Louisa's family was on her for their support. I wanted to throttle her father a few times and shore up her mother. However, the family love that comes through at the end is undeniable. Thank goodness for such marvelous record-keeping! Louisa's experiences in the hospital were the most moving. Every time I read about the backward medical practices and downright criminality of that time I'm appalled. Nonetheless, Louisa took those experiences and turned them into beautiful books that have stood the test of time. I need to reread Little Women now!
The book is not an expansive biography, but I got enough glimpses into Louisa's life that I put it down very inspired. If only there were more patriotic, selfless women in the world today we could read about. I know they are out there, but that's not what fills the headlines. Thank you, Samantha, for putting this story out to the world for all to read!
I had no idea how dependent Louisa's family was on her for their support. I wanted to throttle her father a few times and shore up her mother. However, the family love that comes through at the end is undeniable. Thank goodness for such marvelous record-keeping! Louisa's experiences in the hospital were the most moving. Every time I read about the backward medical practices and downright criminality of that time I'm appalled. Nonetheless, Louisa took those experiences and turned them into beautiful books that have stood the test of time. I need to reread Little Women now!
The book is not an expansive biography, but I got enough glimpses into Louisa's life that I put it down very inspired. If only there were more patriotic, selfless women in the world today we could read about. I know they are out there, but that's not what fills the headlines. Thank you, Samantha, for putting this story out to the world for all to read!
April 19, 2019
Initially, I was having trouble figuring out who this book was for. Die-hard Alcott fans? They might be more satisfied with a full biography. Civil War buffs? Maybe, but again, full biographies have a lot more details. There isn’t much here that is new, especially for those who have read Alcott’s journals, her book Hospital Sketches, and biographies.
But the easy readability of this book and its nicely succinct summary of one particular period in her life (using information from her journal, the journals of her family members, and other contemporary letters and diaries) make it ideal for one particular type of reader — Fans of Little Women who have a passing interest in Alcott’s life but aren’t interested in reading a deep, in-depth biography.
The writing style is perfectly geared to a young adult audience (this book isn’t marketed to young adult readers that I can tell but it’s ideal for that audience) or anyone who isn’t in the mood for “heavy” reading. You won’t find out much about Bronson or Abba Alcott’s childhoods, and you won’t learn what happened to Louisa’s siblings, or what her death was like, or the legacy of Little Women in literature.
I’d recommend this book for anyone — young adults or seniors in particular — with a nostalgic love for Little Women who aren’t interested in a full biography but want some easy-to-read insight into Alcott’s wartime and post-war experiences. For those readers, this book is ideal.
But the easy readability of this book and its nicely succinct summary of one particular period in her life (using information from her journal, the journals of her family members, and other contemporary letters and diaries) make it ideal for one particular type of reader — Fans of Little Women who have a passing interest in Alcott’s life but aren’t interested in reading a deep, in-depth biography.
The writing style is perfectly geared to a young adult audience (this book isn’t marketed to young adult readers that I can tell but it’s ideal for that audience) or anyone who isn’t in the mood for “heavy” reading. You won’t find out much about Bronson or Abba Alcott’s childhoods, and you won’t learn what happened to Louisa’s siblings, or what her death was like, or the legacy of Little Women in literature.
I’d recommend this book for anyone — young adults or seniors in particular — with a nostalgic love for Little Women who aren’t interested in a full biography but want some easy-to-read insight into Alcott’s wartime and post-war experiences. For those readers, this book is ideal.
May 7, 2019
An excellent non fiction about Louisa May Alcott’s time as a nurse in the Civil War. It is also so very interesting to learn about disease treatment in a much earlier time!
April 3, 2022
This was an interesting story about Louisa May Alcott and her part in the advancement of women's rights insofar as the right to vote and the value of female nurses.
June 3, 2019
Louisa may alcott is so interesting how did I not know that before this year. I read a different biography about her early in the year and now I just want to know more.
July 17, 2019
I thought this was an interesting book. It was neat to learn a little about Louisa's life and some of the things she went through. Her dad was a bit odd to say the least. It was sad that she thought she had to work to support her family since her father would not.
April 16, 2019
This is a interesting look into the unknown parts of Louisa May Alcott's personal life. I found it written well and very interesting.
April 2, 2019
If this is the future of narrative nonfiction, I absolutely love it. Louisa on the Front Lines was accessible, clear, interesting, full of useful and pertinent details, and not patronizing in the least—something I find more and more rarely in biographies and history books in general, which take on a hard-to-relate-to and incomprehensible scholarly approach. If more authors would take Samantha Seiple’s approach, there might be more interest in historical nonfiction. Bravo.
March 29, 2019
This was a very informative biography about Alcott's early life, her belief's and her writing career. It was not dry and was a fairly quick read. I enjoyed this window into her personality and motivations that inspired her writing.
February 23, 2019
As an avid Louisa May Alcott fan since childhood, I was eager to read this book which purports to focus on the period she spent as a Civil War nurse in Washington, D.C. -- a lesser-known chapter in her life. While the book does contain some interesting passages regarding that period, that particular section of the book is all too brief. More research into other figures from the Washington period (Dorothea Dix, for example) might have provided additional substantive material. One of the book's bright spots is the author's inclusion of numerous observations by Sophia Peabody Hawthorne (Mrs. Nathaniel Hawthorne), a Concord neighbor and close friend of the family, which I had not previously read.
A significant portion of the first half focuses on Alcott's life and relationships with her parents prior to her time in Washington; there is more than enough rationale provided for her decision. Therefore, with many previously published excellent biographies, a reader already familiar with her life (likely the group most interested in this title) may find it somewhat dull and repetitive. Additional well-known facts follow the war period; these are also readily available throughout previous publications of Alcott's diaries and journals.
The book ends abruptly some time before Alcott's premature death. While vaguely acknowledging, in the middle of another discussion, the role that war service played in shortening her life, it seems strange that the author would not, in a linear fashion, see the story through to her death. I was troubled by the decision to refer to Alcott as "Lu", which is too familiar for an adult biography. Especially during the early period of Alcott's life, this book's language exists at a very basic level. I had to go back to the information to confirm that it was not written as a Juvenile or Young Adult book (which arguably would have provided more rationale for use of the nickname "Lu").
While I might recommend this book to an avid fan of Louisa May Alcott, who just wants to glean the smallest unknown fact, I found that it contained little new information. The section which does highlight her war service is too brief for this to be promoted as an account which focuses primarily on that period.
For some of us, any tidbit on Louisa May Alcott is bound to be fascinating, thus the three stars rating instead of just two. But overall, this book disappointingly fails to live up to the promise in its title.
Note: I received an advance reading copy from NetGalley and Seal Press; this is my honest review.
A significant portion of the first half focuses on Alcott's life and relationships with her parents prior to her time in Washington; there is more than enough rationale provided for her decision. Therefore, with many previously published excellent biographies, a reader already familiar with her life (likely the group most interested in this title) may find it somewhat dull and repetitive. Additional well-known facts follow the war period; these are also readily available throughout previous publications of Alcott's diaries and journals.
The book ends abruptly some time before Alcott's premature death. While vaguely acknowledging, in the middle of another discussion, the role that war service played in shortening her life, it seems strange that the author would not, in a linear fashion, see the story through to her death. I was troubled by the decision to refer to Alcott as "Lu", which is too familiar for an adult biography. Especially during the early period of Alcott's life, this book's language exists at a very basic level. I had to go back to the information to confirm that it was not written as a Juvenile or Young Adult book (which arguably would have provided more rationale for use of the nickname "Lu").
While I might recommend this book to an avid fan of Louisa May Alcott, who just wants to glean the smallest unknown fact, I found that it contained little new information. The section which does highlight her war service is too brief for this to be promoted as an account which focuses primarily on that period.
For some of us, any tidbit on Louisa May Alcott is bound to be fascinating, thus the three stars rating instead of just two. But overall, this book disappointingly fails to live up to the promise in its title.
Note: I received an advance reading copy from NetGalley and Seal Press; this is my honest review.
March 26, 2019
Detail information on the war years of Louisa May Alcott’s life and her service as a nurse.
May 21, 2020
Full Review to Come:
3.5-4 Stars? - I recommend if you enjoy biographies, and like learning about inspirational people, especially women.
This is a biography about Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Women, detailing her work as a nurse during The Civil War.
I haven't read many biographies, so I am finding this a bit hard to rate. On the one hand Louisa May Alcott was quite the woman: ambitious, forward-thinking, compassionate, dedicated, and accomplished. I found her story overall interesting, especially excerpts from letters she sent, and from her journal that were in her own words. However, I did find it a bit hard to keep track of some of the other people mentioned throughout the book. Particularly people involved in the war. There were also quite a few sections about other nurses or specific soldiers, that while related to Louisa's story... didn't always feel connected right away and left me asking myself who was who. I did feel like I learned a lot about the time period and the civil war, which was insightful. To be honest I struggle to recall many bits and pieces of history. Overall while short, this book wasn't overly gripping at first, but did pick up quite a bit around 35%. Once Louisa actually becomes a nurse I was much more invested in the story and situations. I felt like I could finally put a story or reality to the Civil War, and found all of her time as a nurse incredibly fascinating (and often disturbing). After the hospital section there are several other chapters where she goes on to do other things... which were ok, but not very gripping after the hospital part. Overall this book was interesting, I enjoyed learning what I did from it, and it made me want to be patriotic and help people... but most of it wasn't a page-turner. So again... I'm not sure how to rate this one. Perhaps biographies aren't my genre, even if I do enjoy the information. Maybe I'm more of a museum and visual learner of history? Glad I read it either way.
Right After Reading:
3.5 - 4 Stars - Overall interesting, but as her time as a nurse is so short... much of the book is filled with other parts of her life which were not as interesting to read. Not sure how to rate, possibly my first biography.
3.5-4 Stars? - I recommend if you enjoy biographies, and like learning about inspirational people, especially women.
This is a biography about Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Women, detailing her work as a nurse during The Civil War.
I haven't read many biographies, so I am finding this a bit hard to rate. On the one hand Louisa May Alcott was quite the woman: ambitious, forward-thinking, compassionate, dedicated, and accomplished. I found her story overall interesting, especially excerpts from letters she sent, and from her journal that were in her own words. However, I did find it a bit hard to keep track of some of the other people mentioned throughout the book. Particularly people involved in the war. There were also quite a few sections about other nurses or specific soldiers, that while related to Louisa's story... didn't always feel connected right away and left me asking myself who was who. I did feel like I learned a lot about the time period and the civil war, which was insightful. To be honest I struggle to recall many bits and pieces of history. Overall while short, this book wasn't overly gripping at first, but did pick up quite a bit around 35%. Once Louisa actually becomes a nurse I was much more invested in the story and situations. I felt like I could finally put a story or reality to the Civil War, and found all of her time as a nurse incredibly fascinating (and often disturbing). After the hospital section there are several other chapters where she goes on to do other things... which were ok, but not very gripping after the hospital part. Overall this book was interesting, I enjoyed learning what I did from it, and it made me want to be patriotic and help people... but most of it wasn't a page-turner. So again... I'm not sure how to rate this one. Perhaps biographies aren't my genre, even if I do enjoy the information. Maybe I'm more of a museum and visual learner of history? Glad I read it either way.
Right After Reading:
3.5 - 4 Stars - Overall interesting, but as her time as a nurse is so short... much of the book is filled with other parts of her life which were not as interesting to read. Not sure how to rate, possibly my first biography.
November 2, 2018
`Louisa May Alcott's first book was not "Little Women". In 1863, she published "Hospital Sketches", which was based on her nursing service at the Union Hotel Hospital in Washington DC. She only served for six weeks before getting sick and leaving DC for home in Massachusetts, but those six weeks were enough to give her the experience to write about.. It is this service that Samantha Seiple writes about in her new book, "Louisa on the Front Lines: Louisa May Alcott in the Civil War".
"Lu" Alcott was about 30 when the Civil War began. She never married and was happy with her spinsterhood. She came from a loving family - four daughters - which was perpetually in a genteel poverty. Lu contributed to the family coffers by writing articles and stories, but in 1861 she decided she wanted to contribute to the Union war effort. She became a nurse - and in those days, nurses had to be aged 30plus and not married. She joined the staff at the Union Hotel Hospital in DC and saw the worst of the wounded and dying. Her letters to family and her diary were the basis for "Hospital Sketches". Samantha Seiple writes about Alcott's nursing service as well her life before and after. I didn't know much about Alcott's life and Seiple gives a superb view of her early to middle life - her travels, possible loves, and wartime service.
Samantha Seiple's writing is crystal clear and her shortish book was a pleasure to read
"Lu" Alcott was about 30 when the Civil War began. She never married and was happy with her spinsterhood. She came from a loving family - four daughters - which was perpetually in a genteel poverty. Lu contributed to the family coffers by writing articles and stories, but in 1861 she decided she wanted to contribute to the Union war effort. She became a nurse - and in those days, nurses had to be aged 30plus and not married. She joined the staff at the Union Hotel Hospital in DC and saw the worst of the wounded and dying. Her letters to family and her diary were the basis for "Hospital Sketches". Samantha Seiple writes about Alcott's nursing service as well her life before and after. I didn't know much about Alcott's life and Seiple gives a superb view of her early to middle life - her travels, possible loves, and wartime service.
Samantha Seiple's writing is crystal clear and her shortish book was a pleasure to read
March 10, 2019
Louisa on the Front Lines is a biography of Louisa May Alcott during a specific period of her life. The book mainly revolves around Louisa's life during the Civil War. For just a couple of months in 1862 Louisa was a Union nurse at a hospital in Washington DC. This experience effected Louisa in multiple ways that from her writing to her health.
Now while I knew the story of Little Women it wasn't until my mid-30s that I read it, so I also did not know much about Louisa May Alcott either. This was a nice little glimpse into her life and some of the inspiration for her most famous writing.
Samantha Seiple wrote this in such a way that even though it is filled with quotes it does not feel like a heavy book or boring non-fiction. If you like learning about others or want a book to get you into biographies give this one a try.
Now while I knew the story of Little Women it wasn't until my mid-30s that I read it, so I also did not know much about Louisa May Alcott either. This was a nice little glimpse into her life and some of the inspiration for her most famous writing.
Samantha Seiple wrote this in such a way that even though it is filled with quotes it does not feel like a heavy book or boring non-fiction. If you like learning about others or want a book to get you into biographies give this one a try.
March 6, 2019
Louisa on the Front Lines is a fascinating biography of Louisa May Alcott with extensive excerpts from her journals and letters. I was appalled at the hospital conditions she described. I knew that antibiotics and other medications we take for granted today weren’t yet discovered at that time. However, I didn’t realize that they didn’t even know about the necessity of cleanliness and sanitation. It’s truly a wonder that anyone survived being in the hospital. Many didn’t.
Louisa herself almost died of typhoid, which she came down with after only six weeks of nursing. I wasn’t exactly sure what typhoid even is, but I learned that it’s a disease contracted from unsanitary conditions. If whatever-you-were-in-the-hospital-for didn’t kill you, typhoid probably would.
At first Louisa was determined to stay in the hospital until she was well enough to resume her nursing duties, but she was far too sick for that. Her father came and got her and took her home to recover, which took many months.
During her time as a nurse she wrote letters home which her family had published in the newspaper. Later those letters were collected in her first book, Hospital Sketches, and that was the beginning of her writing career.
Louisa herself almost died of typhoid, which she came down with after only six weeks of nursing. I wasn’t exactly sure what typhoid even is, but I learned that it’s a disease contracted from unsanitary conditions. If whatever-you-were-in-the-hospital-for didn’t kill you, typhoid probably would.
At first Louisa was determined to stay in the hospital until she was well enough to resume her nursing duties, but she was far too sick for that. Her father came and got her and took her home to recover, which took many months.
During her time as a nurse she wrote letters home which her family had published in the newspaper. Later those letters were collected in her first book, Hospital Sketches, and that was the beginning of her writing career.
March 13, 2019
Detailed look into the months Lousia May Alcott spent as a civil war nurse. It's good where it covers her war experiences, but the other information she uses to bring some context is random and jumbled. The author's usually a YA author, and I think this reads a bit more like a YA biography, so it would probably be a good crossover title.
January 4, 2019
Louisa on the Front Lines
Louisa May Alcott in the Civil War
by Samantha Seiple
Perseus Books, Da Capo Press
Seal Press
Biographies & Memoirs , History
Pub Date 26 Feb 2019
I am reviewing a copy of Louisa on the Front Lines through Pereseus Books and Netgalley:
This book focuses on the least known aspect of Louisa May Alcott’s career, her time spent on the frontlines. Her time there was short but the experience was a pivotal one in forming her best loved classic Little Woman. It also effected in a deep way her tenuo relationship with her Father and it inspired her commitment to Abolition. Through out her time there she wrote letters to her family as well as kept a journal. The letters were first publi in The Newspaper and then in her book hospital sketches. The book and the letters brought to light the horrid conditions in the military hospitals as well as the suffering the wounded soldiers endured.
To this day Louias May Alcott considered her work a pioneering account of military nursing.
I give Louisa on the Frontlines five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
February 6, 2019
Truly enjoyed this book. Louisa May Alcott has been one of my favorite authors since childhood. I fondly remember search the local library for everything she ever wrote about "the family she created". In my mind Louisa and Jo were interchangeable. The Louisa I didn't know about was in the pages of this book, the Louisa who was a runner, avid for a woman's right to vote, to work, to receive fair pay and abolition of slavery. During the Civil War, she was the family member who went to war, nursing soldiers back to health and caring for the dying. In her books, she often pictured herself as a wild, unruly colt. This Louisa had a heart of gold and worked hard to keep her family out of debt. This book is for every person who ever spent an afternoon reading one of her classic novels.
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