What do you think?
Rate this book
Invincible Louisa: The Story of the Author of Little Women
Biography tracing the fascinating life of Louisa May Alcott from her happy childhood in Pennsylvania and Boston to her success as a writer of such classics as Little women.
247 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1933
107 people are currently reading
5253 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 414 reviews
February 10, 2016
My recent reread of Little Women prompted my rereading of this tiny book that's survived who-knows-how-many cullings of shelves though the years. My edition is from 1972, shortly after the time I'm guessing I'd first read Little Women, and this story of its author probably meant as much to me then as Alcott's novel itself did. If you think Jo was brave, painfully shy, adventurous, imaginative and indefatigable, wait till you meet Louisa.
The author of this little biography, first published in 1933, only 45 years after Alcott's death, can sometimes say "it was told to me" [by those who knew someone who knew Alcott, as in the case of Alcott's older sister's daughter-in-law] and Meigs does write with the immediacy of someone sitting down to tell you a story that was told to her, along with a bit of 'rambling' that might cause the timeline of the family's frequent house-moving to seem confusing. My adult-self occasionally wanted some dates (or at least ages) as I read along; but at the end the author explains why she didn't provide these until the chronology.
During my first read, the exposure in this biography to then-unfamiliar words and concepts, such as abolitionist and transcendentalism, could've been only a good thing; and certainly in high school when it came time to read Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Nathaniel Hawthorne, I was able to greet them, years after encountering them within these pages, as the Alcott family friends that they were.
The author of this little biography, first published in 1933, only 45 years after Alcott's death, can sometimes say "it was told to me" [by those who knew someone who knew Alcott, as in the case of Alcott's older sister's daughter-in-law] and Meigs does write with the immediacy of someone sitting down to tell you a story that was told to her, along with a bit of 'rambling' that might cause the timeline of the family's frequent house-moving to seem confusing. My adult-self occasionally wanted some dates (or at least ages) as I read along; but at the end the author explains why she didn't provide these until the chronology.
During my first read, the exposure in this biography to then-unfamiliar words and concepts, such as abolitionist and transcendentalism, could've been only a good thing; and certainly in high school when it came time to read Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Nathaniel Hawthorne, I was able to greet them, years after encountering them within these pages, as the Alcott family friends that they were.
December 13, 2021
As much as I have always loved (if not even with all my both childhood and adult heart adored) especially Louisa May Alcott's Little Women (and also some of the sequels) and as much as I also do consider her family (and her rather extraordinary and unconventional life) both interesting and intriguing (as well as much worthy of extensive academic study), this 1933 (and thus early) children's biography by Cornelia Meigs (which I do realise won the 1934 Newbery Medal) leaves me for the most part both emotionally and coldly unsatisfied and even rather majorly annoyed (and so frustrated I might add that I have actually tried to read Invincible Louisa at least three times unsuccessfully, and have only now managed a complete perusal because a friend wanted to discuss and analyse the book online with me).
I guess that first and foremost, it is the author's, it is Cornelia Meigs' declamatory and often almost prayerful narrative style that I simply cannot stomach, as it tends to permeate rather strongly throughout Invincible Louisa and to both distance and distract potential readers from the content, from the presented themes, from the featured characters. However, and that all being said, I guess I should perhaps also be a bit more limiting and specific with this critical assessment and point out that feeling rather (no actually quite) distanced and distracted was and remains more the case for me, personally, and that other perusers might well not have encountered this same impression (but be that as it may, in Invincible Louisa, I certainly and most definitely NEVER felt even remotely connected and close to the Alcotts, to their friends, even to the historical period presented and thus rather quickly lost interest, skimming and skipping much of the book simply because I was desperate to be done and to read something else, almost anything else). And considering how much I have always loved Lousia May Alcott as an author, yes, my personal disappointment has certainly made me rather more curmudgeonly with regard to my rating (giving but two stars and actually originally even considering a one star rating).
Another (perhaps more minor but still everpresent) feature of my frustration with Invincible Louisa is the uncomfortable fact and truth that Cornelia Meigs presents a rather overly rosy and glowing description and assessment of the Alcott family patriarch, of Bronson Alcott (who was in most ways rather a failure at least with regard to his role as father and husband). Now granted, Invincible Louisa was penned at a time when much of the less than stellar qualities of Bronson Alcott's character were as yet unknown (and if the writing style, if Cornelia Meigs’ mode of narrative for Invincible Louisa had been more readable and less mundanely tedious, I would likely have been able to at least partially ignore how Bronson Alcott was in many ways placed on an often undeserving and positive pedestal). But I cannot and will not deny that the author', that Meigs’ almost hero-worship of Bronson Alcott, of the entire Alcott family in fact, certainly did and does chafe and definitely has influenced and continues to influence my rather negative general attitude towards Invincible Louisa. And thus, I cannot and will not recommend this book without major reservations (especially since there are many better, more modern and above all, more balanced biographical accounts of Louisa May Allcott and her family now available). Two stars, and yes indeed, I also refuse to feel even remotely guilty (even considering that Invincible Louisa won an award and is obviously beloved by many)!
I guess that first and foremost, it is the author's, it is Cornelia Meigs' declamatory and often almost prayerful narrative style that I simply cannot stomach, as it tends to permeate rather strongly throughout Invincible Louisa and to both distance and distract potential readers from the content, from the presented themes, from the featured characters. However, and that all being said, I guess I should perhaps also be a bit more limiting and specific with this critical assessment and point out that feeling rather (no actually quite) distanced and distracted was and remains more the case for me, personally, and that other perusers might well not have encountered this same impression (but be that as it may, in Invincible Louisa, I certainly and most definitely NEVER felt even remotely connected and close to the Alcotts, to their friends, even to the historical period presented and thus rather quickly lost interest, skimming and skipping much of the book simply because I was desperate to be done and to read something else, almost anything else). And considering how much I have always loved Lousia May Alcott as an author, yes, my personal disappointment has certainly made me rather more curmudgeonly with regard to my rating (giving but two stars and actually originally even considering a one star rating).
Another (perhaps more minor but still everpresent) feature of my frustration with Invincible Louisa is the uncomfortable fact and truth that Cornelia Meigs presents a rather overly rosy and glowing description and assessment of the Alcott family patriarch, of Bronson Alcott (who was in most ways rather a failure at least with regard to his role as father and husband). Now granted, Invincible Louisa was penned at a time when much of the less than stellar qualities of Bronson Alcott's character were as yet unknown (and if the writing style, if Cornelia Meigs’ mode of narrative for Invincible Louisa had been more readable and less mundanely tedious, I would likely have been able to at least partially ignore how Bronson Alcott was in many ways placed on an often undeserving and positive pedestal). But I cannot and will not deny that the author', that Meigs’ almost hero-worship of Bronson Alcott, of the entire Alcott family in fact, certainly did and does chafe and definitely has influenced and continues to influence my rather negative general attitude towards Invincible Louisa. And thus, I cannot and will not recommend this book without major reservations (especially since there are many better, more modern and above all, more balanced biographical accounts of Louisa May Allcott and her family now available). Two stars, and yes indeed, I also refuse to feel even remotely guilty (even considering that Invincible Louisa won an award and is obviously beloved by many)!
November 16, 2023
I highly recommend this lovely Newberry Award winner for all fans of Little Women author, Louisa May Alcott. I was delighted to learn about her life and to know how closely she wrote of her own family and experiences. Jo is fashioned after her spirited self. I have just finished reading Little Men and think this was a perfect accompaniment.
She was devoted to her family and to her writing. Surprisingly I learned that she loved theater and performed quite a bit in Boston. It was amazing to know that she was able to see and hear her favorite author, Charles Dickens when she was in London. Also on her European trip, she met the real “Laurie”, a young Polish boy named Ladislas.
I was also interested to learn of the Alcott family friendships with Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry David Thoreau all of Concord, Massachusetts.
A delightful read for young and old!
She was devoted to her family and to her writing. Surprisingly I learned that she loved theater and performed quite a bit in Boston. It was amazing to know that she was able to see and hear her favorite author, Charles Dickens when she was in London. Also on her European trip, she met the real “Laurie”, a young Polish boy named Ladislas.
I was also interested to learn of the Alcott family friendships with Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry David Thoreau all of Concord, Massachusetts.
A delightful read for young and old!
June 22, 2017
1934 Newbery Medal winner.
I'm a big fan of Louisa May Alcott and her writings, her most notable novel being Little Women, among many other great books and stories. Needless to say, I've wanted to read this particular biography on Miss Alcott for many years, and finally got to read it this summer.
I think by reading this book and learning more about the Alcott family's history, you're diving deeper into Little Women at the same time. You get to learn more about the characters of Amy, Jo, Meg, and Beth, and find out what they truly were like in real life. Most importantly I found out a lot more about Miss Jo March herself, Louisa May Alcott. I'm starting to pick up now on hints of true events from her life inside of her writings. I feel more well-informed on the Alcotts as I continue to make my way through more of Louisa's books.
Louisa was always running off for a new adventure; this is true both in childhood and adulthood, in different ways. She was up for something fresh and thrilling to the senses, and was courageous to the core; this is one of the big elements I picked up on by reading her biography. Plus the reader gets to see insight in other topics that greatly affected Louisa: death, slavery, transcendentalism, education, Quaker culture, poverty. Life wasn't always peachy for her, as she had troubles all her own – but enough sweetness to keep her well-rounded. Just like in her writings.
Cons? This isn't really a negative point, but my opinion in one area differs from Cornelia Meigs' version. I think the author had a different perspective on Bronson Alcott than what we have of him today, if one reads up on the subject. In this book, Meigs glowingly builds up his character and reputation, which somehow seems skewed from what history tells us. Of course, he was a dreamer, and he attempted to do many different things in his life, but I personally don't think it was as glamorous as this book portrays.
One of the reasons this biography is particularly interesting to me is that it's not a modern day researcher who wrote it. It was written back in the 1930's, and clearly is written in a vintage style (which I completely adored, seeing as I am an avid vintage book reader). Additionally, I felt like the biographer truly knew Louisa as a friend, not just how a researcher or journalist might see her. I liked the effect that the amiable writing style gave to the atmosphere of the biography, and it made it much more amusing to read than a dry, textbook biography.
I'm a big fan of Louisa May Alcott and her writings, her most notable novel being Little Women, among many other great books and stories. Needless to say, I've wanted to read this particular biography on Miss Alcott for many years, and finally got to read it this summer.
I think by reading this book and learning more about the Alcott family's history, you're diving deeper into Little Women at the same time. You get to learn more about the characters of Amy, Jo, Meg, and Beth, and find out what they truly were like in real life. Most importantly I found out a lot more about Miss Jo March herself, Louisa May Alcott. I'm starting to pick up now on hints of true events from her life inside of her writings. I feel more well-informed on the Alcotts as I continue to make my way through more of Louisa's books.
Louisa was always running off for a new adventure; this is true both in childhood and adulthood, in different ways. She was up for something fresh and thrilling to the senses, and was courageous to the core; this is one of the big elements I picked up on by reading her biography. Plus the reader gets to see insight in other topics that greatly affected Louisa: death, slavery, transcendentalism, education, Quaker culture, poverty. Life wasn't always peachy for her, as she had troubles all her own – but enough sweetness to keep her well-rounded. Just like in her writings.
Cons? This isn't really a negative point, but my opinion in one area differs from Cornelia Meigs' version. I think the author had a different perspective on Bronson Alcott than what we have of him today, if one reads up on the subject. In this book, Meigs glowingly builds up his character and reputation, which somehow seems skewed from what history tells us. Of course, he was a dreamer, and he attempted to do many different things in his life, but I personally don't think it was as glamorous as this book portrays.
One of the reasons this biography is particularly interesting to me is that it's not a modern day researcher who wrote it. It was written back in the 1930's, and clearly is written in a vintage style (which I completely adored, seeing as I am an avid vintage book reader). Additionally, I felt like the biographer truly knew Louisa as a friend, not just how a researcher or journalist might see her. I liked the effect that the amiable writing style gave to the atmosphere of the biography, and it made it much more amusing to read than a dry, textbook biography.
June 9, 2011
Written in 1933 the language is beautiful. I am amazed, however, at the positive and glowing description of LMA’s father. Her father is well known to have been a dreamer, a never-do-well, woefully inadequate as a bread-winner for the family. The family was in constant finical distress till LMA herself began her publishing career; the strains due solely to her father’s wandering and placement of vague ideals above solid employment to support his wife and 4 children. The hard life and the constant fear and emotional turmoil Abba (LAM’s mother) held that family together though is heart-breaking. Honestly the author might have been better off writing a study of Bronson Alcott (LMA’s father) than of Louisa May herself; since mush of the text is devoted to his various schools and odd ambitions.
Page 98 is the first mention of her publishing any writing and Little women, while certainly not her only noteworthy effort (not even my favorite) is not mentioned till page 200, a mere 41 pages before the end of the book.
On page 184 there is discussion Louisa having a ‘close male friend’ this is AFTER the Civil war, and LMA was born in 1832, so she was in her 30’s or 40’s by this time. The author, then, speaks of the fact that LMA made veiled reference to lovers or admirers though out her life, but paid them to heed, so history should not attend to them either. The author claims the earliest reference LMA herself makes to a lover is when she vas 15, I question the definition of lover a 15 year old female for a good family in the about 1845 would really have had, none the less I find it odd the biography author merely looks back on this in passing while discussion her later life. Again this books doesn’t seem to be about LMA as much as it is about her father and the experience of the family (moving something like 25 times in 26 years) following him.
I did learn a few new facts. For example while I knew the Alcott family was near and dear to Emerson I have no idea they also know, much less how well, the Hawthorns. It is interesting; to look back, at the now famous people that readily exchanges addresses before any of them were a person of mention. I also did not know she has nursed in the Civil war (inWashingtonDC) so that she had come so near to death as a result.
Overall, not that great a read. I finished it on one hand because I am obsessive like that and rarely do NOT finish a book and secondly just almost with a morbid curiosity to see if the author ever really talked about LMA or is all of the book focused on glowing coverage of her never-do-well father. Clearly LMA served only as a window though which to discuss her father and his theories and the tribulations he put the family though; though the author presents them all as joyous varied experiences.
Page 98 is the first mention of her publishing any writing and Little women, while certainly not her only noteworthy effort (not even my favorite) is not mentioned till page 200, a mere 41 pages before the end of the book.
On page 184 there is discussion Louisa having a ‘close male friend’ this is AFTER the Civil war, and LMA was born in 1832, so she was in her 30’s or 40’s by this time. The author, then, speaks of the fact that LMA made veiled reference to lovers or admirers though out her life, but paid them to heed, so history should not attend to them either. The author claims the earliest reference LMA herself makes to a lover is when she vas 15, I question the definition of lover a 15 year old female for a good family in the about 1845 would really have had, none the less I find it odd the biography author merely looks back on this in passing while discussion her later life. Again this books doesn’t seem to be about LMA as much as it is about her father and the experience of the family (moving something like 25 times in 26 years) following him.
I did learn a few new facts. For example while I knew the Alcott family was near and dear to Emerson I have no idea they also know, much less how well, the Hawthorns. It is interesting; to look back, at the now famous people that readily exchanges addresses before any of them were a person of mention. I also did not know she has nursed in the Civil war (inWashingtonDC) so that she had come so near to death as a result.
Overall, not that great a read. I finished it on one hand because I am obsessive like that and rarely do NOT finish a book and secondly just almost with a morbid curiosity to see if the author ever really talked about LMA or is all of the book focused on glowing coverage of her never-do-well father. Clearly LMA served only as a window though which to discuss her father and his theories and the tribulations he put the family though; though the author presents them all as joyous varied experiences.
August 13, 2016
This is a short biography of the life of Louisa May Alcott. The book begins with an introduction to her parents and their life growing up until they meet and marry. It then covers the span of Alcott's life and her work as a nurse, teacher and writer. The reader gets to know all of the real life people behind the beloved characters of Little Women and what inspired Alcott to write the book.
This is not a riveting book but for those who loved any of Alcott's books growing up will enjoy getting to know the writer who was the real Jo March. I am one of those fans and was thoroughly entertained. It has inspired me to re-read the Little Women and her other works.
This is not a riveting book but for those who loved any of Alcott's books growing up will enjoy getting to know the writer who was the real Jo March. I am one of those fans and was thoroughly entertained. It has inspired me to re-read the Little Women and her other works.
March 5, 2015
I am thankful that I read Little Women before reading this biography. So much of Alcott's personal life went into her novel. And so much of the resonance of this biography depends on familiarity with her work. This is not a balanced and academic study of the life of a young author and her influences; this is a hagiography. While often described as "invincible" and "determined," Alcott's jobs were all very short-lived, similar to her father, who Meigs also paints in an overly flattering light. They were both idealistic dreamers who were not willing to compromise their ideas for something as base as steady income. Growing up surrounded by Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne, it is little surprise that Alcott was able to channel this privilege into a profitable writing career.
While flawed as a biography, this book is quite readable and pleasant. Fans of Little Women are likely to enjoy this peak behind the pages. And they are likely to forgive the florid writing style.
While flawed as a biography, this book is quite readable and pleasant. Fans of Little Women are likely to enjoy this peak behind the pages. And they are likely to forgive the florid writing style.
November 28, 2021
Little Women is possibly one of my least favorite stories, ever. I just hate it. I hate the book and I hate the movies.
I was not exactly thrilled when I discovered this book on my Newbery Quest. Louisa May Alcott is not someone I've ever been interested in due to my abhorrence of Little Women. Furthermore, I was reading another Meigs' Newbery book (yet another case of the same author getting multiple awards) and it was terribly boring. I could barely stand reading it. She has a very dense style.
I was more surprised than anyone when I found myself enjoying this book, not so much for the writing which was still dense, but for the story of Louisa. I kind of fell in love with her and admire her greatly. I learned quite a bit and found much to admire.
*I had no clue how many big wigs of American History that she knew intimately. Her family was good friends with Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Nathaniel Hawthorne, just to name a few.
*Her family was extremely tight-knit. I loved how close they were and how much they loved each other. By all accounts her dad was a great educator, but I didn't like how Meigs kept trying to justify his lack of finances because he "had big thoughts to think." That is a lame excuse for any time and season.
*I loved how Louisa had a goal and she set out to accomplish it, she wanted to take care of her family so they wouldn't have to worry about money. Everything she did in life was pointed to accomplishing that goal. She eventually reached it with the success of Little Women.
*She very emphatically stated that Jo would never be with Laurie. That just pissed me off because it's one of the things I hate most about Little Women. That said, she stuck to her guns no matter how much peer pressure she got from fans.
*She was single and took care of herself. That's rare for that era and I love that about her.
*She volunteered in the hospital during the Civil War. She didn't last long because she got too sick and had to go back home to recuperate. By all accounts she seemed like she truly cared and tried hard to make life brighter for the soldiers. She wrote Hospital Sketches about her time there. These are what started gaining her true fame and popularity. People would send letters begging her to write more.
I'm glad I read this book and learned more about Louisa. Even though I don't like her books I gained a whole new appreciation and love for her.
I was not exactly thrilled when I discovered this book on my Newbery Quest. Louisa May Alcott is not someone I've ever been interested in due to my abhorrence of Little Women. Furthermore, I was reading another Meigs' Newbery book (yet another case of the same author getting multiple awards) and it was terribly boring. I could barely stand reading it. She has a very dense style.
I was more surprised than anyone when I found myself enjoying this book, not so much for the writing which was still dense, but for the story of Louisa. I kind of fell in love with her and admire her greatly. I learned quite a bit and found much to admire.
*I had no clue how many big wigs of American History that she knew intimately. Her family was good friends with Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Nathaniel Hawthorne, just to name a few.
*Her family was extremely tight-knit. I loved how close they were and how much they loved each other. By all accounts her dad was a great educator, but I didn't like how Meigs kept trying to justify his lack of finances because he "had big thoughts to think." That is a lame excuse for any time and season.
*I loved how Louisa had a goal and she set out to accomplish it, she wanted to take care of her family so they wouldn't have to worry about money. Everything she did in life was pointed to accomplishing that goal. She eventually reached it with the success of Little Women.
*She very emphatically stated that Jo would never be with Laurie. That just pissed me off because it's one of the things I hate most about Little Women. That said, she stuck to her guns no matter how much peer pressure she got from fans.
*She was single and took care of herself. That's rare for that era and I love that about her.
*She volunteered in the hospital during the Civil War. She didn't last long because she got too sick and had to go back home to recuperate. By all accounts she seemed like she truly cared and tried hard to make life brighter for the soldiers. She wrote Hospital Sketches about her time there. These are what started gaining her true fame and popularity. People would send letters begging her to write more.
I'm glad I read this book and learned more about Louisa. Even though I don't like her books I gained a whole new appreciation and love for her.
April 22, 2009
This is one of the greatest biographical stories that I have ever read.
It is exceptionally heartfelt and wise and touching for any fictional narrative, but for a TRUE story it simply blows almost all others right out of the proverbial water. Cornelia Meigs has a brilliantly sweet touch that infuses her writing with warm energy, flowing unmistakably through every paragraph and sentence and word. I found myself on the verge of tears at several points, but what really resonated with me deepest of all is the story of the injured boy, when Louisa May Alcott is working as a nurse during the Civil War. His dream of Kit's reemergence (and I won't give away any more of what this means than that) struck me like a bolt of lightning, and stays with me emotionally to this day, and will forever after.
Cornelia Meigs has crafted the story to read more like a fictional account than a regular biography, and in my view she has done this with with awesome, breathtaking mastery. Invincible Louisa is a fine piece of literature, ranking up there at or near the top with the best biographies I have ever read, and near the top with the best books of any type that I have ever read. This is an outstanding work.
It is exceptionally heartfelt and wise and touching for any fictional narrative, but for a TRUE story it simply blows almost all others right out of the proverbial water. Cornelia Meigs has a brilliantly sweet touch that infuses her writing with warm energy, flowing unmistakably through every paragraph and sentence and word. I found myself on the verge of tears at several points, but what really resonated with me deepest of all is the story of the injured boy, when Louisa May Alcott is working as a nurse during the Civil War. His dream of Kit's reemergence (and I won't give away any more of what this means than that) struck me like a bolt of lightning, and stays with me emotionally to this day, and will forever after.
Cornelia Meigs has crafted the story to read more like a fictional account than a regular biography, and in my view she has done this with with awesome, breathtaking mastery. Invincible Louisa is a fine piece of literature, ranking up there at or near the top with the best biographies I have ever read, and near the top with the best books of any type that I have ever read. This is an outstanding work.
September 12, 2008
I loved this book. I learned so much about her. I now want to reread all of her books. So much of what she wrote was from her life. I want to find those connections. Just loved it.
July 20, 2011
Decent for a biography, some good descriptions. Otherwise unremarkable. I think I would have enjoyed reading Little Women instead.
"It was a time of great happiness, peace and security, those first two years of the Alcotts' married life. Happiness was to continue, sometimes interrupted in strange ways; but peace and security were not to come again for a very long time."
"...here, most of all, were the unruffled peace and the genuine happiness of living, of a household devoted and gay, high-spirited and happy, even in the face of sorrow."
"...her mother's heart had been wrung with pain over the baby brother who came and went away again." "Only long after, when her daughter saw some of her mother's letters and read in her journal the despairing cry of bitter grief, did Louisa have any real knowledge of what her mother had suffered over the little boy who was lost, and of whom the girls were taught to speak as though they had really had and known their brother."
"Much of the time, the older three were taken care of by their father when their mother was busy, or when, as she frankly admitted, she was too tired to be wise or patient with them."
"He said a very little, in brief explanation, to make Louisa see that she had done wrong in taking things without permission, and then he held her on his knee while she leaned her face against his shoulder and broke into a storm of weeping. He did not make stupid attempts to comfort her, but let her cry her fill until, in sheer exhaustion, she went to sleep. She awake an hour afterward, frightened for an instant to find herself in the twilight of the big garret, then reassured to discover that she was still upon his knee, within the circle of his comforting arm."
"So surrounded were they by love and watchfulness that the discomforts and privations which crept more and more into their days did not seem to matter. What did matter was that these two beloved ones, who were their whole world were growing day by day more sorrowful and desperate."
"There is no better way to learn how to understand the minds of children than to teach them. Louisa gave generously and taught well, but she could not learn to like her work. She was too restless and impetuous; she was too prone to find the long hours of sitting still as trying as did even the smallest of her pupils. Determination, however, can take the place of patience, if earnestly applied."
"It was Abba Alcott's habit to look into the diaries, which were always open to her, and to write brief letters to her children amongst the pages of uncertain writing. "I have observed all day your patience with baby, your obedience to me, your kindness to all." After one of Louisa's tempests of furious temper, which broke out from time to time when she was small, was this comment: "I was grieved at your selfish behaviour this morning, but also greatly pleased to find you bore so meekly Father's reproof of it. I know that you will have a happy day after the storm; keep quiet, read, walk, but do not talk much till all is peace again."
"It was March when Elizabeth went away. Louisa saw her go with the strange, numb calmness that attends an agonizing grief when it cannot be averted. Elizabeth was glad to be at rest; no one could begrudge her the freedom from suffering which she had finally won, when "on the same breast where she had drawn her first breath, she quietly drew her last." An inconspicuous, beautiful, unselfish life, coming to an almost imperceptible close."
"Life goes on after sorrow, in spite of sorrow, as a defense against sorrow."
""I am glad to have known so good a man," she wrote of him. Behind that simple statement is all her gratitude for the cheerful welcomes when she was lonely and homesick, for counsel and encouragement in the midst of a great man's busy days, for the fortitude which he put into her heart, to remain there forever."
"There is no experience in the world that can ever match that of seeing soldiers go away, of seeing the gaiety and the excitement and of knowing the black and hopeless tragedy which is behind it all. There is little that is so terrible as seeing strong, wholesome young men, every one of them beautiful in the flush of their high patriotism, as watching them go and knowing that they are surely to die."
"Louisa leaned back in her chair to rest a minute and draw her breath, for it had taken all her strength and spirit to help the desolate little boy. How tired she was and how long the night! But she could be still for a little now, she thought, and gather courage again."
"Theodore Parker had been dead nearly three years, but she knew, still, every word he had ever said to help her in her own need. He had given her courage to face some hard things; she could face this."
"Like all people when they are ill, she had been thinking only of the difficult present and not of the future. Now, as she began to feel something like real strength again, she fell to wondering what was before her. She had thought of herself as such a failure, but perhaps, after all, there were still worlds for her to conquer."
"Only one party of guests stood out against her, a Southern colonel and his family, who regarded her across the room with the bitter enmity which is the aftermath of war. Louisa smiled over their haughty hostility and cheerfully went her own way."
"Once these two reached an age sufficient for understanding each other, the little-girl quarrels ceased forever."
"Abba Alcott was slowly slipping into the rest and peace which were to be greater even than any Louisa could give. She was cheerful and free from suffering through weeks and months of failing. Bronson had come home and Louisa's arms were close about her when she finally went away. How strange it was to be in that household and know that the strong spirit which had ruled it so long was absent."
"She was royally welcomed and carried home, and many times, at night, Louisa would go into her room, to look at her in her small bed, to make sure that she was really there." "One of the ways in which children are a comfort is their ability to keep everyone occupied and absorbed in them."
"It was a time of great happiness, peace and security, those first two years of the Alcotts' married life. Happiness was to continue, sometimes interrupted in strange ways; but peace and security were not to come again for a very long time."
"...here, most of all, were the unruffled peace and the genuine happiness of living, of a household devoted and gay, high-spirited and happy, even in the face of sorrow."
"...her mother's heart had been wrung with pain over the baby brother who came and went away again." "Only long after, when her daughter saw some of her mother's letters and read in her journal the despairing cry of bitter grief, did Louisa have any real knowledge of what her mother had suffered over the little boy who was lost, and of whom the girls were taught to speak as though they had really had and known their brother."
"Much of the time, the older three were taken care of by their father when their mother was busy, or when, as she frankly admitted, she was too tired to be wise or patient with them."
"He said a very little, in brief explanation, to make Louisa see that she had done wrong in taking things without permission, and then he held her on his knee while she leaned her face against his shoulder and broke into a storm of weeping. He did not make stupid attempts to comfort her, but let her cry her fill until, in sheer exhaustion, she went to sleep. She awake an hour afterward, frightened for an instant to find herself in the twilight of the big garret, then reassured to discover that she was still upon his knee, within the circle of his comforting arm."
"So surrounded were they by love and watchfulness that the discomforts and privations which crept more and more into their days did not seem to matter. What did matter was that these two beloved ones, who were their whole world were growing day by day more sorrowful and desperate."
"There is no better way to learn how to understand the minds of children than to teach them. Louisa gave generously and taught well, but she could not learn to like her work. She was too restless and impetuous; she was too prone to find the long hours of sitting still as trying as did even the smallest of her pupils. Determination, however, can take the place of patience, if earnestly applied."
"It was Abba Alcott's habit to look into the diaries, which were always open to her, and to write brief letters to her children amongst the pages of uncertain writing. "I have observed all day your patience with baby, your obedience to me, your kindness to all." After one of Louisa's tempests of furious temper, which broke out from time to time when she was small, was this comment: "I was grieved at your selfish behaviour this morning, but also greatly pleased to find you bore so meekly Father's reproof of it. I know that you will have a happy day after the storm; keep quiet, read, walk, but do not talk much till all is peace again."
"It was March when Elizabeth went away. Louisa saw her go with the strange, numb calmness that attends an agonizing grief when it cannot be averted. Elizabeth was glad to be at rest; no one could begrudge her the freedom from suffering which she had finally won, when "on the same breast where she had drawn her first breath, she quietly drew her last." An inconspicuous, beautiful, unselfish life, coming to an almost imperceptible close."
"Life goes on after sorrow, in spite of sorrow, as a defense against sorrow."
""I am glad to have known so good a man," she wrote of him. Behind that simple statement is all her gratitude for the cheerful welcomes when she was lonely and homesick, for counsel and encouragement in the midst of a great man's busy days, for the fortitude which he put into her heart, to remain there forever."
"There is no experience in the world that can ever match that of seeing soldiers go away, of seeing the gaiety and the excitement and of knowing the black and hopeless tragedy which is behind it all. There is little that is so terrible as seeing strong, wholesome young men, every one of them beautiful in the flush of their high patriotism, as watching them go and knowing that they are surely to die."
"Louisa leaned back in her chair to rest a minute and draw her breath, for it had taken all her strength and spirit to help the desolate little boy. How tired she was and how long the night! But she could be still for a little now, she thought, and gather courage again."
"Theodore Parker had been dead nearly three years, but she knew, still, every word he had ever said to help her in her own need. He had given her courage to face some hard things; she could face this."
"Like all people when they are ill, she had been thinking only of the difficult present and not of the future. Now, as she began to feel something like real strength again, she fell to wondering what was before her. She had thought of herself as such a failure, but perhaps, after all, there were still worlds for her to conquer."
"Only one party of guests stood out against her, a Southern colonel and his family, who regarded her across the room with the bitter enmity which is the aftermath of war. Louisa smiled over their haughty hostility and cheerfully went her own way."
"Once these two reached an age sufficient for understanding each other, the little-girl quarrels ceased forever."
"Abba Alcott was slowly slipping into the rest and peace which were to be greater even than any Louisa could give. She was cheerful and free from suffering through weeks and months of failing. Bronson had come home and Louisa's arms were close about her when she finally went away. How strange it was to be in that household and know that the strong spirit which had ruled it so long was absent."
"She was royally welcomed and carried home, and many times, at night, Louisa would go into her room, to look at her in her small bed, to make sure that she was really there." "One of the ways in which children are a comfort is their ability to keep everyone occupied and absorbed in them."
January 20, 2020
Having just seen the 2019 Little Women film and reread the first half of the book, I was interested to read this and see what inspired what. But it immediately reminded me of why I don't typically like biographies with it's plodding, recitation style. Also seemed hell bent of deifying Alcott as some sort of saint. NO FAMILY EVER LOVED MORE (yes they have) NO ONE EVER WORKED HARDER (yes they have). Wish the author would have taken the hero worship down a notch. I can't help but wonder if Alcott would be diagnosed with bipolar disorder in modern times. She might also be an ennegram 2 who spent too much time in her worst traits. Also I'm convinced she was definitely sleeping with that 18 year old, Ladislas, when she was in her 30s. This book tried too hard to make her seem a perfect person that life threw difficulty at for me to enjoy it, though I did get info on her life vs. Little Women like I wanted.
March 4, 2018
I had a little trouble getting into this book, but by the time Louisa leaves home I was fully immersed. I think the writing style feels similar to Little Women, though it's been at least a decade since my last reading. I wish I could be as generous in my view of Louisa's father as Meigs is -- he seems like a ninny who did nothing but cause his family trouble with his impractical ideas, and got nothing but love and support in return. Some of the articles I read online suggest Louisa was not as totally emotionally supportive as Meigs indicates, which makes sense to me -- when your family is starving and your father is not only not helping support you, but actively giving your resources away, it can't breed a lot of respect for him. I think there is a definite reason he isn't in her books.
While I enjoyed this book, I wish it was less fictionalized. After all, we already had Little Women if we wanted an abridged and wholesome account of Alcott's life.
While I enjoyed this book, I wish it was less fictionalized. After all, we already had Little Women if we wanted an abridged and wholesome account of Alcott's life.
March 10, 2022
While I enjoyed the story of Louisa May Alcott’s life, and the inspirations for Little Women, I didn’t like the author’s writing style. It made for choppy reading and often left me cold, like I was reading a text book.
January 10, 2024
The passive voice in the first third of the book drove me nuts, but then it smoothed out and I enjoyed this look into Louisa’s life.
October 12, 2019
I decided to read Little Women and the simple, easy-to-read biography Invincible Louisa: The Story of the Author of Little Women at the same time. I'm glad I did as Alcott's life pervades the iconic Little Women - characters/details - to a greater extent than I (and probably most) realized.
Recommend: I'm not big on reading biographies but this one (Newbery Award 1934) takes a smidgen of time to read and greatly enhances - at least for me it did - Little Women. However, I'm not sure that it would have sustained my interest had I not been reading Little Women. So neither a yea nor nay recommendation.
Recommend: I'm not big on reading biographies but this one (Newbery Award 1934) takes a smidgen of time to read and greatly enhances - at least for me it did - Little Women. However, I'm not sure that it would have sustained my interest had I not been reading Little Women. So neither a yea nor nay recommendation.
November 8, 2022
Cleanliness
Children's Bad Words
Mild Obscenities and Substitutions - 1 Incident: stupid
Name Calling - 1 Incident: fool
Religious Profanities - 1 Incident: “Ye gods, how do I sleep here,”
Religious & Supernatural - 5 Incidents: Briefly describes the Quaker’s belief and lifestyle. Briefly describes Transcendentalism, “the life in which honest, sincerity, unselfishness, and all things of the spirit were to be the rule instead of things of the body.” Mentioned throughout the book. “It was his [Louisa’s father] sure belief that God would always provide for those who loved Him. Abba believed it also, with a difference. She thought that God expected people to help themselves as far as they could and not to lay the whole burden upon Him.” Again, describes Transcendentalism and some of its rules. Describes the Shaker’s way of life.
Romance Related - 10 Incidents: A woman falls in love and, against the warnings of family and friends, marries the man suddenly. Mentions how Louisa had a crush on Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Mentions a girl being “unhappy over a small love affair which had not gone properly.” Mentions a boy that “had developed a tender passion” for a girl. Mentions a boy who stole a kiss and how “kissing was not an approved custom among the Alcotts.” An older man kisses a girl on her wedding and Louisa states, “I thought that honor would make even matrimony endurable.” Some grateful soldiers kiss a nurse goodbye. Mentions several of Louisa’s lovers. A young man kisses a lady’s hand. Breast - not sexual.
Attitudes/Disobedience - 7 Incidents: Temper: “But Louisa and her mother remained inflammable Mays to the very end.” “The stormy, never-quiet Louisa, who found it so hard to be obedient.”
“She was impatient and rebellious and in fact much too young for any such hard labor. But she did it all without much need of being urged, for she was bound that her mother should not be too heavily burdened.” Louisa had “grief over the bad temper which would not be controlled.” A father “wanted to lay violent hands” on a man that cheated his daughter of her wages (he did not). Author says, “she was very sensitive, as all creative persons must be.” Mentions a girl’s temper and her response to correction.
Conversation Topics - 7 Incidents: Mentions tobacco. Louisa’s father teaches at a school held in a Masonic Temple. Using the word Negro throughout the book. Bronson [Louisa’s father] tries to decide whether he should separate from his wife and family for the sake of his great Transcendental experiment and asks each family member for their thoughts. Louisa’s parents decide to let her and Anna go to school (rather than be taught at home) and the author states that they were “wise enough to see ...that the girls needed companions of their own age and should not always study alone.” “She was always lamenting the fact that she was not born a boy.” Louisa, at one point being very disheartened, wished she could die.
Parent Takeaway
Although the author does mention Louisa's and other peoples faults, I feel that she imposed her own bias upon her narration; sometimes making justifications for or trying to explain away their actions. Examples are above but I wanted you, as the parent, to be aware that this slant is strong throughout the book and could cause your child to think better of certain actions (such as Bronson's lack of provision for his family, the depression which he sunk into that kept him from being a strong moral figure to his family, etc.). If you can ignore Meig's impositions, this is a great and interesting read about Louisa May Alcott, an author close to so many girls' hearts.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
Children's Bad Words
Mild Obscenities and Substitutions - 1 Incident: stupid
Name Calling - 1 Incident: fool
Religious Profanities - 1 Incident: “Ye gods, how do I sleep here,”
Religious & Supernatural - 5 Incidents: Briefly describes the Quaker’s belief and lifestyle. Briefly describes Transcendentalism, “the life in which honest, sincerity, unselfishness, and all things of the spirit were to be the rule instead of things of the body.” Mentioned throughout the book. “It was his [Louisa’s father] sure belief that God would always provide for those who loved Him. Abba believed it also, with a difference. She thought that God expected people to help themselves as far as they could and not to lay the whole burden upon Him.” Again, describes Transcendentalism and some of its rules. Describes the Shaker’s way of life.
Romance Related - 10 Incidents: A woman falls in love and, against the warnings of family and friends, marries the man suddenly. Mentions how Louisa had a crush on Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Mentions a girl being “unhappy over a small love affair which had not gone properly.” Mentions a boy that “had developed a tender passion” for a girl. Mentions a boy who stole a kiss and how “kissing was not an approved custom among the Alcotts.” An older man kisses a girl on her wedding and Louisa states, “I thought that honor would make even matrimony endurable.” Some grateful soldiers kiss a nurse goodbye. Mentions several of Louisa’s lovers. A young man kisses a lady’s hand. Breast - not sexual.
Attitudes/Disobedience - 7 Incidents: Temper: “But Louisa and her mother remained inflammable Mays to the very end.” “The stormy, never-quiet Louisa, who found it so hard to be obedient.”
“She was impatient and rebellious and in fact much too young for any such hard labor. But she did it all without much need of being urged, for she was bound that her mother should not be too heavily burdened.” Louisa had “grief over the bad temper which would not be controlled.” A father “wanted to lay violent hands” on a man that cheated his daughter of her wages (he did not). Author says, “she was very sensitive, as all creative persons must be.” Mentions a girl’s temper and her response to correction.
Conversation Topics - 7 Incidents: Mentions tobacco. Louisa’s father teaches at a school held in a Masonic Temple. Using the word Negro throughout the book. Bronson [Louisa’s father] tries to decide whether he should separate from his wife and family for the sake of his great Transcendental experiment and asks each family member for their thoughts. Louisa’s parents decide to let her and Anna go to school (rather than be taught at home) and the author states that they were “wise enough to see ...that the girls needed companions of their own age and should not always study alone.” “She was always lamenting the fact that she was not born a boy.” Louisa, at one point being very disheartened, wished she could die.
Parent Takeaway
Although the author does mention Louisa's and other peoples faults, I feel that she imposed her own bias upon her narration; sometimes making justifications for or trying to explain away their actions. Examples are above but I wanted you, as the parent, to be aware that this slant is strong throughout the book and could cause your child to think better of certain actions (such as Bronson's lack of provision for his family, the depression which he sunk into that kept him from being a strong moral figure to his family, etc.). If you can ignore Meig's impositions, this is a great and interesting read about Louisa May Alcott, an author close to so many girls' hearts.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
October 25, 2018
On my first visit to the middle school library in 6th grade, I checked out "Little Women." The librarian, looked at me skeptically over her tiny, librarian glasses and said, "I think this might be a little too hard for you."
"You don't know me," I thought, but did not say. I was painfully shy, but super sassy in my head.
When Louisa May Alcott's father gave one of her stories to a friend of his in publishing, the man said, "'Tell Louisa to stick to her teaching,' the gentleman said kindly. 'She is never going to be a writer.'"
Louisa's response? You don't know me. "'I will not stick to my teaching; I will be a writer,' she declared. 'And I will write for his magazine, too.'" And she did all those things.
One of my favorite details from this book was that Louisa never had a desk or study of her own. She had a writing case that she held on her knee in order to write, proving that a writer can write anywhere, anytime, without any special space or tools -just her own imagination.
When I finished this book, I took my well-worn copy of "Little Women" off the shelf and read the first page. Although I did read a library copy of it the first time (in 6th grade, thank you very much), it was one that I had to own for my collection and I've read it multiple times over the years. This biography made me want to explore more of Alcott's work. Learning that Alcott had been friends with Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorn, also reminded me of how I used to read a lot of classic literature and I'd like to get back into that.
Here's one of my favorite lines from the biography: "Life goes on after sorrow, in spite of sorrow, as a defense against sorrow."
"You don't know me," I thought, but did not say. I was painfully shy, but super sassy in my head.
When Louisa May Alcott's father gave one of her stories to a friend of his in publishing, the man said, "'Tell Louisa to stick to her teaching,' the gentleman said kindly. 'She is never going to be a writer.'"
Louisa's response? You don't know me. "'I will not stick to my teaching; I will be a writer,' she declared. 'And I will write for his magazine, too.'" And she did all those things.
One of my favorite details from this book was that Louisa never had a desk or study of her own. She had a writing case that she held on her knee in order to write, proving that a writer can write anywhere, anytime, without any special space or tools -just her own imagination.
When I finished this book, I took my well-worn copy of "Little Women" off the shelf and read the first page. Although I did read a library copy of it the first time (in 6th grade, thank you very much), it was one that I had to own for my collection and I've read it multiple times over the years. This biography made me want to explore more of Alcott's work. Learning that Alcott had been friends with Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorn, also reminded me of how I used to read a lot of classic literature and I'd like to get back into that.
Here's one of my favorite lines from the biography: "Life goes on after sorrow, in spite of sorrow, as a defense against sorrow."
November 12, 2017
It's not that bad! Why this book is underrated:
1. Sentence quality. I love Meigs' Dickensian sentence structure. It perfectly fit the subject of the book. Example: "Not all of [the road's] roughness and its wet, however, could interfere with the joyful stride of a triumphant young father who tramped the difficult mile, on a cold November day, from his house to the big dwelling at Wyck, home of his dearest friends." (Ch. 1)
2. Insight into Little Women. As Meigs tells the story, you get to find out all the biographical events that Alcott fictionalized in Little Women.
3. Dazzling feats of empathy! Bronson Alcott comes in for a lot of criticism. Here is a man who frequently put his personal theories and social experiments ahead of his family's welfare. His wife and children paid the price for his miscalculations time and again. However, Meigs tries as hard as she can to spin him as a sympathetic character without hiding his many failures from the reader. Great effort!
4. It's mostly not boring. The family background part in the opening chapters is interesting, if you're into family histories. The parts on Louisa Alcott's teen years and young adulthood drag a bit, then the parts on her writing career are fascinating. So it ends on a high note. None of her major writings are overlooked. Cornelia Meigs maybe slowed down a bit in the middle, but she came through with what I was looking for by the end.
1. Sentence quality. I love Meigs' Dickensian sentence structure. It perfectly fit the subject of the book. Example: "Not all of [the road's] roughness and its wet, however, could interfere with the joyful stride of a triumphant young father who tramped the difficult mile, on a cold November day, from his house to the big dwelling at Wyck, home of his dearest friends." (Ch. 1)
2. Insight into Little Women. As Meigs tells the story, you get to find out all the biographical events that Alcott fictionalized in Little Women.
3. Dazzling feats of empathy! Bronson Alcott comes in for a lot of criticism. Here is a man who frequently put his personal theories and social experiments ahead of his family's welfare. His wife and children paid the price for his miscalculations time and again. However, Meigs tries as hard as she can to spin him as a sympathetic character without hiding his many failures from the reader. Great effort!
4. It's mostly not boring. The family background part in the opening chapters is interesting, if you're into family histories. The parts on Louisa Alcott's teen years and young adulthood drag a bit, then the parts on her writing career are fascinating. So it ends on a high note. None of her major writings are overlooked. Cornelia Meigs maybe slowed down a bit in the middle, but she came through with what I was looking for by the end.
February 14, 2014
1934 Newbery Medal recipient.
This biography of Louisa May Alcott might have stood a chance of being interesting were it not narrated in the tone of a schoolmarm high on a combination of overwhelming optimism, saccharine drama, and the need to distill a moral lesson from the smallest events of Ms. Alcott's life. That the subject's story is the least bit compelling through the stultifying prose is a good testament to her life and character.
A couple examples of what I'm talking about:
"A great adventure was just beginning, and strange, bright hopes were darting and lifting everywhere, just as the swallows had so long been darting and soaring about the eaves and above the great chimney."
"Courage, terror, dismay and relentless determination were all in her heart as she heard the hollow rumble of the wheels on the covered wooden bridge and knew that she was actually launched upon the first enterprise of seeking her fortunes single-handed."
The sentence structure was universally cumbersome thanks to the author's massive reliance on the power of commas to break up the narrative flow. Events were overly dramatized with heavy-handed supposition and themes. In how many ways can one author say that Ms. Alcott's family was poor in money but rich in everything that mattered? If that answer interests you, by all means this is the volume for you! And it's a pity because Ms. Alcott led a very interesting life.
This biography of Louisa May Alcott might have stood a chance of being interesting were it not narrated in the tone of a schoolmarm high on a combination of overwhelming optimism, saccharine drama, and the need to distill a moral lesson from the smallest events of Ms. Alcott's life. That the subject's story is the least bit compelling through the stultifying prose is a good testament to her life and character.
A couple examples of what I'm talking about:
"A great adventure was just beginning, and strange, bright hopes were darting and lifting everywhere, just as the swallows had so long been darting and soaring about the eaves and above the great chimney."
"Courage, terror, dismay and relentless determination were all in her heart as she heard the hollow rumble of the wheels on the covered wooden bridge and knew that she was actually launched upon the first enterprise of seeking her fortunes single-handed."
The sentence structure was universally cumbersome thanks to the author's massive reliance on the power of commas to break up the narrative flow. Events were overly dramatized with heavy-handed supposition and themes. In how many ways can one author say that Ms. Alcott's family was poor in money but rich in everything that mattered? If that answer interests you, by all means this is the volume for you! And it's a pity because Ms. Alcott led a very interesting life.
June 6, 2015
Reading the real-life story of Louisa May Alcott was like reading about Little Women in a parallel universe. Most of the story of Little Women reflects the Alcott's real life, even down to the weekly pillow fights between four rambunctious girls!
The writing style is simple and charming, telling of everyday doings and the little adventures of a quiet life. Throughout the book is the one thread of the story arc, that Louisa wanted to write to make money to take care of her family. Her only real ambition was to see her family comfortable and financially easy. This main theme really pulls together all the story.
Louisa worked for one month as a nurse near Washington during the Civil War. She got typhoid and had to leave her nursing duties. She got her writing career started by publishing her letters to family during that time, which told all about the conditions in the hospital and the pathetic bravery of the wounded soldiers.
She loved to travel, and put many of the people she met into her books. She was close friends with Emerson and Hawthorne.
Louisa never married. She legally adopted two of her nieces and nephews, who inherited her book copyrights.
She was a strong advocate for women's rights, but did not live to vote. She died of a fever at 56.
I loved reading about Louisa's fierce spirit and determination! She is exactly like Jo March, and no wonder that fictional character is so beloved just as the real Louisa was loved during her life.
The writing style is simple and charming, telling of everyday doings and the little adventures of a quiet life. Throughout the book is the one thread of the story arc, that Louisa wanted to write to make money to take care of her family. Her only real ambition was to see her family comfortable and financially easy. This main theme really pulls together all the story.
Louisa worked for one month as a nurse near Washington during the Civil War. She got typhoid and had to leave her nursing duties. She got her writing career started by publishing her letters to family during that time, which told all about the conditions in the hospital and the pathetic bravery of the wounded soldiers.
She loved to travel, and put many of the people she met into her books. She was close friends with Emerson and Hawthorne.
Louisa never married. She legally adopted two of her nieces and nephews, who inherited her book copyrights.
She was a strong advocate for women's rights, but did not live to vote. She died of a fever at 56.
I loved reading about Louisa's fierce spirit and determination! She is exactly like Jo March, and no wonder that fictional character is so beloved just as the real Louisa was loved during her life.
March 6, 2014
What a delightful old edition, 1933, a biography of Louisa Alcott! I read this and other Cornelia Meigs bios when I was in junior high school during the Little House on the Prairie Day :)! My bookie friend, Tricia Douglas, reviewed this book favorably so I requested it from our Library, and low and behold - they had a copy with the old fashioned card envelope on the inside cover. What a delightful "read" about this aptly described invincible and I might add independent woman! She repeated several times in her life, "God help us all and keep us for one another", and that is exactly what she did - kept her family together and supported throughout her life doing what ever it took to do so! Absolutely LOVED rereading this timeless biography!
August 31, 2024
Very interesting and nicely done.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2019
For my book club I'm about to read Little Women perhaps for the first time although I'm familiar with the story simply because it is a classic. Surely I've read snippets and passages over the years and I know I've seen at least one movie adaptation. It was recommended I read Invincible Louisa to get familiar with the author since her most famous book is based largely on her own experiences. Well, I found this book to be tedious, but I'm not an avid reader of children's books written in the 1930s so it probably isn't fair to be so harsh. To me the author, Cornelia Meigs, kind of rambles along and I got confused, mainly about which house the family lived in and how long they stayed in each location. Also, being a product of my generation, I just couldn't get over the fact that Louisa (and her mom and sisters) is so devoted to her father, almost worshipful of him. He's so self-centered and thoughtless to impoverish his family and not seem to give a care about their well-being. Way too many words are spent on him and it annoyed me. Honestly, Louisa's poor mother held it all together, with much help from her girls and friends, but not much is said about her opinions and dreams. On the plus side, I was glad Meigs includes a chronology at the end of the book to help me see the important dates/places/events in a condensed version. Also, I had no idea the Alcotts knew such notable people of their era. Louisa's time as a volunteer nurse during the Civil War is probably the most interesting part of this book for me. I'm trying to figure out a way to say what a "good" person Louisa May Alcott was but I'll just leave it at that.
December 18, 2022
This was a good book. It walks the reader through the life story of Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Women. I felt obligated to include the previous sentence in case someone managed, somehow, to read this review without knowing the title of the book being reviewed. So, you're welcome.
This book will not mean very much to someone who has not read Little Women. Someone who has read it, however, will feel like they have inside knowledge of the story of Louisa's life. As they progress through the tale of her life, readers make lots of connections between the novel and the biography, which seems to be the purpose of the author of this book.
I had many moments of thinking "Ah, this explains that part of the book." I had several other moments of thinking "Hmm, that's interesting." Louisa's life story and the author's telling of it were interesting and pleasant enough that I smiled occasionally. I also feel that I better understand how and why Little Women was written.
If that appeals to you, then you can't go wrong reading Invincible Louisa: The Story of the Author of Little Women and I would not hesitate at all to recommend it to you. For me, it means I "liked it." I just can't quite bring myself to say that I "really liked it." Thus the 3-star review.
This book will not mean very much to someone who has not read Little Women. Someone who has read it, however, will feel like they have inside knowledge of the story of Louisa's life. As they progress through the tale of her life, readers make lots of connections between the novel and the biography, which seems to be the purpose of the author of this book.
I had many moments of thinking "Ah, this explains that part of the book." I had several other moments of thinking "Hmm, that's interesting." Louisa's life story and the author's telling of it were interesting and pleasant enough that I smiled occasionally. I also feel that I better understand how and why Little Women was written.
If that appeals to you, then you can't go wrong reading Invincible Louisa: The Story of the Author of Little Women and I would not hesitate at all to recommend it to you. For me, it means I "liked it." I just can't quite bring myself to say that I "really liked it." Thus the 3-star review.
April 28, 2020
Many years ago I decided to read all the children's novels that had won the Newbery Medal. While I never finished that project, I did purchase most of the books on that list. (http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/...) With all the stay-at-home hours that I now have on my hands, I decided it's a good time to continue that project. This novel won that award in 1934.
While the style of writing is a bit outdated, nevertheless, Invincible Louisa presents a well-researched biography of the author of Little Women, that well-known novel that follows the fictionalized lives of Louisa, her sisters and her parents as the March family. In addition, Cornelia Meigs tells how Louisa created some of the characters, basing them on various people from her life growing up. Interesting reading.
While the style of writing is a bit outdated, nevertheless, Invincible Louisa presents a well-researched biography of the author of Little Women, that well-known novel that follows the fictionalized lives of Louisa, her sisters and her parents as the March family. In addition, Cornelia Meigs tells how Louisa created some of the characters, basing them on various people from her life growing up. Interesting reading.
November 4, 2018
Whew, I survived this! Cornelia Meigs basically worships Louisa Alcott. I'm not saying that she doesn't deserve that level of devotion, just that it gets rather exhausting.
Someone who wasn't quite as worshipful might not have held back so much on Louisa's father. Whether your father has amazing ideas or not, he still shouldn't shovel his responsibility onto a young girl; especially when you consider the severe inequality in wages between men and women at that time.
The whole time you are left thinking that perhaps other people in Louisa's life should have stepped up to the plate a bit more. Her father gets to enjoy this nice long life because he's been waited on by his daughter and she gets to die in her fifties.
I think I would have preferred a more balanced biography.
Someone who wasn't quite as worshipful might not have held back so much on Louisa's father. Whether your father has amazing ideas or not, he still shouldn't shovel his responsibility onto a young girl; especially when you consider the severe inequality in wages between men and women at that time.
The whole time you are left thinking that perhaps other people in Louisa's life should have stepped up to the plate a bit more. Her father gets to enjoy this nice long life because he's been waited on by his daughter and she gets to die in her fifties.
I think I would have preferred a more balanced biography.
May 30, 2024
This was a really engaging biography. Meigs used a lot of personal interviews, journals, and letters to gather information and it gives Louisa's story a very personal feel. The first half or so of the book definitely feels like it has a rosy gloss to it with a repetition of "but they were together so they were happy" even after describing a situation where they couldn't afford wood in winter or food or clothes. This gloss falls away more in the second section of the book, once Louisa is older. Overall a read that makes me feel like I understand Louisa better and I want to go reread her books!
Read
June 2, 2024Fascinating. A really fun and easy to read biography. Many interesting tidbits of information (she was quite athletic- a champion hoop-roller!) so beautiful to read how each family member knew that love for and selfless devotion to one another was foundational, and they always managed to find happiness and humor despite their simple living (“poor as poverty, serene as Heaven”)
Favorite line from the the book, “Once she put down a list of faults, making it so painstakingly complete that the last item was “love of cats.””
Favorite line from the the book, “Once she put down a list of faults, making it so painstakingly complete that the last item was “love of cats.””
January 7, 2018
This is a fascinating biography of Louisa May Alcott--and has inspired me to read more of her work this year!
It was a bit slow to get into but once I got going, I loved the easy style and storytelling of this biography. What a difficult and joyful life Louisa led!
I think the Newbery honor was well deserved for this book. A great way to begin my reading this year!
It was a bit slow to get into but once I got going, I loved the easy style and storytelling of this biography. What a difficult and joyful life Louisa led!
I think the Newbery honor was well deserved for this book. A great way to begin my reading this year!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 414 reviews