I pulled The Woman Behind Little Women off the shelf at my public library last night and spent the bulk of this morning and afternoon reading through it. I don't remember ever reading Little Women as a child, but I distinctly remember picking up a copy--which I still own--when I was in high school. I have memories of being seven and watching one of the many movie adaptations. Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth are akin with Anne of Green Gables and Scarlett O'Hara in my memories. I learned to love them at a young age and I love them still.
In reading this biography I realized how little of Alcott's other works I have read. I recall reading a short story titled "Sowing Wild Oats," in a collection of American short stories last Christmas, but I have never read Little Men or Jo's Boys or any of her dozens and dozens of other novels and short stories that she published over her lifetime. The character of Jo is heavily mirrored off of Louisa Alcott. In fact, Jo, to an extent, is Alcott. Louisa Alcott turned to writing for pleasure and for money. Through her craft she took her family from poverty to wealth.
One of my favourite bits about reading this biography was realizing that Alcott grew up in the company and under the influence of writers such as Henry David Thoreau, Daniel Hawthorn and Emerson. I discovered a very heart-wrenching and heart-warming poem titled "Thoreau's Flute" which Alcott wrote after Thoreau's death. Published anonymously at first, it was mistaken by someone who knew both Alcott and Emerson well as a work of Emerson. The poem is lovely and I'm considering printing and framing a copy for my bedroom wall. I'm a great admirer of Thoreau.
Harriet Reisen hits the spot with this book, capturing Louisa May Alcott's life in an engaging and literary way. I think this book will leave any reader wanting to dive into Alcott's works whether they are reading for the first time or the tenth time.
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