Louisa May Alcott

Biography

Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888) was an American novelist and poet, best known for her enduring classic Little Women (1868), which has captured the hearts of readers for generations. Born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, Alcott grew up in a family deeply influenced by transcendentalist thinkers like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, shaping her values of education, independence, and social responsibility.

Alcott began her career writing stories, poems, and sketches to support her family, often publishing under pseudonyms. Little Women, inspired by her own childhood with her three sisters, explores themes of family, personal growth, and women’s independence. She also wrote sequels and other novels, including Little Men and Jo’s Boys, continuing the story of the March family.

Beyond literature, Alcott was an advocate for women’s rights and abolition, and her work remains celebrated for its warmth, moral insight, and enduring relevance.