Wednesday, June 8, 2011

The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott

The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees
This was a delightful book. The story of what might have happened to Louisa May one summer when her family lived in New Hampshire. It also suggests that the character of "Laurie" in Little Women was a real live love of Louisa's. This has been a topic of conjecture for some time.
I liked how the author brought all the characters to life and made an appealing story. I always liked the book Little Women (and several of her stories after as well). Learning that Louisa May was so fierce and intense was delightful and explains some of her later writings that were not like LW.
The book reminded me a little of Miss Spitfire:Reaching Helen Keller by Sara Miller. Both take real people who we have heard about and tell their stories from another perspective. All fictional but with solid research to support the story and add the septh that enriches the narrative.
Perfect for summer reading.