An excerpt from a catalog for the philadelphia sanitary fair, edited by thomas izod, circa 1864. Begun in 2010, this blog offers analysis and reflection by susan bailey on the life, works and legacy of louisa may alcott and her family. Those harrowing and sometimes humorous letters compiled make up hospital sketches. Louisa may alcott the character of jo march american. Louisa may alcott began writing when she was very young and she began to receive critical success in the 1860s for her writing.
Hospital sketches 1863 wikisource, the free online library. Hospital sketches was enormously popular, and her work was now in demand. In 1868, louisa may alcott wrote a book about four sisters, published in september as little women, based on an idealized version of her own family. Louisa may alcott hospital sketches louisa may alcott hospital sketches is a compilation of four sketches based on letters louisa may alcott sent home during the six weeks she spent as a volunteer nurse for the union army in georgetown. Hospital sketches by louisa may alcott part 1 out of 2. On november 29, 1832, louisa may alcott 18321888 was born the second daughter of amos bronson alcott and abigail abba may in germantown, pennsylvania. Hospital sketches, louisa may alcotts book about her nursing experiences provides an exemplary description of the constant routine of a union army nurse. Librivox recording of hospital sketches by louisa may alcott, read by aaron elliott. Louisa may alcott was the first civil war army nurse to publish an account of her service. Louisa may alcotts third published work, hospital sketches 1863, is based on her experiences as a nurse at a hospital near washington d. My greatest pride, alcott wrote of her role in the civil war, is that i lived to know the brave men and women who did so much for the cause and that i had a very small share in the war which put an end to a great wrong. Learn more about alcotts life and literary career in this article. But as it was, the only direct way women could serve was to volunteer as nurses, and thats just what she did.
Download louisa may alcotts hospital sketches for your kindle, tablet, ipad, pc or mobile. How louisa may alcotts reallife family inspired little. The pages that follow are excerpts from hospital sketches, in. The first of the four was initially published on may 22, 1863 in the magazine boston. The pages that follow are excerpts from hospital sketches, in essence a journal of her time during the civil war. The fancy seemed to tickle him mightily, for he laughed blithely, and so did i. Louisa may alcotts brief service as a civil war nurse inspired her to write hospital sketches which appeared in the boston commonwealth as a series and as a book in 1863. Decided to go to washington as a nurse if i could find a place, she wrote in her journal for november. Louisa may alcotts courageous career as a civil war nurse. Louisa may alcott was an american author who wrote the classic novel little women, as well as various works under pseudonyms. If women had been allowed to serve as soldiers, louisa would have surely taken up arms. Louisa may alcott began the year 1863 in as strange a place as shed ever been. Though she is best known for her semiautobiographical novel little women, louisa may alcott was a prolific writer and social activist throughout her life. Louisa may alcotts literary career started with a humorous account of her nursing experience in the union army.
Louisa may alcott was the only female author included in the 1893 parker. On march 6, 1888, louisa may alcott died after suffering a stroke at the age of fiftyfive. Learn more about alcott s life and literary career in this article. Louisa may alcott was an american author who wrote the classic novel. The civil war remained a major theme even in the tales that she wrote during the reconstruction era. Pdf louisa may alcotts literary career started with a humorous account of her nursing.
Entered, according to act of congress, in the year 1863, by. Louisa may alcott as civil war nurse literaryladiesguide. Louisa may alcott books biography and list of works. On august 28, 1863, hospital sketches was reprinted in book form. Since a childrens biography the story of louisa may alcott by joan howard introduced me to louisa, i have a special fondness for childrens books on the subject. The civil war remained a major theme even in the tales that she wrote during the. Hospital sketches by louisa may alcott full text free.
Louisa may alcott had an ability to tolerate chaos and laugh at herself, which lends a charm to her writing, even though it is the sometimes wordy prose that was common in the 1860s. I want something to do, louisa may alcott wrote of her desire to contribute to the union armys effort in the civil war. The letters, published as hosptial sketches in 1863, earned alcott her first public attention as an author and praise for her sensitivity and wit. Civil war hospital sketches from louisa may alcott the. Even though many people dont know it, she has also published a number of poems, thrillers, short stories and a number of juvenile tales. Susan is an active member and supporter of the louisa may alcott society.
Hospital sketches by louisa may alcott, a free text and ebook for easy online reading, study, and reference. A day in the life of louisa may alcott, civil war nurse. Louisa may alcott successfully wrote childrens stories, but she is perhaps best. But the public was very interested in anything war related and so louisa wrote hospital sketches which was fiction, but very based on her experiences. During the american civil war, alcott served as a nurse for six weeks until she contracted a. Although she never had children, she did raise her sister, abigail mays daughter after she died from what was termed, childbed fever. Hospital life and medical care the creation of hospital sketches alcotts literary style claiming a place for women in the war effort the social landscape of the hospital hospital sketches and the meaning of the civil war notes.
Louisa may alcott is known for her famous classic little women, published in 1868. Louisa may alcott was an american novelist, widely appreciated for the timeless classic novel little women. An excerpt from hospital sketches by nurse louisa may. In much of this writing alcott, who never married, ostensibly proposes that womens true work is found in marriage and family, yet her journals and letters illustrate the dichotomy between her own life and her fictional world. Lulu was born in 1879, and louisa cared for her until her death in 1888. Hospital sketches 1863 is a compilation of four sketches based on letters louisa may alcott. Louisa may alcott served during the civil war as a nurse in a military hospital in georgetown so she wrote hospital sketches and other short stories using her experience to produce this great literature. The book was successful quickly, and louisa followed it a few months later with a sequel, good wives, published as. Alcott is also remembered for her book hospital sketches, which she penned in 1863 based on letters she had written home while serving as a nurse in washington, d. She had volunteered as a union nurse at union hotel. Divided loyalties in alcotts hospital sketches openedition books. Louisa may alcott, american author known for her childrens books, especially the classic little women. Louisa may alcott biography childhood, life achievements.
Louisa may alcott, journal, september 1859 in december 1862, louisa may alcott. Doctor franck came in as i sat sewing up the rents in. She was a free spirited girl in her childhood who wanted to become a successful actress and travel the world but her family responsibilities kept her engaged throughout her life. Elizabeth sewall alcott and abigail may alcott were the two youngest. Before the publication of little women in 1868, alcott wrote and. November 29, 1832 march 6, 1888 was an american novelist, short story writer and poet best known as the author of the novel little women 1868 and its sequels little men 1871 and jos boys 1886. The nursing was a labor of love while the writing of the sketches was not. These sketches taken from letters hastily written in the leisure moments of a very busy life make no pretension to literary merit, but are simply a brief record of one persons hospital experience. Her father, bronson alcott was a teacher that believed children should enjoy learning, a controversial notion for the time and he moved the family to boston, massachusetts in 1844 where he. During the civil war, louisa may alcott became a nurse.
Short stories is a small collection of short stories were written by louisa may alcott 18321888. A model hospital was erected, and each member had accepted an honorable post. Louisa may alcott wrote this collection of sketches at the request of her friends and encouraged by her father. How louisa may alcott went from poverty to beloved author. Louisa may alcott 18321888 louisa may alcott is best known for her childrens novel little women 1868, but there are almost three hundred works in the alcott canon. Louisa may alcott was born on november 29, 1832, in germantown, which is now part of philadelphia, pennsylvania, on her fathers 33rd birthday. Louisa may alcott biography, childhood, family, books. But even in the swiss alps, the author couldnt escape the thing that had exhausted her in the first place. As she tells her father, who has suggested that she write a book to occupy. Hospital sketches by louisa may alcott free at loyal books. She did not stay long, catching typhoid fever and having to go home to recover. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Not yet famous at the author of little women, the appearence of hospital sketches in the summer of 1863 was the also the first of her works to win her widespread attention. Louisa may alcott wrote to her friend alf whitman that it was a sight to behold.
Louisa may alcott 18321888 alcott in 1862 served as a nurse in georgetown, d. Throughout her life, her family went through financial problems, so louisa began working at a young age to support her family. Louisa may alcott wrote many works in every genre conservatively, more than two hundred, over a career that spanned almost forty years. Two brave women by josephine crump, an excerpt from the book confederate women of arkansas in the civil war, 1907. James redpath, publisher, 221 washington street, 1863. So i wrote the letter which he dictated, finding it better than any i had sent.
She was the daughter of transcendentalist and educator amos bronson alcott and social worker abby may and the second of four daughters. Among her other notable works are little men, hospital sketches, an oldfashioned girl, aunt jos scrap bag, and jos boys. Hospital sketches by louisa may alcott, paperback barnes. Certainly, nothing was set down in malice, and to the seriousminded party who objected to a tone of levity in some portions of the sketches, i can only say that it is a part of my religion to look well after the cheerfulnesses of life, and let. Hospital sketches 1863 is a compilation of four sketches based on letters louisa may alcott sent home during the six weeks she spent as a volunteer nurse for the union army during the american civil war in georgetown. Alcott was the daughter of noted transcendentalist amos bronson alcott and abigail may iii, and though of new england parentage and residence, she was born in germantown, now part. Waking at six oclock, louisa quickly dressed and despite soldiers objections, opened any available windows to. A merican novelist louisa may alcott wrote about her experiences as a sanitary commission nurse in a series of letters for the abolitionist boston commonwealth. Hospital sketches by louisa may alcott these sketches are respectuflly dedicated to her friend miss hannah stevenson by l. Hospital sketcheslouisa may alcottfree downloadpdf. Louisa may alcott 1832 1888 work2272 louisa may alcott was an american novelist, best known for the novel little women, which she wrote in 1868 she was born on november 29, 1832, and died on march 6, 1888. They celebrate the professional achievements of sturdy deaconesses like dorothea dix, who rapidly turned the dilapidated sanitary system of a divided nation into a domestic. An excerpt from hospital sketches by nurse louisa may alcott, 1863.
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