Synopses & Reviews
andlt;Bandgt;"In this meticulously researched look at Louisa May Alcott and her mother, Eve LaPlante shatters myths about the supposed passive Marmee, replacing them with a portrait of a woman who fought for a woman's right to education, professional and maternal satisfaction, and power"andlt;Iandgt; andlt;/Iandgt;(andlt;Iandgt;Peopleandlt;/Iandgt;).andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;pandgt;Louisa May Alcott's classic andlt;Iandgt;Little Womenandlt;/Iandgt; has been a mainstay of American literature since its release nearly 150 years ago, making her one of the most successful and bestselling authors--male or female--of her day. Biographers have consistently attributed Louisa's uncommon success to her outspoken idealist father, Bronson Alcott, assuming that he was the source of his daughter's progressive thinking and remarkable independence. andlt;BRandgt;
But in this riveting dual biography, named "a top ten book of the year" by NPR and hailed as "thoroughly researched and moving" (Kirkus Reviews), award-winning biographer Eve LaPlante explodes these myths, drawing from a trove of surprising new documents to show that it was Louisa's "Marmee," Abigail May Alcott, who formed the intellectual and emotional center of her world. Abigail, whose difficult life both inspired and served as a warning to her devoted daughters, pushed Louisa to excel at writing and to chase her unconventional dreams in a male-dominated world.
In Marmee & Louisa, Eve LaPlante, Abigail's great-niece and Louisa's cousin, paints an exquisitely moving and utterly convincing portrait of a woman decades ahead of her time and her fiercely independent daughter. This "fascinating story of two visionary women" (The Boston Globe) is guaranteed to transform our view of one of America's most beloved authors.
Review
A November 2012 Indie Next Great Read (
American Booksellers Association)
“One of the top ten books of 2012.”
--National Public Radio on Marmee & Louisa
“Abigail May Alcott… [or] ‘Marmee,’ as her daughters called her, was a fine writer, an indefatigable reformer, a devoted teacher — and, above all, Louisa’s literary lodestar ... [After] the wildly popular Little Women … [Bronson Alcott] was, he crowed, ‘the Father of Miss Alcott.’ At last, people came to hear him lecture. To his credit, though, and after his fashion, he mentioned in passing that Louisa’s mother hadn’t yet received ‘her full share.’ To her credit, LaPlante evens the score.” < -="" b="" -=""> - < -="" i="" -=""> - The New York Times Book Review - < -="" -=""> - < -="" -="">
Review
“The single most memorable character from a 2012 book… [is] Louisa May Alcott’s mother, Abigail, who is one of the subjects of Eve LaPlante’s MARMEE & LOUISA - someone I knew nothing about and whose activist life and tart, intelligent writing just blew me away.”
--Salon on Marmee & Louisa
“Superbly crafted… LaPlante painstakingly filled in numerous gaps in the young years of the Alcott sisters and especially their mother. What emerges is not only an impeccably documented and verified biographical masterpiece, but also a genuine story of women who were heroines of their time, defying the social and political conventions of 19th-century America… Once the silent mentor, ‘Marmee’… is now a potent feminist voice in history… [This is] a compelling and intensely moving story whose truth is all the more powerful for being fleshed out in such an engaging and heartfelt style.” < -="" b="" -=""> - < -="" i="" -=""> - Bookreporter - < -="" -=""> - < -="" -="">
Review
“[An] involving mother-daughter portrait ... Although bitter ironies mark each woman’s story, vividly set within the social upheavals of the Civil War era, their profound love, intellect, and courage shine.”
--Booklist, starred review on Marmee & Louisa
“An important book about an important relationship. Writing engagingly and with precision, Eve LaPlante sheds new light on the Alcott story, a story that is in some ways the story of America.” Jon Meacham
Review
A November 2012 Indie Next Great Read (andlt;bandgt;American Booksellers Associationandlt;/bandgt;)andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; and#8220;Engrossing... LaPlante, a descendant of the Alcotts, pursued this untold story after discovering forgotten journals and letters in an attic trunk. In her skilled hands these documents yield Abigail unabridged: a thinker, writer, activist, wife and mother who held fast to her convictions in the face of terrible suffering...[T]his is a biography of Louisa, too, and LaPlante makes a compelling case that it was Abigail, not Bronson, who encouraged Louisa not only to channel her considerable energy through writing, but also to pursue publication and to weather the censorship that female writers faced...In bringing to life the woman who made Louisa May Alcottand#8217;s work possible, LaPlante shows us that thereand#8217;s even more to admire in the real Abigail than in the fictional Marmee."
Review
and#8220;A romance... The eye-opener of Eve LaPlanteand#8217;s marvelous new dual biography...is that Abigail was every inch the social philosopher that Bronson was when it came to issues of abolition and women's rights.... andlt;Iandgt;Marmee andamp; Louisaandlt;/Iandgt; charts Abigailand#8217;s relatively unacknowledgedandlt;a href="http://www.evelaplante.com/marmee--louisa.html#sidebar"andgt; andlt;/aandgt;influence as a progressive thinker on her famous daughter Louisa.... When Louisa began to write andlt;Iandgt;Little Womenandlt;/Iandgt;... she drew material from her mother's approximately 20 volumes of diaries. Until Abigail's death...she was her daughter's closest confidant and biggest booster.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Until recently, most scholarship has glossed over Abigailand#8217;s influence on Louisaand#8217;s writing, focusing instead on the role of Louisaand#8217;s father, who was often absent. Drawing on newly discovered letters and diary entries, this fascinating dual biography corrects the record by revealing the enormously close bond that was shared by mother and daughter,...showing that Abigail was Louisaand#8217;s most important intellectual mentor.and#8221;
Review
"LaPlante sheds light on Abigail May Alcott... [who] is shown to have been a remarkable intellect and a progressive who played a primary role in Louisa's life. LaPlante pays meticulous attention to primary sources, delving into the surviving diaries of mother and daughter.
Review
“‘Let the world know you are alive!’ Abigail Alcott counseled her daughter, who amply did, having inherited her mother’s spirit and frustrations, diaries and work ethic. Along the way Louisa May Alcott immortalized the woman in whose debt she understood herself to be and who ultimately died in her arms; Eve LaPlante beautifully resurrects her here. A most original love story, taut and tender.”
— Stacy Schiff, Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author of Cleopatra: A Life
“Eve LaPlante’s Marmee & Louisa is a heartwarming and thoroughly researched story of family interdependence very much in the style of Louisa’s own unforgettable Little Women. No other biographer has examined so thoughtfully and with such compassion the mother-daughter relationship that supported both women through decades of adversity and brought a great American novel into being.” < -="" i="" -=""> - < -="" b="" -=""> - Library Journal - < -="" -=""> - < -="" -="">
Review
and#8220;and#8216;Reason and religion are emancipating woman from that intellectual thralldom that has so long held her captive.and#8217; That was the dearest hope of Louisa May Alcott's mother Abigail, who was a writer herself and juggled work and family in ways that will be strikingly familiar to many contemporary readers. andlt;iandgt;Marmee andamp; Louisaandlt;/iandgt; is the engrossing story of a vibrant, talented woman whose life and influence on her famous daughter has, until now, been erased.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;[An] involving mother-daughter portraitand#8230;and a fresh perspective on Louisaand#8230;.Louisaand#8217;s unconventional father, Bronson, has received far more attention than his long-suffering, feminist wife...Her own dreams cruelly thwarted, Abigail brilliantly nurtured Louisaand#8217;s literary genius. Although bitter ironies mark each womanand#8217;s story, vividly set within the social upheavals of the Civil War era, their profound love, intellect, and courage shine.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;In this meticulously researched look at Louisa May Alcott and her mother, LaPlante shatters myths about the supposed passive Marmee, replacing them with a portrait of a woman who fought for a woman's right to education, professional and maternal satisfaction, and power.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;This revealing biography... will forever change how we view the characters and their relationships in Louisaand#8217;s novels... Through LaPlanteand#8217;s book we see how Louisa drew heavily from Abigail's life experiences in her own writings.... Alcott fans who revel in LaPlanteand#8217;s biography can read to the very last page and then turn to a bonus... companion volume, MY HEART IS BOUNDLESS, writings of Abigail May Alcott.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;A revelatory dual biography... LaPlante makes a convincing case that Abigailand#8217;s doggedly pragmatic responses to the intertwined and ongoing catastrophes of Bronsonand#8217;s inconsistent emotional involvement and the family finances left an indelible impression on Louisa, who vowed from an early age to take care of her mother... [D]emonstrates that Abigailand#8217;s daughters were her dreams made manifest.and#8221;
Review
andlt;divandgt;A romance... The eye-opener of Eve LaPlantes marvelous new dual biography...is that Abigail was every inch the social philosopher that Bronson was when it came to issues of abolition and women's rights.... andlt;Iandgt;Marmee andamp; Louisaandlt;/Iandgt; charts Abigails relatively unacknowledgedandlt;a href="http://www.evelaplante.com/marmee--louisa.html#sidebar"andgt; andlt;/aandgt;influence as a progressive thinker on her famous daughter Louisa.... When Louisa began to write andlt;Iandgt;Little Womenandlt;/Iandgt;... she drew material from her mother's approximately 20 volumes of diaries. Until Abigail's death...she was her daughter's closest confidant and biggest booster. andlt;/divandgt;
Review
"Until recently, most scholarship has glossed over Abigail's influence on Louisa's writing, focusing instead on the role of Louisa's father, who was often absent. Drawing on newly discovered letters and diary entries, this fascinating dual biography corrects the record by revealing the enormously close bond that was shared by mother and daughter,...showing that Abigail was Louisa's most important intellectual mentor."
Review
and#8220;Convincingly argue[d]... Of interest to anyone who enjoys mother/daughter stories, American history, or literary studiesand#8230; In the winter season, when many of us will cue our DVD players to the opening scene of LITTLE WOMEN, Marmee andamp; Louisa is well worth a read.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;[andlt;iandgt;Marmee andamp; Louisaandlt;/iandgt;] shows just how much iconic childrenand#8217;s author Louisa May Alcott (1832and#8211;1888) and#8220;was her motherand#8217;s daughterand#8221;and#8230; previously undiscovered family papers and untapped pages from Abigailand#8217;s dairies and#8230; provide new evidence exposing her undeniable influence on her daughter and#8230; Fresh material gives flesh to the formerly invisible Abigail, revealing how she and her famous daughter mirrored one another and#8230; Thoroughly researched and moving.and#8221;
Review
"LaPlante sheds light on Abigail May Alcott... [who] is shown to have been a remarkable intellect and a progressive who played a primary role in Louisa's life. LaPlante pays meticulous attention to primary sources, delving into the surviving diaries of mother and daughter.
Review
and#8220;and#8216;Let the world know you are alive!and#8217; Abigail Alcott counseled her daughter, who amply did, having inherited her motherand#8217;s spirit and frustrations, diaries and work ethic. Along the way Louisa May Alcott immortalized the woman in whose debt she understood herself to be and who ultimately died in her arms; Eve LaPlante beautifully resurrects her here. A most original love story, taut and tender.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Eve LaPlanteand#8217;s andlt;iandgt;Marmee andamp; Louisaandlt;/iandgt; is a heartwarming and thoroughly researched story of family interdependence very much in the style of Louisaand#8217;s own unforgettable andlt;iandgt;Little Womenandlt;/iandgt;. No other biographer has examined so thoughtfully and with such compassion the mother-daughter relationship that supported both women through decades of adversity and brought a great American novel into being.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;This is an important book about an important relationship. Writing engagingly and with precision, Eve LaPlante sheds new light on the Alcott story, a story that is in some ways the story of America.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Itand#8217;s hard to imagine that anything new could be said about the life of Louisa May Alcott, one of Americaand#8217;s most beloved authors. Yet as a great-niece of Abigail May Alcott, Louisaand#8217;s mother, Eve LaPlante isnand#8217;t just any biographer. Her new book, MARMEE andamp; LOUISA, isand#8230;an intimate portrait of mother and daughter, showing how their lives were profoundly intertwined in ways that some biographers have underplayed or ignored altogether... LaPlante chronicles the intense attachment between Abigail and Louisaand#8230;. [A] fascinating story of two visionary womenand#8230;and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Compelling... LaPlante admirably seeks to paint a fuller picture of Abigail and her role in Louisa's life....[and] allows her protagonists to speak for themselves.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;LaPlante sheds light on Abigail May Alcottand#8230; [who] is shown to have been a remarkable intellect and a progressive who played a primary role in Louisaand#8217;s life. LaPlante pays meticulous attention to primary sources, delving into the surviving diaries of mother and daughter. This heavily researched double biography serves as a kind of twin to John Mattesonand#8217;s andlt;iandgt;Edenand#8217;s Outcastsandlt;/iandgt;. Nineteenth-century New England literature buffs and Alcott aficionados will appreciate this well-wrought study.and#8221;
Synopsis
The acclaimed and "meticulously researched" (People) biography that actor Laura Dern--who plays Marmee in the Little Women film adaptation--calls "a beautiful book of letters between Louisa and her mother...a massive influence. You feel it as like a cord of the film." Marmee & Louisa, hailed by NPR as one of the best books of 2012, paints an exquisitely moving and utterly convincing portrait of Louisa May Alcott and her mother, the real "Marmee." Award-winning biographer Eve LaPlante mines the Alcotts' intimate diaries and other private papers, some recently discovered in a family attic and others thought to have been destroyed, to revive this remarkable daughter and mother. Abigail May Alcott--long dismissed as a quiet, self-effacing background figure--comes to life as a gifted writer and thinker. A politically active feminist firebrand, she fought for universal civil rights, an end to slavery, and women's suffrage. This gorgeously written story of two extraordinary women is guaranteed to transform our view and deepen our understanding of one of America's most beloved authors.
Synopsis
andlt;I andgt;Marmee and Louisaandlt;/Iandgt;, hailed by NPR as one of the best books of 2012, paints an exquisitely moving and utterly convincing portrait of Louisa May Alcott and her mother, the real and#8220;Marmee.and#8221; Award-winning biographer Eve LaPlante mines the Alcottsand#8217; intimate diaries and other private papers, some recently discovered in a family attic and others thought to have been destroyed, to revive this remarkable daughter and mother. Abigail May Alcottand#8212;long dismissed as a quiet, self-effacing background figureand#8212;comes to life as a gifted writer and thinker. A politically active feminist firebrand, she fought for universal civil rights, an end to slavery, and womenand#8217;s suffrage. This gorgeously written story of two extraordinary women is guaranteed to transform our view and deepen our understanding of one of Americaand#8217;s most beloved authors.
About the Author
andlt;Bandgt;Eve LaPlanteandlt;/Bandgt; is a great niece and a first cousin of Abigail and Louisa May Alcott. She is the author of andlt;iandgt;Seizedandlt;/iandgt;,andlt;iandgt; American Jezebelandlt;/iandgt;,andlt;iandgt; andlt;/iandgt;andandlt;iandgt; Salem Witch Judgeandlt;/iandgt;, which won the 2008 Massachusetts Book Award for Nonfiction. She is also the editor of andlt;iandgt;My Heart Is Boundless andlt;/iandgt;the first collection of Abigail May Alcottand#8217;s private papers. She lives with her family in New England.