Louisa May Alcott was born on November 29, 1832, the second daughter in a family of four girls. Her family moved a lot, and Louisa worried about their constant poverty. For most of Louisa’s life, her philosopher father did not hold a steady job or earn a regular income. Determined to help, Louisa found jobs in the few roles available to women in the mid-1800s: as a teacher, seamstress, governess, and servant. She shared what she earned with her family.
Growing up, Louisa had made up plays and stories for herself and her sisters—Anna Bronson, Elizabeth Sewall, and Abigail May (called May)—to act out. Then, in 1854, she published her first book of poetry, Flower Fables. Most of her early works, however, were romance, adventure, and “blood-and-thunder” novels. She disguised…
