The Other Alcott: A Novel
by Elise Hooper | Literature & Fiction | This book has not been rated.
ISBN: 0062645331 Global Overview for this book
ISBN: 0062645331 Global Overview for this book
2 journalers for this copy...
A People Magazine and POPSUGAR pick!
"[May's] adventures illuminate the world of intrepid female artists in the late 1800s [...] The Other Alcott comes alive in its development of the relationship between Louisa and May." --The New York Times
Elise Hooper's debut novel conjures the fascinating, untold story of May Alcott -- Louisa's youngest sister and an artist in her own right.
We all know the story of the March sisters, heroines of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. But while everyone cheers on Jo March, based on Louisa herself, Amy March is often the least favorite sister. Now, it's time to learn the truth about the real "Amy", Louisa's sister, May. Stylish, outgoing, creative, May Alcott grows up longing to experience the wide world beyond Concord, Massachusetts. While her sister Louisa crafts stories, May herself is a talented and dedicated artist, taking lessons in Boston, turning down a marriage proposal from a well-off suitor, and facing scorn for entering what is very much a man's profession.
Life for the Alcott family has never been easy, so when Louisa's Little Women is published, its success eases the financial burdens they'd faced for so many years. Everyone agrees the novel is charming, but May is struck to the core by the portrayal of selfish, spoiled "Amy March." Is this what her beloved sister really thinks of her?
So May embarks on a quest to discover her own true identity, as an artist and a woman. From Boston to Rome, London, and Paris, this brave, talented, and determined woman forges an amazing life of her own, making her so much more than merely "The Other Alcott."
"Elise Hooper's thoroughly modern debut gives a fresh take on one of literature's most beloved families. To read this book is to understand why the women behind Little Women continue to cast a long shadow on our imaginations and dreams. Hooper is a writer to watch!" -- Elisabeth Egan, author of A Window Opens
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This is actually the second fictional narrative following an actual artist of this time period that I read last year. Both pulled me into the story and I was conflicted which to choose for this swap. I chose this book because of whose story it portrayed. Fans of Louisa May Alcott know that she pulled ideas for her stories from her life. In Little Women especially, she found inspiration in her own family. Yet very little is known about her siblings. May, the sister who Amy March was influenced by struggled with her sister's success. While proud of the fame her sister was achieving, she was stung by the early reviews of the book and the scathing comments on her illustrations.
While many women at this time would have given up, May used the rejection and hurt to fuel her passion for art, and her quest to improve herself as an artist. This meant finding teachers who taught women the fundamentals of drawing, painting, and sculpture. It meant being looked down upon by her male artistic peers. It meant not being able to draw from a live nude model. May accepted these challenges and found a way past them both with her sister's support, and then after a falling out between them without her support. I was so interested to read about her life in Paris as an artist at the start of the Impressionists breaking from the the Académie des Beaux-Arts which dominated French art, and it's annual juried art show the Salon de Paris. May Alcott had a life that was interesting, event filled, and much too short.
"[May's] adventures illuminate the world of intrepid female artists in the late 1800s [...] The Other Alcott comes alive in its development of the relationship between Louisa and May." --The New York Times
Elise Hooper's debut novel conjures the fascinating, untold story of May Alcott -- Louisa's youngest sister and an artist in her own right.
We all know the story of the March sisters, heroines of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. But while everyone cheers on Jo March, based on Louisa herself, Amy March is often the least favorite sister. Now, it's time to learn the truth about the real "Amy", Louisa's sister, May. Stylish, outgoing, creative, May Alcott grows up longing to experience the wide world beyond Concord, Massachusetts. While her sister Louisa crafts stories, May herself is a talented and dedicated artist, taking lessons in Boston, turning down a marriage proposal from a well-off suitor, and facing scorn for entering what is very much a man's profession.
Life for the Alcott family has never been easy, so when Louisa's Little Women is published, its success eases the financial burdens they'd faced for so many years. Everyone agrees the novel is charming, but May is struck to the core by the portrayal of selfish, spoiled "Amy March." Is this what her beloved sister really thinks of her?
So May embarks on a quest to discover her own true identity, as an artist and a woman. From Boston to Rome, London, and Paris, this brave, talented, and determined woman forges an amazing life of her own, making her so much more than merely "The Other Alcott."
"Elise Hooper's thoroughly modern debut gives a fresh take on one of literature's most beloved families. To read this book is to understand why the women behind Little Women continue to cast a long shadow on our imaginations and dreams. Hooper is a writer to watch!" -- Elisabeth Egan, author of A Window Opens
---------------
This is actually the second fictional narrative following an actual artist of this time period that I read last year. Both pulled me into the story and I was conflicted which to choose for this swap. I chose this book because of whose story it portrayed. Fans of Louisa May Alcott know that she pulled ideas for her stories from her life. In Little Women especially, she found inspiration in her own family. Yet very little is known about her siblings. May, the sister who Amy March was influenced by struggled with her sister's success. While proud of the fame her sister was achieving, she was stung by the early reviews of the book and the scathing comments on her illustrations.
While many women at this time would have given up, May used the rejection and hurt to fuel her passion for art, and her quest to improve herself as an artist. This meant finding teachers who taught women the fundamentals of drawing, painting, and sculpture. It meant being looked down upon by her male artistic peers. It meant not being able to draw from a live nude model. May accepted these challenges and found a way past them both with her sister's support, and then after a falling out between them without her support. I was so interested to read about her life in Paris as an artist at the start of the Impressionists breaking from the the Académie des Beaux-Arts which dominated French art, and it's annual juried art show the Salon de Paris. May Alcott had a life that was interesting, event filled, and much too short.
Best of swap book sent to Tsjara directly from the book depository.
Thanks Nimrodiel! I loved Little Women (and Good Wives), and yes, Amy was my least favorite sister. So I'm quite curious to find out more about her. Sounds like she had a very interesting life.
