My selection this week is The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees,
to be released on April 1, 2010:From the author's website:
Millions of readers across generations have laughed and cried with the March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel, Little Women. And there has never been a more beloved heroine in the history of American letters than Jo March, Louisa’s alter ego and an iconic figure of independent spirit and big dreams. But as Louisa knew all too well, big dreams often come at a cost.
In her debut novel, The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott
, Kelly O’Connor McNees deftly mixes fact and fiction as she imagines a summer lost to history, carefully purged from Louisa’s letters and journals, a summer that would change the course of Louisa’s writing career—and inspire the story of love and heartbreak between Jo and Teddy “Laurie” Laurence, Jo’s devoted neighbor and kindred spirit.In the summer of 1855, Walt Whitman’s controversial Leaves of Grass has just been released, and the notion of making a living as a writer is still a far-off dream for Louisa. She is twenty-two years old, vivacious, and bursting with a desire to be free of her family and societal constraints so she can do what she loves the most—write. The Alcott family, destitute, as usual, moves to a generous uncle’s empty house in Walpole, New Hampshire, for the summer. Here, a striking but pensive Louisa meets the fictional Joseph Singer. Louisa is initially unimpressed by Joseph’s charms. But just as Louisa begins to open her heart, she learns that Joseph may not be free to give his away. Their newfound love carries a steep price, and Louisa fears she may pay with the independence she has fought so hard to protect.
The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott
Available in hardcover April 1, 2010
Amy Einhorn Books / Putnam
And, a trailer for the book:
3 comments:
Oooh, that does sound good, and Little Women is an all-time favorite of mine. I will definitely look for this come March!
Lauren is reading it right now and I'm so excited to find out more about it. It DOES look intriguing and I think it will be lots of fun!
I enjoyed reading your post. =) Enthusiasm for upcoming reads is always fun to see!
I read an autobiography about Alcott a couple of years ago. She was certainly an intereting person. Putting her into a fictional setting is a great idea.
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