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The Other Alcott
The Other Alcott: A Novel | Elise Hooper
Elise Hoopers debut novel conjures the fascinating, untold story of May AlcottLouisas youngest sister and an artist in her own right. We all know the story of the March sisters, heroines of Louisa May Alcotts Little Women. But while everyone cheers on Jo March, based on Louisa herself, Amy March is often the least favorite sister. Now, its time to learn the truth about the real Amy, Louisas 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 mans profession. Life for the Alcott family has never been easy, so when Louisas Little Women is published, its success eases the financial burdens theyd 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 Hoopers thoroughly modern debut gives a fresh take on one of literatures 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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Kaila-ann
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this historical fiction novel based on the lives of Louisa and May Alcott. Growing up I read the Little Women books (although it may be time for a revisit, some of the details are fuzzy) and it was interesting journey through this book to learn a little bit about the Alcott sisters.

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CMB
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Pickpick

May Alcott,younger sister of author,Louisa May Alcott,was, much to May‘s dismay, the model for Amy March in her sister‘s classic, “Little Women”.This story focuses on May but involves Louisa since the sisters‘ lives were interwoven. May evolves into a renowned artist at a time when that career path was atypical for women.Hooper‘s precise descriptions show how artists experience the world that the rest of us live in but cannot “see.” Revelatory.

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megnews
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Pickpick

That‘s a wrap on #LMPBC Round 6 and just in time!
I knew nothing about May Alcott and it was great to get to know her as she travelled through Europe bucking the status quo for women at the time.
This group picked some great historical fiction choices and I‘m looking forward to Round 7!

Book 281 10/31/19

robinb Such a great group of reads (and Littens!) 😊💕 4y
Crazeedi I'll be posting your book home by Saturday!! 4y
Crazeedi And thank you all for the great round!! 4y
See All 8 Comments
megnews @Crazeedi I can‘t wait to read all your comments! 4y
megnews @robinb The Other Alcott is on its way back to you. Should be there by Wednesday. 4y
robinb @megnews Thank you! Can‘t wait to read the reviews! 😊👍 4y
robinb @megnews it‘s here! Thanks! 4y
26 likes8 comments
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megnews
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Getting ready to start my last #LMPBC Round 6 book! Love the spoiler cover! 😀

robinb HEHEHE I‘m a bit of an alarmist! 🤣🤣🤣 4y
28 likes1 comment
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Crazeedi
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Going to read this now and send it on it's way to @megnews !
#LMPBC round6 @suvata
@Kdgordon88 @robinb

76 likes1 stack add
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Crazeedi
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#LMPBC round 6 @kdgordon88 the book came today! Excited to read this. Thanks!
@megnews @robinb
@suvata

Lynnsoprano I think you‘ll like this one. 5y
Crazeedi @Lynnsoprano that's good to know!😊 5y
72 likes1 stack add2 comments
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robinb
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this mixture of nonfiction/fiction novel about May Alcott‘s adult life. I won‘t say a lot about it here as I don‘t want to spoil anything for my #LMPBC group.
While there were some slower parts to the book, overall I enjoyed getting a glimpse into her life and how she handled being Louisa‘s youngest sister (aka “Amy March”). I also enjoyed reading more about historical artists that she came in contact with during her art career. 4/5⭐️

Crazeedi Very cool!! 5y
44 likes1 comment
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robinb
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Up next is my pick for my #LMPBC , and I‘m hoping it‘s a good one! I‘m not gonna lie, it‘s going to be tough for me (as a newbie) to voluntarily mark-up this book! 😳😱🤭🤫😬🤣

@suvata
@Kdgordon88 @megnews @Crazeedi

Freespirit Ha ha I'm a mark-up newbie too..and I found it hard to write on my book..🙄 5y
Kaila-ann It was hard for me too lol. 5y
megnews The only book I‘ve ever really marked up is my Bible. I found it difficult to do as well. Then I thought I did too much. Now I wonder if I did too little. 🙄 Time will tell when I get you all‘s books. 5y
See All 7 Comments
Crazeedi @robinb @megnews I had to get over marking when I did the last LMPBC, but it gets easier. The first couple I didnt know how to do, but I learned from the others. I dont writ in books except my bible too. But I may start! 5y
robinb @Freespirit @Kaila-ann 👍😊 It just seems so wrong somehow! I feel almost like I‘m going to get into trouble with the teacher if I‘m caught! 🤣🤣😂😆 5y
robinb @megnews @Crazeedi Yes, I‘m looking forward to seeing how you all mark yours. Of course we‘re all different folks with different ideas...guess that‘s what makes this club so interesting, right?! 👍😊💕 5y
Crazeedi @robinb exactly!!❤ 5y
60 likes7 comments
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candc320
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I won a Facebook giveaway from author Elise Hooper! Not only did she send me a signed copy of her delightful book but an ARC of The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin! Authors are the best!

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cinann
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I've been thinking about what books I want to read off my shelves this year, and all of these books are on the list.

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bookandbedandtea
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Pickpick

This wasn't quite what I expected it to be but I enjoyed it.

17 likes1 stack add
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cinann
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I went book shopping on Friday and didn't get a chance to get a picture of them all until now. I truly don't need anymore books, but I couldn't resist a sale and a coupon.

GypsyKat Pretty picture! 6y
cinann @GypsyKat Thanks! 6y
11 likes2 comments
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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

May Alcott, sister of Louisa, was a painter who spent time in Europe trying to make her way without her famous sister‘s support. Her story is fictionalized here and, while it‘s a bit sweet in some places and melodramatic in others, overall this is an enjoyable book. I liked getting to know May. Thanks for the great pick! This will be on its way back home tomorrow. #LMPBC

DarcysMom I have the book in my hot little hands - I am enjoying reading everyone's comments! @suvata @cathysaid 6y
62 likes1 comment
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Hooked_on_books
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The final book for #LMPBC round 2 has arrived! I‘ve actually never read Little Women (I know), so I suspect I will be inspired to do so after reading this one. After all, my lovely Word Cloud Classics copy is just sitting there waiting for me.

51 likes1 stack add
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suvata
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On its way to you, @Hooked_on_books

Litsy Markup Postal Book Club
#LMPBC Round 002 - Group G:
@suvata @Hooked_on_books @DarcysMom @cathysaid

Hooked_on_books Woo-hoo! I‘ll let you know when it arrives. 6y
40 likes1 comment
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Jillsmith
Other Alcott | Elise Hooper
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Pickpick

I enjoyed reading this as another perspective on my beloved Little Women and Louisa May Alcott stories! Plus lots about real women artists!!

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bookandbedandtea
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The PBS production of Little Women, which I'm recording for future viewing, reminded me that I have this book and now I'm newly eager to read it.

When I was a child, I thought first volume Amy was the world's worst person though I grew to quite like her in the second volume. This book explores how Alcott's real life sister, Abigail, felt about how she was portrayed as Amy. I think I know how I would have felt!

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suvata
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Can‘t wait to get started on this one.

#LMPBC Round 002 - Group G
@suvata @Hooked_on_books @DarcysMom @cathysaid

59 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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suvata
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Got this in the mail yesterday. Also, thanks for the sticky notes. I can always use those.

#LMPBC Round 002 - Group G
@suvata @Hooked_on_books @DarcysMom @cathysaid

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Libby1
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Apologies if this has already been shared.

I thought the subject of this Buzzfeed quiz (posted on the Drunk Austen Facebook page) was the absolute best.

Amy March IS the absolute worst, although I‘d imagine the tagged book would have something to say about that.

I suppose most people who read Little Women like to think of themselves as Jo. Instead, most of us (myself included) are probably a bit more like Meg!

Oryx She is the worst! 6y
theresidentromantic Amy is absolutely terrible, but I always felt that we had to lean a little bit on the unreliable narrator here. You see most of the book as Jo's journey and Amy is definitely her least favorite sister (see; Beth). I find Amy and Laurie pretty cute, all things considered and she grows up alright. I like to think of her as the most political sister, good at women's backstabby social games. 6y
Libby1 That is a VERY interesting take, @theresidentromantic . Also, it would have been difficult (hypothetically!) to be the youngest sister in the March family. My real name is Elizabeth and I have a sister named Amy, so I think my sibling rivalry helped shape my view of Amy March, @Oryx . 6y
54 likes1 stack add3 comments
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cathysaid
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suvata Great 👍🏻 6y
43 likes1 comment
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cathysaid
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Pickpick

One of the #LMPBC Group G books for our club. I disliked a few aspects but liked many more, such as how much of the story is based on historical fact. My main issue lies in decisions made by the main character at the end of the book. I'm still mad about it! 😡 But having such an emotional reaction to a novel is ultimately the point, right? (My review is deliberately vague so as not to give away too much to the others in my group.)

suvata Good review 6y
Reviewsbylola I was just talking about that with a co worker today. She lent me a book that gave me that same reaction but I actually don‘t mind when a book makes me feel super angry. I prefer that to indifference. In my case, the book was 6y
cathysaid @suvata thanks! Hope I didn't say too much. 6y
cathysaid @Reviewsbylola Well now I'll have to read that one! And I agree, I would much prefer annoyance to feeling "flat." Good or bad, I want the author to trigger an emotion. 6y
60 likes4 comments
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DarcysMom
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@cathysaid All wrapped up and ready to go. I will email you the tracking number this afternoon.
#LMBPC
#GroupGRound2

cathysaid Excited! 😜👏 6y
DarcysMom @cathysaid I will email you the tracking number when my computer is on. 6y
63 likes2 comments
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DarcysMom
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Pickpick

🌟🌟🌟🌟
#LMBPC
#GroupGRound2
@cathysaid I will be mailing this out to you tomorrow. 😁
@suvata @Hooked_on_books

cathysaid Looking forward to it! 6y
74 likes1 stack add1 comment
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DarcysMom
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theladygreer
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Talking to THE OTHER ALCOTT author @elisehooper today in my #womenshistoryreads Q&Q&Q&A series, with mentions of Dorothea Lange (her) & Jenny Lind (me). Check it out! Greermacallister.com/blog #litsyauthor

24 likes1 stack add
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suvata
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cathysaid Yay! Gotta get reading! 6y
50 likes1 comment
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DarcysMom
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@suvata @Hooked_on_books @cathysaid These are the three books I have been thinking about. I am leaning heaviest toward the tagged book. Please let me know what you think.
#LMBPC #GroupGRound2

MinDea I just started The Other Alcott! The author is in my book club! 6y
Hooked_on_books I haven‘t read any of these and the tagged book sounds great! 6y
cathysaid I haven't read any of them either! Since the tagged book is a #debut I am intrigued by that one. 6y
See All 10 Comments
suvata I read Being Mortal but I don‘t mind reading it again if you pick that. The other two sound very good as well. 6y
suvata @MinDea That‘s so cool 😎 6y
MinDea @suvata @cathysaid the author is on Litsy but isn't active. @elisehooper !!!! 6y
suvata @DarcysMom Awesome! I‘ll update our graphic later this evening. 6y
minkyb @MinDea I really enjoyed The Other Alcott. Pass along my congratulations. Excellent debut! 6y
MinDea I will do @minkyb! 6y
68 likes10 comments
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karenna
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#RiotGrams--day 12--favorite leading ladies. I loved Amy March in "Little Women," so I'm excited to read this book and learn about the Alcott sister who served as the inspiration.

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MinDea
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Has anyone read this? My friend asked me to join her book club and this is the book they are reading. I guess it is based on May Alcott from Little Women. Any opinions?

@EliseHooper is in this book club and ON Litsy! So I get to join my first ever IRL book club and the first book I read I get to discuss WITH the author!!!

@Jules6 #BookClubRead

BookNAround I read it and another one based on May/Amy recently. (edited) 6y
MinDea @BookNAround what did you think of this book? 6y
95 likes2 comments
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Kristyngansen
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We celebrated Christmas at my parent‘s house today. This is one of the books I‘m most looking forward to reading next year. #18toreadin2018

59 likes5 stack adds
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SomedayAlmost
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Bailedbailed

I wanted to love this book because the Alcott family is fascinating and "Little Women" impacted me when I was young. But historical fiction has to grab me right away or it's not my cup of tea. My friend enjoyed this book. If I had more reading time in my zany working mom life, perhaps I would give it more of a chance. Maybe when wee boy gets older I will try again. #bailed #lacksurgency #maybesomeday

[DELETED] 3803335244 I‘m so sad about this. I love Little Women too. I‘m going to read the book I‘m tagging it‘s about the dad of the March family. Maybe you might like it. I do love the author Brooks, she‘s a fav of mine 6y
11 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Booknerd2
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Pickpick

I loved Little Women as a girl and never knew much about the author. This book was interesting and included Louisa‘s life as well as her family. The main focus is definitely May and her relationship with Louisa and her trying to shake the image of Amy March. I recommend for readers who like historical fiction.

72 likes3 stack adds
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candc320
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Pickpick

Excellent historical fiction!! My favorite book of all time is Little Women so learning about the real women behind the story was fascinating as well as eye-opening. May Alcott was so much more than the spoiled Amy March her sister modeled after her and it was through her experiences that the reader gets to see the art scenes of New England, England, and France as well as the beginning of The Impressionist movement. Inspirational! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

15 likes2 stack adds
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Sills
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Insightful read and moving historical fiction novel of artist May Alcott, youngest sister of Louisa May Alcott. You will be drawn to her passion-her pain-her patience-her perseverance!

intothehallofbooks I loved this one! 6y
RaimeyGallant Welcome to Litsy! #LitsyWelcomeWagon 6y
Sills Thank you I am exploring and learning about this book lover app. @RaimeyGallant (edited) 6y
See All 10 Comments
tpixie @RaimeyGallant you are a great welcome wagon! 6y
Sills @intothehallofbooks wasn't it great?! 6y
DebinHawaii Welcome to Litsy!! 🎉📚👍😀 Hope you enjoy it here! 6y
Sills Thank you I am so excited to be among awesome bibliophiles🙂 6y
RaimeyGallant P.S. Here's a compilation of Litsy tips that some of us put together:
http://litsy.com/p/aDJja2lMZFFY
6y
jfalkens Welcome to Litsy and happy reading 📚🎉📖🎊 6y
17 likes3 stack adds10 comments
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Lynnsoprano
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Pickpick

Probably a 3⭐️. Good but not great. Based on fact, but I expect that this exaggerated the conflicts between Louisa and May in the interests of creating a good story. If you know the history of the Alcott family, you will know how this is going to end, so maybe that's why I'm not more enthusiastic.

ValerieAndBooks This book fell flat for me but I‘m afraid I gave it a much lower rating! 6y
Lynnsoprano @ValerieAndBooks I really debated how to rate it. The longer I think about it, I feel as if I was too generous. I always want to think the best of any book I read to the end. 6y
ValerieAndBooks I know what you mean. It‘d help a lot also if Litsy had at least one more rating choice, especially between pick and so-so. 6y
59 likes3 comments
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Lynnsoprano
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I started this yesterday, and I'm already hooked, just 20 pages in. It's supposed to be my waiting room read tomorrow, while hubby has a "procedure" at the Florida Cleveland Clinic, so I don't want to get too far into it yet. But don't worry, I'll have my Kindle along in case I finish this early.

robinb I think I see a This Side of Murder bookmark peering over the edge of your book....❤️❤️❤️ I have a few of those as well. 😊 6y
Lynnsoprano @robinb You've got sharp eyes😄 6y
robinb @Lynnsoprano 🤣🤣🙌 6y
65 likes3 comments
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Lynnsoprano
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Hubby wanted to stop at the library. I hadn't planned on picking anything up, given the number of books I'm currently working on. But this was on a new fiction display, and I couldn't resist.

DarcysMom I am reading it right now and really enjoying it. 6y
Lynnsoprano @DarcysMom That's good to know. I think this is going to be my waiting room read next week while hubby undergoes a medical procedure. 6y
DarcysMom @Lynnsoprano It should keep your attention. I really need to pick it up - I keep putting more pressing reads in front of it. 6y
72 likes3 comments
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unabridgedchick
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Homemade bloody Mary mix, gazpacho-inspired. Farm fresh tomatoes, cukes, and peppers, chopped, salted, rested; and then blendered and strained. Lemon, garlic, and fresh horseradish whisked in.

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SophfroniaScott
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@elisehooper and I share a fabulous editor (Lucia Macro) and publisher, @WilliamMorrow , and this year have walked the journey toward our books together. But she lives all the way in Seattle so when she came to Connecticut I jumped at the chance to meet her in person on her tour for THE OTHER ALCOTT.

29 likes1 stack add
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intothehallofbooks
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Pickpick

LOVED! A book featuring May Alcott, although her sister relationship with Louisa has plenty of page space. I love books telling us about the "other" women "behind" famous people that we know-this is a perfect example of that. It follows May's life as she resents the image of Amy March that Little Women gives her-and instead grows into an artist and independent woman. Fans of 'art books' will love!

This one earned a spot on my top shelf.

60 likes5 stack adds
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HarperCollins
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Pickpick

Next year marks the 150th publishing of Louisa May Alcott‘s Little Women. Start celebrating now with The Other Alcott, Elise Hooper's new novel about May Alcott—Louisa‘s youngest sister and an artist in her own right.
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#TheOtherAlcott #historicalfiction #littlewomen #mayalcott #louisamayalcott

27 likes6 stack adds
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ValerieAndBooks
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Panpan

May Alcott Nieriker (Amy in "Little Women" was based on her) was an artist whose potential was cut short after she died a few weeks after childbirth. This historical fiction novel attempts to cover May's artistic life, but does not quite succeed in showing emotions or motivations. It may be just me. Maybe it'll appeal more to others who don't know much about her background. See comment ?

This ARC was received via LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

ValerieAndBooks Again, it may be just me, but I felt this tagged book (edit for clarification: tag is at the end of this comment) was a better historical fiction of May Alcott. It was published just a couple years ago and it's possible the two will be compared just as what happened when both TC Boyle and Nancy Horan did HF about Frank Lloyd Wright at about the same time (for the record I preferred Boyle's) (edited) 7y
61 likes1 comment
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intothehallofbooks
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I started The Other Alcott this morning! ☕️

It's exciting to be able to peek into the goings-on of the Alcott family on a more personal level, even if this is a fictionalized account. It feels well-researched.

rubyslippersreads Can't wait to read this! 7y
merelybookish This looks good! 7y
intothehallofbooks It's so great, @rubyslippersreads and @merelybookish! I'm trying to read it slowly, but it is so hard! 7y
48 likes1 stack add3 comments
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unabridgedchick
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Starting this for the weekend. I love LM Alcott and loving learning about her prickliness and how she misrepresented her sister May. What are you reading this weekend?

10 likes1 stack add
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BookNAround
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Amy March (aka May Alcott) apparently wasn't as selfish in real life as she was in the book. Also meet Docker, my parents' dog who, along with my parents, is hanging out here because they've evacuated from Savannah ahead of Irma. My own pooch is unimpressed that this interloper keeps landing in my lap.

celtichik I reread Little Women last year, isn't it amazing how when you read it as a kid you totally trust the author's viewpoint? Jo=good, Amy=bad. 7y
KathyWheeler I always kind of weirdly liked Amy. Of course, Jo was my favorite but I liked Amy too. 7y
BookNAround @KathyWheeler I liked Amy okay until she married Laurie. Jo should always have married Laurie in my world. 😂 7y
KathyWheeler @BookNAround that's true. 7y
29 likes4 comments
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candc320
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Got a little squeaky when this one showed up in my mailbox 😆! Little Women is my all time favorite novel so I am so excited to read about one of the real sisters portrayed. Thank you @TLCBookTours and @WilliamMorrow for the review copy!

Reviewsbylola This sounds promising! 7y
21 likes1 comment
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Librarylady
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Ending the night with these two things: a new book and a cuddly dog. What could be better than that?

Louise Sounds perfect! 7y
EvieBee Lovely. 7y
19 likes2 comments