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A Joyful Noise

Little Woman in Blue

11 Lovely Memories of Autumn in New England

October 19, 2015 by Melodye Shore

Porch Swing

A restful view from a friend’s front porch in Western Massachusetts. Prime view, premiere seating.

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Toadstool among fallen leaves, spotted in the lush green lawn of a rural Massachusetts library. Do you suppose fairies read books under that speckled umbrella?

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White steepled churches in the center of town, and autumn festivals that feature handcrafted quilts and clocks, hot apple cider and fresh-made donuts (York, Maine).

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A magnificent sunrise in coastal Maine…

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…and a family of deer, watching me watch the sunrise.

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Cemeteries that provide sanctuary for the living and those who came before us (Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, in Concord, Massachusetts).

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Impossibly brilliant foliage, on Walden Pond.

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Homes that bear silent witness to history, former residents and guests (Olde Manse in Concord, MA).

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Impressionistic views along the waterfront in Turners Falls, Massachusetts.

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Bookstores that support readers and writers, and the stories that bring them together.

The joy that comes of seeing the first snowflakes of winter,  and then heading home to sunshine.

Posted in: joy, Nature, New England, Photography, travel Tagged: Cemeteries, Coastal Maine, Concord Massachusetts, deer, first snow, Hawthorne, joy, Little Woman in Blue, New England towns, Olde Manse, photography, porch swing, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, snow, sunrise, The Barrow Bookstore, thoreau, toadstools, turners Falls, Walden Pond, York Maine

Little Woman in Blue, a novel of May Alcott

September 9, 2015 by Melodye Shore

If you’ve read Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, you no doubt remember Jo Marsh’s coddled, self-indulgent little sister, Amy, who trades away her artistic dreams for the promises of marriage. Little Woman in Blue is a refrain of Amy’s story, but with a twist: Author Jeannine Atkins calls Louisa’s character by her real name—Abigail “May” Alcott—and tells her story true.

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Abigail “May” Alcott Nieriker (Image via WikiCommons)

In the 19th century, most female artists eventually exchanged their professional ambitions for marriage proposals, and then plowed their creative urges into homemaking tasks and raising children. But while May Alcott has a frothy side (which no doubt irks her older sister), she is a headstrong woman with loftier goals: Artist. Wife. Mother. Wealth and professional acclaim, when her every wish is granted. In lively passages, Jeannine Atkins describes the myriad obstacles that May encounters on this “road less traveled.”

Over time, May’s persistence begins to pay off. She earns the begrudging respect of her older sister, fattens her art portfolio, and is ultimately granted exhibition rights at the esteemed Salon in Paris, where her paintings are displayed alongside some of the most famous artists of her day. Her dreams of marriage and family are eventually realized, when she married Ernest Nieriker and gives birth to a baby girl. There’s more to the story, of course, but you’ll find no spoilers here.

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May Alcott Nieriker’s ‘La Negresse,’ exhibited at the 1879 Paris Salon (Image via WikiCommons)

In this authentic, if fictionalized, biography, Jeannine Atkins breathes new life into one of America’s favorite literary classics. Alcott aficionados will find much to love between its covers, as will readers for whom this is a first introduction to the sisters in Little Women. Rich imagery. Relatable characters. Settings that are true to an era, and a story that celebrates May Alcott’s life, aptly published during the 175th anniversary of her birth year.

Within the first few pages, I became friends with “the little woman in blue.” I embraced her faults and virtues, railed against her torments, and celebrated her brave, if sometimes misguided, efforts to strike a balance between her artistic and personal ambitions. Though I was sorry to reach the end, I will remember May’s story, always.

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Little Woman in Blue: A Novel of May Alcott (Cover image via Jeannine Atkins’ website)

 

This review is based on an Advance Review Copy (ARC) of Little Woman In Blue (SheWrites, September 2015), provided to me by the author. I was awestruck when I read one of Jeannine Atkins’ earlier books, Borrowed Names, and I’m a big fan of her subsequent works. Though we live on opposite coasts, our shared sensibilities have sparked an enduring friendship. Even so, I’ve done my level best to write an unbiased review of this book, in hopes that May Alcott’s story will reach—will touch—a broader audience of readers.

Posted in: Book Reviews, In the author's tent, publishing Tagged: abigail May ALcott, borrowed names, chrysalis, jeannine atkins, La Negresse, Little Woman in Blue, little women, Louisa May Alcott, May ALcott, May Alcott Nieriker

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