Louisa May Alcott

Transcendentalist - friends (and eventual neighbors) with Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne and Longfellow

started many different social experiments - commune, schools, etc. and was also an Underground Railroad station master

Stressed perfection to his daughters and wife

Due to his experiments and philosophic point of view on life, the family was mainly impoverished through Louisa's life

Louisa was heavily influenced by him.

Born into well-to-do family in Massachusetts

Feminist, social activist, abolitionist, temperance activist, author (including vegetarian cookbooks!)

"She was so loyal, tender, and true, life was hard for her and no one knew all she had to bear but her children."

Taught by Transcendentalist friends - Emerson, Julia Ward Howe, Thoreau, etc.

Due to the family's poverty, Louisa had to work several different jobs - seamstress, teacher, domestic helper, governess

Her sisters as well except the youngest who went to school.