Eden's outcasts : the story of Louisa May Alcott and her father / John Matteson

Includes bibliographical references (p. 465-470) and index.

Disgrace -- Beginnings -- A birthday in Germantown -- The temple school -- "Orpheus at the plough" -- The sowing of the seeds -- First fruits -- Lost illusions -- Father and daughter -- Destitution -- Orchard House -- War -- Shadows and sunlight -- Journeys east and west -- Miracles -- "The wise and beautiful truths of the father" -- "Come up with me".

The beloved author of Little Women was torn between pleasing her idealistic father and planting her feet in the material world. Now, Louisa May Alcott's name is known universally; yet, during her youth, the famous Alcott was her father, Bronson--an eminent teacher, lecturer, and friend of Emerson and Thoreau. Willful and exuberant, Louisa flew in the face of all her father's theories of child rearing. She, in turn, could not understand the frugal life Bronson preached, which reached its epitome in the failed utopian community of Fruitlands. In a family that insisted on self-denial and spiritual striving, Louisa dreamed of wealth and fame. At the same time, like most daughters, she wanted her father's approval. This story of their tense yet loving relationship adds dimensions to Louisa's life, her work, and the relationships of fathers and daughters.--From publisher description.