When Louisa May Alcott's Little Women was published in 1868, it was an instant success. Louisa drew on her own experiences while writing the novel, but there's a lot more to her rags-to-riches-story. Louisa, who came from a family that was poor but freethinking, started teaching when she was seventeen years old. But writing—a hobby that her parents encouraged—was her passion.

From pillow fights and strawberry parties with her sisters to nursing soldiers during the Civil War, this intriguing biography captures the life of a compassionate woman who has left an indelible mark on literature of all ages.

From the dust jacket