A podcast mini-series that examines the life and work of Louisa May Alcott from every angle. Created by Jamie Burgess and Jill Fuller.
"Let's count how many connections we can find to Louisa," Jamie said when we went to the . Challenge accepted! Within a few minutes, we found a bronze cast of a sculpture of Abraham Lincoln by Daniel Chester French, whose teacher was none other than May Alcott. A few Mary Cassatts and a painting with Big Jo Energy also made our list.
Jamie and I had a writing retreat last week to carve out space for our creative pursuits and dive into the vortex, Louisa-style. Endless cups of coffee and tea, long walks in the woods, and writing by a crackling bonfire with your best friend makes writing even better. We even got to visit the friendly goats on the property! Did we finish prepping Season 3 of Let Genius Burn during our time away? You bet we did! Stay tuned for news of the Season 3 launch date, coming soon.
It's always a good day to start a new journal! I picked this one out especially for the owl on the cover, as an homage to our Louisa.
In December 1862, wounded Union soldiers from the battlefield in Fredericksburg, Virginia arrived at the Union Hotel Hospital in Washington, D.C. Louisa May Alcott was one of the nurses who received them and went to work caring for the wounded.
I stopped at the Fredericksburg Battlefield during my spring break trip. After reading about this battle many times and understanding the effect Louisa's nursing experience had in her life, seeing the actual location made it all more vivid. It was humbling to be on the same ground where this battle took place and remember John Suhre, Louisa, and my own ancestor, who fought here with the 20th New York Infantry. Want to learn more? Check out Louisa's book Hospital Sketches or John Matteson's book A Worse Place Than Hell!
~ Jill
We're in our Editing Era.
There's Amy and Jo, Alf and Louisa...and of course Jill and Jamie. We had a whirlwind Wisconsin weekend when Jamie came for a visit! We saw the sights in Madison, including the and . We did some serious Season 3 planning too. As Louisa said, "Good books, like good friends, are few and chosen."
Am I doing some background reading for an upcoming episode recording of Let Genius Burn? MAAAAAYBE.
Happy first day of October! Here in Wisconsin, I've been harvesting the Concord grapes from the vines in my garden, which connect me to the past in a myriad of ways. My grandparents grew this variety, so I feel their presence and relive my childhood every time I eat one. But the grapes also bring a little bit of Louisa and Concord, Massachusetts to my backyard too. The Concord grape was domesticated from wild grapes by Concordian Ephraim Wales Bull in the 1840s. This fall, I've been slowly reading through The Transcendentalists and Their World, learning an incredible amount about one of the places Louisa called home. I recommend both the grapes and the book!
~ Jill
Don't you just love a surprise in the mail?
The Forgotten Alcott is a collection of essays on the legacy of May Alcott Nieriker, Louisa May Alcott's youngest sister, who lived in Paris and painted among the Impressionists, including Mary Cassatt.
May's contribution to the Alcott legacy is often overlooked, but thanks to editors Azelina Flint and Lauren Hehmeyer, there is a definitive volume that solidifies Nieriker's many accomplishments.
I took this book out from the library several months ago and have been reading it slowly and in pieces. So happy it can now live on my shelf--it's an essential part of the Alcott library!
~ Jamie
One of the other Alcott sites we made sure to visit on our Boston trip was King's Chapel, the site of Louisa's parents' marriage on May 22, 1830. But the story that came to me was one of memory and time, an old woman visiting her ghosts and letting go of the past. Near the end of her life, Abigail went to the Chapel again, shuffling down the aisle, in tears remembering those she had known in that place who had since died. Heartsick, she swore she would never return. As Louisa recorded, "She never did."
In Boston, we also had the opportunity to explore the , a members-only library in the heart of the city. Louisa became a member in the 1870s! graciously took us through as her guests. The Athenaeum looks out over the Old Granary Burying Ground and features a lovely painting by N.C. Wyeth of Bronson Alcott in the same cemetery. Michele captured a few pics of us in action with the mic rolling!
The highlight of our Boston day was meeting friend-of-the-podcast who has been a volunteer guide with for 17 years! She took us to 10 Louisburgh Square, Louisa's final home in Boston, as well as 20 Pinckney Street where she and Anna had a school and she received the now-famous rejection letter from James Fields. Michele also took us down to the Bellevue Hotel, where Louisa often booked rooms to write. We wandered through neighborhoods that would've been familiar to Louisa, who thrived on Boston's energy and opportunities. Seeing the city through her eyes was so meaningful.
Did we record while we walked? You BET we did! Stay tuned for a fun mini-audio tour of Boston to hit your ears someday soon! Thank you SO much to Michele for her generosity and for such a fun time. Alcott folks truly are the best.
~ Jill
Louisa loved Boston and now I understand why. In our next post, we'll show you the sites we visited that are associated with the Alcotts but for now, just feast your eyes on the beauty of this city!
We started our day at the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum (May would've appreciated that) and then wandered past iconic Boston sites, such as the Old North Church, the State House, and another ode to a children's classic: the Make Way For Ducklings statue.
Day 1 of my Massachusetts trip: Jamie and I presented papers at the Thoreau Society Annual Gathering! What an honor. We were part of a panel sponsored by the LMA Society and our session focused on health and wellness in Alcott's life and works. We attended a few other sessions on Thoreau and Emerson as well, soaking in that lovely Concord vibe.
~ Jill
Thank you for including us in your newest article in Discover Concord Magazine, Susan!
Susan's piece focuses on how other writers have been inspired by Alcott and discusses Barbara Heller's version of Little Women with "handwritten" letters inside, quoting from Let Genius Burn's interview with Heller in Season 2. Take a look!
Here are two articles I wrote that were published in “Discover Concord” magazine. My apologies for not posting the article from 2022 in a more timely fashion. I have been utterly immer…
"You are the gull, Jo, strong and wild, fond of the storm and the wind, flying far out to sea..."
~ Little Women
Two years ago yesterday, this little podcast flew from our hands into the world and you all received it with open arms. Tonight I'm flying to Boston, on my way to Concord and Jamie for more time in Alcott's world. I feel you all along for the ride, as always. ❤️ Thank you for the messages and the well wishes, friends. More pics coming soon!
~ Jill
The house is quiet for a little while, so I'm squeezing in some research and writing this afternoon! In less than three weeks, Jamie and I are both presenting at the Thoreau Gathering in Concord, Massachusetts on various aspects of health and wellness in Louisa's life and works. I was honored to receive the Sarah Elbert Travel Grant from the Louisa May Alcott Society to make this trip possible. And you know what else this means? Hopefully some more Let Genius Burn episodes coming your way!
~ Jill
Headed home from work yesterday with Bronson's massive book of letters for some "light" weekend research. Whew! (Yes, that's my new workplace in the background. Isn't it LOVELY? I can't get enough.) What are you reading this weekend?
~ Jill
Another research day at Harvard’s Houghton Library, home of many of the Alcott’s writings and papers. Feeling so scholarly as I prepare for the American Literature Association conference in May!
Jamie
Happy first day of spring! The Spring 2023 issue of Discover Concord Magazine is out now and if you flip through its pages, you'll find Jill's article about her pilgrimage through Concord last July to experience the sites associated with Louisa May Alcott!
The print magazine is free around the Concord area, available to order online, or you can read a digital version here: https://issuu.com/discoverconcordma/docs/discover_concord_spring_2023/58.
Hope you enjoy it! Thanks to Discover Concord Magazine for the opportunity to share this piece.
Yesterday was my last day at my job of the past 7.5 years and one of my coworkers made me a quilt as a going-away present. And it features gorgeous Little Women fabric! As soon as I saw it, I started to cry. It's a gift to be known and understood so well. I'm off to new adventures but I have a beautiful quilt inspired by Louisa to take with me and keep me warm along the way.
~ Jill
Spotted this handmade book by artist Linda Ekstrom on display at the celebrating Louisa May Alcott—beautiful!
My students told me about this mural and I truly didn’t believe them until I got down to Dunks on Thoreau Street today—so funny and silly! I love this so much 😆
Jamie
March 6. Louisa died today in 1888 so I always try to pause and think of her for a few minutes. Both her November birthday and her March death day tend to be blustery in my part of the world and that seems to fit our wild, tempestuous Louisa, doesn't it? Tonight I'm starting a new novel, Voices In The Dead House, which not only has the best title ever, but focuses on both Louisa and Walt Whitman's experiences as nurses in the Civil War. Has anyone else read this? What did you think?
~ Jill
Hello Thoreau! Jamie and I are excited to announce that we'll both be presenting at the 2023 Thoreau Society Conference in Concord this July! We're on a panel sponsored by the Alcott Society entitled Louisa May Alcott's Search For Well-being In Life And Narrative. Time to dive into our vortexes and start writing!
~ Jill
Today I’ve had a chance to reflect on how far Jill and I have come in the past 3 years as colleagues and co-creators of Let Genius Burn—wow! We have made presentations in both public and professional spaces about the Alcotts, written and recorded 8 essays about Louisa’s life, and chatted with some of the finest literary scholars, artists, and researchers currently engaged with Alcott work. What a ride!
Best of all, we have each other.
Writing to you from deep winter, where it is about to get to -10 here in Concord tomorrow!
This reminds me… we have a tour of Concord in winter in our highlights! Visit our profile page to check it out.
This is the Wayside House, formerly the Hillside House, where the Alcotts lived when Louisa was 11 to 13 years old. This was quite a happy time in her life, spent here. Thinking of Louisa on this wintry day.
—Jamie
A snowy day here in Concord!
Now up on the blog!
The transcript of Season 1, episode 6: “Louisa as Celebrity.” This episode was so fun to write. It combines modern psychological theories on the necessity of celebrities with some of Louisa’s funniest and most candid quotes and stories.
All her life she wanted to be in the spotlight—to be an actress, to see her name in lights—but when fame came, Louisa was too exhausted to enjoy it. By then, she had been through the Civil War. She had lost Lizzie. She was ill and tired and sometimes downright cranky.
But the stories are still entertaining. Louisa, asked to stand in front of an audience and simply turn in a circle. Louisa, riding a train, encouraged by the newspaper boy to buy her own novel. It’s easy now to lose sight of the extent of her fame. But Little Women was just the start of it.
Revisit this episode now on our website at letgeniusburn.com/blog
One of the defining experiences of Louisa May Alcott’s life was the 3 weeks she spent in the Union Hotel Hospital in Washington, DC. It was her contribution to the war effort, and in the end she nearly gave her life.
The Alcotts were fervent abolitionists, but abolition was far from their only cause. Learn about their involvement in dress reform, diet reform, worker’s rights, women’s suffrage, and more when you revisit episode 5, Louisa as Acitivist, now on the Let Genius Burn blog.
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Our first bonus episode of season 2 is live! Travel with us through Concord in this episode. Jill sees Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House for the first time. We walk the grounds of Fruitlands and imagine Louisa’s experience there. We also taste pickled limes, made with an authentic 19th century recipe by a season 2 guest, Lauren Stern! As Louisa sent missives home from Washington, DC during her time as a nurse, we are sending you these dispatches from our time in Concord this summer. We hope you enjoy them. #concordsketches #concordma #concordmassachusetts #louisamayalcott #littlewomen #littlewomenmovie #orchardhouse #fruitlands #pickledlimes #amymarch #historypodcast #biographers #literature #literarypodcast #bookstagram #concordauthors #victorian
Pauline’s Passion and Punishment! A short story I have written about extensively in the last many years. I love thjs story for its strong female lead, highly stylized gothic setting, and fierce revenge plot! Tell us what you think— #louisamayalcott #suspense #thriller #littlewomen #littlewomenmovie #biography #biographypodcast #history #historypodcast #womenshistory #literature #americanliterature #gothicliterature
Reading tonight from “A Pair of Eyes, or Modern Magic,” about mesmerism, which was popular in the 19th century. Opiates, wine, and mind-reading abound! I love the way Louisa sets mood and tone in these thrillers… #gothic #gothictale #gothicstory #americaliterature #concordma #concordauthors #littlewomen #louisamayalcott #alcott #history #historypodcast #biography #biographypodcast #reading #shortstory #thriller #spooky #spookystory
In our final episode of season 2, we are going deep into our latest research and explorations related to the Alcotts. For Jamie, it’s all about interpretations of Alcott for young readers and for Jill, it’s historic re-enactments and articles about Alcott and gender. We love sharing our thoughts with you and hope you’ll share yours with us too! What did you think of season 2? #louisamayalcott #louisamayalcottsorchardhouse #louisamay #concord #concordma #concordmassachusetts #littlewomenmovie #littlewomen #literature #literarypodcast #historypodcast #biography
It’s about how he came to write his dual biography of Bronson and Louisa. It’s about the similarities and differences between Louisa May Alcott and Margaret Fuller. It’s about why Louisa’s few weeks in Washington as a nurse changed her forever and remains one of the most compelling periods of her life. It’s about why writers write. Why people go to archives. Why we study history. John Matteson’s book Eden’s Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father changed our lives. It changed our perspectives on the Alcotts as a family. But it also changed us as people: what we believed in, why, and how to bring about change. And this conversation with John is about that too. We’re not sure how he does it, but he continues to draw parallels and connections that leave us in awe. We hope it helps you understand Louisa—and yourself—a little better. #podcast #historypodcasts #literary #biography #pulitzerprize #louisamayalcott #littlewomen #littlewomenmovie
Barbara Heller had a wish: to hold in her hands the letters written by the characters in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. She put her years of working on movie sets to use and she researched 18th century letter writing and recreated the pieces. Then, she turned her talents to Little Women. In this week’s episode, Barbara tells us all about the methods behind the ephemera featured in her new edition of our favorite book. Here at Let Genius Burn, we usually focus on the facts. We focus on history and biography and making the distinction between Louisa May Alcott and Jo March. This week we are happy to just geek out on the what-ifs of imagining the March family coming to life. Barbara’s intelligence and articulation made this such an interesting interview! We hope you enjoy. #littlewomen #chroniclebooks #louisamayalcott #concordma #concordmassachusetts #concordhistory #concordauthors #alcott #podcastersofinstagram #history #biography #littlewomenmovie
Preeminent Alcott scholar Daniel Shealy graciously spent some time with us discussing his involvement in editing Louisa’s letters and journals, his other books about the Alcotts, and how perceptions of Louisa have changed over time. You don’t want to miss this conversation! Available now wherever you listen to podcasts. #louisamayalcott #littlewomen
Let’s talk about corsets for a moment (or about 10 minutes this episode). The Alcotts were “yours for reforms of all kinds,” as Louisa once signed a letter. Diet reforms, education reform, abolition. They believed in change. They also supported dress reform. Our guest this week, the bright and brilliant @loveandcrinolines, dives into the specifics of the Alcotts thoughts on fashion and dress reform. Because of her deep knowledge on the subject, Lauren can show us the subtleties and nuances of this complex area of human culture. Dress reform didn’t just mean getting rid of corsets. As Lauren teaches us, corsets have a purpose and they’re not always so restrictive. There are other reasons to reduce corset wearing, and still more reasons to allow women freedom to choose the clothes that best suit their activities and lifestyle. We are so excited about this episode! We hope you love it! #letgeniusburn #louisamayalcott #victorianfashion #dressreform #history #historypodcast #littlewomen #roseinbloom
The Let Genius Burn x @maudthepod mashup you have been waiting for has arrived!! Our two favorite ladies—Louisa and Maud—never met in real life, but through our dedication and perseverance and the grace of our guests Stef and Jen, we were able to put them in conversation with each other. Our most scandalous episode ever, but how could you expect anything less when you bring two firecrackers like Louisa and Maud together? 💥 Available now wherever you listen to podcasts! #louisamayalcott #lucymaudmontgomery #lmmontgomery #concordma #concordhistory #concordauthors #littlewomen #anneofgreengables #maudthepod #canadianliterature #victoriantimes
Dear listeners 🤩 this conversation with Fruitlands Museum Artist-in-Residence Leslie Schomp is just… 🥹 Leslie made several embroidered pieces of art that were installed around the Fruitlands farmhouse in 2021. She drew inspiration from the Alcott’s diaries and chose quotes that were personally meaningful to her. These pieces helped us see familiar comments from Louisa with new light, and visually they are stunning! Through Leslie’s works, we glimpse Louisa at ten years old, living in the strange world of her family’s utopian commune. As Leslie remarks in our conversation, Louisa was both precocious and profound. We invite you to see more of the pieces on Leslie’s website: leslieschomp.com And to visit the Fruitlands website at trustees.org/place/Fruitlands-museum #louisamayalcott #fruitlands #alcottfamily #concordauthors #concordma #sleepyhollow #historypodcast #biography #podcastersofinstagram
Welcome to season 2 of Let Genius Burn! We’re honored to share our first episode of the new season, a conversation with Jan Turnquist. Jan is the Executive Director of Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House and she has had an extraordinary career promoting Louisa’s life and work. Jan shares the story of how she began portraying Louisa for the public and how it transformed her life. She discusses consulting on Little Women adaptations and working with artists such as Greta Gerwig and Maya Hawke. Above all, her career has been about fostering connection with others. Thank you to Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House for working with us on this episode and providing photos and support. This episode is available wherever you listen to podcasts.
Bonus episode!! In our first bonus episode of Let Genius Burn, Jill and I read three short passages (two from Louisa, one from another primary source) as we look at more facets of her personality. In this episode we cover practical jokes, a death scene that rival’s Beth in Little Women, and Louisa’s relationship to God and spirituality. Get it now, wherever you listen to podcasts! #podcasts #podcastlife #louisamayalcott #littlewomen #mayalcottnieriker #literaturepodcast #historypodcast #history #biography
Episode 8: Louisa as Legacy. It begins with Louisa’s death and then goes on to trace all the ways she has been interpreted, misinterpreted, and reinterpreted in the last 130 years. One of the most obvious ways we can see this is through the film versions of Little Women. And we are sure there will be more to come! Thank you to all who support Let Genius Burn. The best way to show us some love is to share our podcast or to leave a 5-star review in your favorite podcast app.
Episode 7, Louisa as Woman, released today! We discuss Louisa’s romantic life for the first time, plus all the ways she undermined and overturned gender norms. #littlewomen #louisamayalcott #alcott #concordma #concordhistory
When Little Women became a sensation, Louisa May Alcott became the ultimate literary celebrity. In this episode, we unpack how Louisa’s celebrity status defined the last twenty years of her life, whether it’s possible to separate the artist from the art, and how Louisa’s celebrity has continued into the 21st century. #letgeniusburn #littlewomen #louisamayalcott #alcott #historypodcast #biography #biographypodcast #literarypodcast #literarypodcasts #literature #americanliterature #concord #concordma
Louisa May Alcott (and really, her entire family) devoted her life to living out her principles. She was constantly finding new ways to bring her beliefs into her life and into the world. This week, in the episode Louisa as Activist, we explore Louisa’s participation in the anti-slavery movement, women’s suffrage, dress reforms, and economic equality.
Peek behind the curtain to see Louisa at her writing desk. Learn about what it was really like to live with a prolific, working writer, and what writing meant to Louisa. Episode 4: Louisa as Scribbler is available now wherever you listen to podcasts! Our non-profit of the week is the UW Odyssey Project @uwodysseyproject Learn more at letgeniusburn.com
We were THRILLED to be asked on as guests on the @lostladiesoflit podcast! The episode is out now- after you listen, check out more episodes of Lost Ladies (our favorite is the one on Constance Fenimore Woolson with @anne_boyd_rioux). #louisamayalcott #littlewomen #womenshistory #womenwriters #writers #historypodcast #literature #lostladies #letgeniusburn @amy_helmes_fowler @kimdaskew
Today’s new episode of Let Genius Burn focuses on Louisa at Work. Before she ever became a famous author, Louisa May Alcott toiled in obscurity at many different jobs. She was not shy about taking on work in any form. In fact, she believed it was what eventually made her a better writer. Listen to learn more, wherever you get your podcasts. #podcast #newpodcast #newpodcastepisode #newpodcaster #louisamayalcott #littlewomen #alcott #literature #literaryhistory #historypodcast
Louisa May Alcott’s name is synonymous with sisterhood. Today, meet the sisters who inspired Louisa’s most famous novel, Little Women. Find more information about the resources, books, and articles we used to write the episode at letgeniusburn.com. And consider donating to Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House, the Home of Little Women, which is our featured organization of the week. We hope you love this episode; we really loved making it for you! Jamie & Jill #littlewomen #littlewomenedit #louisamayalcott #alcott #historypodcast #literary #literature #literaturepodcast #literaryhouses
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