1832–1888 · American novelist, author of Little Women
Louisa May Alcott was an American novelist best known for Little Women (1868–69), a semi-autobiographical story of the four March sisters that became one of the most enduring works of American children's literature. She wrote extensively about self-improvement, work, and family life, and filled the novel with quotable lines about love and self-worth — including the verse this page traces.