Hospital Sketches: A Quick Read edition
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This Quick Read edition includes both the full text and a summary for each chapter.
- Reading time of the complete text: about 3 hours
- Reading time of the summarized text: 4 minutes
"Hospital Sketches" is a compilation of four sketches based on letters written by Louisa May Alcott during her time as a volunteer nurse for the Union Army in Georgetown during the American Civil War. The story begins with Tribulation Periwinkle expressing her desire for something to do and ultimately deciding to nurse the soldiers. She faces challenges in finding a spot and securing a place on the train. Upon arriving in Washington DC, Periwinkle tends to the wounded soldiers from the Battle of Fredericksburg, engaging in conversations with them. The death of a blacksmith named John deeply affects her. Alcott's decision to become a nurse was influenced by the outbreak of the Civil War and her desire to contribute. She contracted typhoid fever during her service but survived. The sketches were initially published in an abolitionist magazine and received critical acclaim, making Alcott an overnight success. The book was eventually published and dedicated to a friend who helped Alcott secure her nursing position. Alcott's father predicted the sketches would be popular, and their success surprised her. The book was praised for its style and humor.
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Louisa May Alcott was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet known for her novel "Little Women" and its sequels. Raised in New England by transcendentalist parents, she grew up among intellectuals such as Emerson and Thoreau. Alcott began receiving critical success in the 1860s and sometimes used pen names to write lurid stories for adults. "Little Women" was well-received and remains popular today, adapted into plays, films, and TV shows. Alcott was also active in reform movements like temperance and women's suffrage. She died from a stroke just two days after her father's death. Alcott's early life was shaped by her father's strict views on education and her mother's desire to redress wrongs done to women. Poverty forced Alcott to work from an early age, and writing became her creative outlet. She served as a nurse during the Civil War and wrote about her experiences in "Hospital Sketches." Alcott achieved further success with "Little Women" and its sequel "Good Wives." She died at the age of 55, leaving behind a legacy as a feminist and influential author.
