"Ever wondered what Louisa May Alcott looked like? That's her at left; it's her portrait in the New York Public Library's digital authors collection. Look how she had to perch sideways on the couch in order to accommodate her bustle. And how upright she sits! Did they ever slump in her day? Did they wear pajamas? My goodness, how could a woman write all corseted up like that? Of course, we can't learn much from looking at authors' photos, but that doesn't stop me from being curious. There's Edmund Wilson, on the right, the esteemed critic. And I think he looks like a terrible bore — the fact that he's the one who donated this picture to the library doesn't recommend him, does it?"
Read more at the LA Times blog about the NY Public Library digital authors collection
