Pedlar's Progress: The Life of Bronson Alcott

Summary

Shepard tells the story of Amos Bronson Alcott, the self taught New England educator, transcendentalist, and father of author Louisa May Alcott. The book follows his idealistic experiments in teaching, his struggles with poverty, and his place among thinkers like Emerson and Thoreau. Shepard treats Alcott's stubborn idealism with sympathy while honestly weighing his failures as a provider.