Louisa May Alcott has become a literary icon. Though her most famous novel, Little Women, was originally published in 1868, it remains a relevant and engaging read for children today. If one were to view Louisa simply through the lens of this work alone, it would be tempting to relegate her to the mold of the placid and devout Victorian woman. Yet Louisa was so much more than that. As a child Louisa bewildered her parents with her wild antics. As a young woman, Louisa pushed the bounds of society by enlisting in the army as a Civil War nurse, refusing to marry, and instead providing for herself and her family by writing sensational tales. She was, in her own words, “the sailor of her own ship,” and her wit and wisdom are still encouraging to us today. Amelia Wagner has been a Chautauquan for 12 years and is currently working as a historical enactor for the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.