Louisa May Alcott (1832 - 1888) was born in Germantown, Pensylvania, the second of four sisters. At an early age, Louisa and her family moved to Massachusetts, where she lived for most of her life. Her father was a teacher, and he encouraged Louisa to keep a diary. She started to write at the age of 16. Alcott used her diary to help her write about her own life and experiences. One of her most famous books is Little Women, which is based on the life of her family.