Louisa May Alcott (1832 - 1888) needs little introduction, as she is one of the most famous American female authors, whose most famous work is Little Women. She also served as a nurse for six weeks during the Civil War at Union Hospital in Georgetown. Her letters were compiled to create Hospital Sketches. Eight Cousins is a heartwarming story about an orphaned girl taken in by great aunts and the girl's experiences with her cousins.