Madeleine Stern, R.I.P.

I was distressed to learn of the Aug 18th death of Madeleine Stern, who, in conjunction with Leona Rostenberg, uncovered the pseudonyms and hidden thriller work of Louisa May Alcott. She was 95.

After a Guggenheim fellowship, Stern wrote a biography of Alcott and edited several collections of Alcott's thrillers. With Rostenberg, she wrote vastly entertaining memoirs about their antiquarian book business, such as Old Books, Rare Friends and Old Books in the Old World: Reminiscences of Book Buying Abroad. Stern sent me a gracious letter when I published an article on Alcott's thriller work (giving her and Rostenberg full credit, of course); the article is reprinted in Deadly Women (Carroll & Graf, 1998).

Memorial contributions may be made to Alcott's Orchard House.