Betsy and the Great World (Betsy-Tacy) [Paperback]

Maud Hart Lovelace (Author), Vera Neville (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 16, 1996 | Age Level: 9 and up | Series: Betsy-Tacy

It's the trip of a lifetime.Betsey Ray, 21 years old, is heading off for a solo tour of Europe. From the moment she casts off, her journey is filled with adventure--whether she's waltzing at the captain's ball, bartering for beads in Madeira, or sipping coffee at a bohemian cafe in Munich.

It's rich fodder for a budding young writer, and Betsy's determined to make the most of the experience. If only she could stop thinking about her ex-sweetheart, Joe Willard...

Then a handsome, romantic Italian goes overboard for Betsy, and she has a big decision to make. Marco Regali is passionate, fascinating, and cultured. Could it be that Betsy's heart belongs in Europe instead of Minnesota?Betsy’s childhood dream is finally coming true—she’s off to Europe just like she and Tacy planned so long ago. Despite her travels and many adventures, Betsy’s heart won’t let her forget Joe Willard, her high school sweetheart.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Maud Hart Lovelace (1892-1980) was the beloved author of the Betsy-Tacy books as well as many other books for adults and children.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: HarperTrophy (February 16, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064405451
• ISBN-13: 978-0064405454
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #884,512 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book that can brighten my day (at any time!), February 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Betsy and the Great World (Betsy-Tacy) (Paperback)

There is something about the Betsy-Tacy series that always fills my heart with warmth. Betsy and the Great World is no exception. At twenty-one, Betsy is on the verge of a great adventure. She embarks on a tour of Europe - when Europe was a new horizon for a young writer to see. Betsy soon discovers that she is growing up (she is courted by a dashing Italian during her trip abroad), but she can not forget her beloved Joe. Read this book and the rest of the series. They will take you back to a time when things were simpler.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful way to travel vicariously, March 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Betsy and the Great World (Betsy-Tacy) (Paperback)

I have never been to Europe, so reading "Betsy and the Great World" was a fun way to experience Europe through someone else's eyes. I read all the Betsy-Tacy books, and though I definitely felt the absence of Tacy and the Crowd in this book, it was interesting to watch Betsy's development and growth during her year abroad. Her independence and spunk even away from home are amazing to behold, yet at times she gets homesick just as anyone would, so her experiences are not unrealistic. I think this book shows a very important time of growth in Betsy's life. If you are a fan of the Betsy-Tacy books, this one is not to be missed. "Down to Gehenna or up to the throne, he travels the fastest who travels alone..."

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Betsy and I went to Italy, April 6, 2001

By 

S. J. Rice (Akron, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Betsy and the Great World (Betsy-Tacy) (Paperback)

I have read "Betsy and the Great World" so often that I know much of it by heart. When I travelled to Italy this spring, and stepped into St. Mark's Square, I could hear the Harvard Man yelling at Betsy's "tourist trick" with the pigeons. And when I went on a gondola ride, Betsy and her Marco were in the gondola that floated by on the other side of the Grand Canal. Any author who can make her characters live so completely deserves to be read. It takes a very special young woman to understand the pleasures of a simple life well-lived, but for her, this series will provide richness and memories to last a lifetime.