Customer Reviews

Miss Minerva and William Green Hill (Tennesseana Editions)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

My North Carolina grandmother, born in 1888, read the 12 Miss Minerva series books to me when I was a young child in the 50's. She brought the antics of William Green Hill, Jimmy Garner, Frances, Lina, Wilkes Booth Lincoln, Aunt Cindy, Pilljerk Peter, Aunt Peruny Pearline to life, and I can still hear the words ringing in my ears as she read this book in the dialect of the southern Negro. Some feel that these aren't politically correct books for today's youth, but I feel that there are some innocent truths to be learned from reading these books, that come from the mouths of the children in them. They show how easily children of all races get along when the prejudices of their elders aren't present. The real life character upon which these books are based is William Green Hill who died at 64, the son of a prominent Tennessee physician Dr. Lafayette Hill. His sister, Mrs. S. A. Hamilton had not seen her brother in 15 years when he died of a heart attack alone and penniless in an empty railroad coal car on the outskirts of Pueblo, Colorado. My grandmother clipped the small article from the newspaper about Mr. Hill, which I have kept in my copy of the first of the books which were written about his life. The first book, Miss Minerva and William Green Hill, was originally written by Frances Boyd Calhoun who died, and was continued by Emma Speed Sampson, who wrote the sequel Billy and the Major, Miss Minerva's Baby, Miss Minerva on the Old Plantation, Miss Minerva Broadcasts Billy, Miss Minerva's Scallywags, Miss Minerva's Problem, Miss Minerva's Vacation, Miss Minerva's Neighbors, Miss Minerva's Mystery, Miss Minerva Goin' Places, and one other title. There also is a book named Miss Minerva's Cookbook which was so rare that a copy of this book is going for $1,000 at rare out of print used book stores. I certainly love to see that the University of Tennessee has brought back the first of this series, and I would love to see them bring back to print the rest of the series for a new generation of children to enjoy and understand the happiness and delicate, intricate balance that exists in childhood play between children of all races.

I read all 9 books in this series and enjoyed the humor of Billy's exploits with his Aunt Minerva and the neighborhood children. The children of this era made their own entertainment, played "pretend" and spent a lot of time outdoors-life was rather pastoral. However, Billy managed to keep everyone hopping. I'd describe the book as an early "Little Rascals" of the South. Well written, humorous and filled with the innocence of the era. Billy and his friends seem to have to learn everything the hard way!! Historically, it occurs in an era of segregation; however, it also demonstrates that children accept each other far more easily than adults do.

I loved this book (and the sequels) when I was a child. Have been looking for copies for years. I was pleased to finally find Miss Minerva & William Green Hill on Amazon. Hope the University of Tennessee will consider printing the others.

I read this book as a very young child and, as I collect old children's books, ran across it in my searches. Of course, I read it again and enjoyed it even more this time. I suppose it is"politically incorrect" now, but that's the way things were then--right or wrong. I still find the book both funny and sweet. I had no idea that someone had created a series after Mrs. Calhoun's death. I would love to find some of them.

I purchased this book for my father who read it as a child. He exclaimed with delight when I took the book to him. He loved rereading it after 60 years and laughed hysterically thru most of the book. It's a quick read. I wish the press would publish the others in this series, there's certainly an audience for them.

WHEN I WAS IN THIRD GRADE, BACK IN 1938, MY TEACHER READ THIS BOOK TO HER CLASS. IT WAS HUMOROUS AND TOUCHING. MISS MINERVA, AN OLD MAID, IS FORCED TO RAISE HER NEPHEW, WILLIAM GREEN HILL DUE TO THE UNTIMELY DEATHS OF HIS PARENTS. BILLY'S MISADVENTURES ADAPTING TO LIFE IN MISS MINERVA'S BOY-UNFRIENDLY HOUSEHOLD AND THE EQUALLY DIFFICULT TIME SHE HAS ADAPTING TO A LIFE-STYLE CENTERED AROUND AN INTELLIGENT BUT UNSOPHISTICATED YOUNG BOY WILL BRING BOTH LAUGHTER AND TEARS TO THE READER. IT MUST BE NOTED THAT THIS STORY IS SET IN THE RURAL AND SMALL-TOWN SOUTH OF SOME SEVENTY YEARS AGO AND SOME OF ITS CHARACTERS MAY OFFEND SOME PEOPLE

I remember finding this book when I was visiting my grandmother at age 9, and just came across it unpacking a box of books.
I'd recently read it to my infant, to see if it still had the charm and hilarity that I'd remembered when my grandma had read it to me. So many times children's books fall flat when you read them again as an adult. To my surprise, it was laugh-out-loud funny. Although, the southern drawl written into text can sometimes be difficult, it added to the charm, and I found myself starting to speak in a southern drawl in between reading chapters. Sometimes the language can be a bit un-nerving, seeing as we modern folk don't use racial epithets, the children used them in a loving way, describing people they knew and loved. But in today's world, the text can sometimes be uncomfortable. When I was reading I substitued modern, politically correct terms, and when my husband heard me read, couldn't tell the difference and thought it was a great little book. I don't want to deny the reality and language of the past, only to promote the innocence originally intended by Mrs. Calhoun.
I was amazed and gladened to see that Amazon.com carried the book (printed originally in 1909), and that people still enjoyed it. I highly recommend it.

This book is written about a real little boy who lived in Covington, Tennessee. It was written in the dialect of the time but can still be read with enjoyment. The writer, Frances Calhoun died after writing the first book. Emma S. Sampson wrote the rest of the series. William Green Hill is buried in Covington, Tennessee. He was a distant relative of mine, making the books that much more interesting to me.

My parents gave me these books in the twenties.They depict the Post-Civil War southern society in a small town with warmth and humor. I still enjoy reading these books for sentimental reasons and because my own history is much the same. Mildred B. DeJarnette

This is one of the funniest books I have ever read. The characters are wonderful and take you back to a more naive time. My husband and grandchildren love this book as much as I do.