Frequently Asked Questions
   

Click a question to read
the answer.

Questions:

1 About the Betsy-Tacy Books and Maud Hart Lovelace

Who are Betsy and Tacy?

What books did Maud Hart Lovelace write?

How do I buy the books?

2 About the Greater New York Chapter of the Betsy-Tacy Society

Who are the group members?

How do I join the group?

What are the dues?

What is the national Betsy-Tacy Society?

Is there any connection between New York City and the Betsy-Tacy books?

3 About Greater New York Chapter Events

What types of events are held?

Who can attend the Violent Study Club book discussions?

Why the "Violent" Study Club?

 

Answers:

Back to top

1 About the Betsy-Tacy Books and Maud Hart Lovelace

Who are Betsy and Tacy?

Betsy Ray and Tacy Kelly are the fictionalized versions of Maud Hart Lovelace and her best friend, Frances "Bick" Kenney, who lived in Mankato Minnesota in the early years of the 20th century. Maud wrote a series of books -- the Betsy-Tacy books -- giving a fictionalized account of their life and the lives of their friends in Deep Valley, Minnesota. Other characters include Betsy and Tacy's friend Tib, as well as many other neighbors, classmates, and family members.

Readers of the Betsy-Tacy books can grow up along with Betsy and Tacy. The first four books are written for young readers, and are excellent "read aloud" books. As Betsy enters high school, her world expands and we see her and Tacy and Tib facing many of the same issues that face teenagers today. The last two books in the series show Betsy as a young woman, and eventually, a new bride.

 

 

Back to top

What did Maud Hart Lovelace write?

Betsy-Tacy (1940)
Betsy-Tacy and Tib (1941)
Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill (1942)
Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown (1943)
Heaven to Betsy (1945)
Betsy in Spite of Herself (1946)
Betsy Was a Junior (1947)
Betsy and Joe (1948)
Betsy and the Great World (1952)
Betsy's Wedding (1955)

Other Deep Valley books:

Carney's House Party (1949)
Emily of Deep Valley (1950)
Winona's Pony Cart (1953)

Other children's books:

The Golden Wedge Indian Legends of South America (1942) with Delos Lovelace
The Tune Is In The Tree (1950)
The Trees Kneel At Christmas (1951)
What Cabrillo Found (1958)
The Valentine Box (1966)

Adult books:

The Black Angels (1926)
Early Candlelight (1929)
Petticoat Court (1930)
The Charming Sally (1932)
One Stayed At Welcome (1934) with Delos Lovelace
Gentlemen From England (1937) with Delos Lovelace

 

Back to top

How do I buy the books?

Maud Hart Lovelace's Betsy-Tacy "high school" books plus Betsy and the Great World and Betsy's Wedding, Carney's Houseparty, Winona's Pony Cart, and Emily of Deep Valley have been released as Harper Perennial classics. The first four books have been released as The Betsy-Tacy Treasury. Visit Harper-Collins website, other online booksellers,  or buy the books at our host bookstore--McNally- Jackson.

 

 

2 About the Greater New York Chapter of the Betsy-Tacy Society

Back to top

Who are the group members?

Group members are women (although we'd welcome men as well), ranging in age from young adults to seniors. What we have in common is that we all enjoy the works of Maud Hart Lovelace. New members and guests are always welcome at any Greater New York Chapter event. The late Merian Kirchner, Maud Hart Lovelace's daughter, was a founding member of the Greater New York Chapter.

 

Back to top

How do I join?

The easiest way to join is to attend any event! You can also click here to email us and ask to be placed on the list for email announcements of upcoming events.

Back to top

What are the dues?

At this point, we do not charge dues. There are separate fees for special events -- such as the  holiday party -- which you pay when you RSVP for the event.
 

Back to top

What is the national Betsy-Tacy society?

The Greater New York Chapter of the Betsy-Tacy Society is affiliated with the national Betsy-Tacy Society. New York members may also wish to join the national Society.

 

Back to top

Is there any connection between New York City and the Betsy-Tacy books?

Yes! As the Betsy-Tacy books are based in Minnesota, New York City does not play a huge role in the books. However, our city's one shining Betsy-Tacy moment is that it is Betsy's port of arrival when she returns home from Europe. She and Joe spend a whirlwind (and romantic!) time in New York before returning to Deep Valley.

Maud Hart Lovelace and her husband, Delos Lovelace, lived in Greenwich Village during the early years of their marriage, and later moved to Long Island. Even after moving to California, where they would spend the rest of their years, both Maud and Delos loved New York City, and returned often to visit friends. Their daughter, Merian Kirshner, was a long-time resident of Brooklyn.

 

  3 About Greater New York Chapter Events
Back to top

What kind of events are held?

The Greater New York Chapter's most regular event is the Violent Study Club, held on the last Monday of every other month (with the exception of May, when the meeting is held on the second-to-last Monday, to avoid conflicting with Memorial Day).
Upcoming schedule and information

In addition to our Violent Study Club book discussions, we also hold holiday parties and other events including museum visits related to our interest in Betsy-Tacy or children's literature. 

 

Back to top

Who can attend the Violent Study Club book discussions?

Anyone who is a fan of Betsy-Tacy, whether you read them as a child or are just discovering them now, is welcome. Our discussions are respectful and enlightening, and might include observations about the books, comparisons with other literature, stories from the "real life" of Maud Hart Lovelace, and even personal memories from the participants related to the themes and issues raised in the book. Because the Betsy-Tacy books are rich with details about life at the turn of the (last) century, historical information about that time period is also appreciated. Each discussion ends with a group read of one chapter of the book. We alternate between reading a Betsy-Tacy book and other children's books.
Upcoming schedule and information

 

Back to top

Why the "Violent" Study Club?

The Betsy-Tacy Society is far from violent! This name was selected for our book discussions because it is the name of the club that Betsy and her husband belong to in "Betsy's Wedding." They took that name from another book society, the Violet Study Club, but wished to express that their meetings were lively and spirited rather than prim and proper, hence the "Violent" Study Club.

  Copyright ©2024 Carol Klitzner - All Rights Reserved.