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1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Beyond Romance Oct 01, 2007
In the American South after the Civil War -- so scarred as the culture was by fire and defeat -- it was two generations beyond Reconstruction before storytellers and writers managed to attain any objective distance from the events of seventy years previous. However, romantic notions of a glorious past had already spread, telling of a glorious place now "gone with the wind." There are no traces of that glorious South because it never existed -- but the romance of it persists, waving to this day atop more than one southern statehouse.
Mr. Hunt, on the other hand, ignores none of the uncomfortable truths of the past. Not that his book is without sentimental remembrance -- it certainly has plenty, and thank goodness. But hunt does not betray those precious remembrances by illustrating them for his readers through the gauzy web of selfish rationalizations. To be sure, Mr. Hunt has written a beautiful book -- not in spite of the truth because the ugly truths are here, too. Without them, the deception of their omission would ruin the book's ability to transform the pain into the possibility of redemption.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 The Last Witness From a Dirt Road Aug 09, 2006
The first chapter immediately had my attention due to a scene where you realize a journey to adulthood for a young boy is about to begin. I laughed, cried, and thoroughly enjoyed reading about an era that is now past, but not totally forgotten. It was enjoyable to read about an era where life was physically harder than today's world, but less stressful. An era where people generally helped each other, cared for each other, and knew the meaning of family. I would greatly enjoy reading more works from the author.
1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 A touching story Aug 07, 2006
"The Last Witness From A Dirt Road" is a wonderful read - heartfelt, warm, and thoughtful. Full of funny scenes and conversations, poignant descriptions of people and places, and touching portraits of the friends who filled his childhood, it is a true, complete, fulfilling tale of growth, with all its joys and pains. The book conveys with honesty and sensitivity the confusing emotional and intellectual chasm of growing up between the races in the southern United States in the mid-twentieth century. Sadly, the black and white worlds Mr. Hunt describes can't blend any more than allowed by the vision of a child's affectionate and colorblind eyes. Nonethteless, Mr. Hunt manages to capture a very real and tangible love between people; he is a solid storyteller and a talented dialogist who has given us a sweet, memorable tale. Months from reading it, I still carry the images with me - and some laughter, too.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Review by C. Arnouville Jul 23, 2006
Through the eyes of a child, Bill Hunt allows his readers to relive the year 1946 on a southern plantation. Mr. Hunt's description of life on the plantation is not only informational but amusing as well. Several times I found myself laughing out loud at some of the situations in which he found himself. Besides being a book that supplies the reader with history of the time, the author also expresses feelings,that we can all relate to, as life around him changes. Also, being from the same parish in Louisiana as the book's setting, I found myself able to relate to many things Mr. Hunt wrote of. This book is a book you will not want to put down and also one you will not want to finish. We should all be able to express our cherished memories as well as Bill Hunt has.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
"Coming of Age" Jun 22, 2006
What a great "coming of age" story! We all have childhood memories and experiences, but not all of us can share the tales as well as Bill Hunt does in this book. A great read, and a valuable history lesson!
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