A PBS Great American Read Top 100 Pick
The beloved American classic about a young girl’s coming-of-age at the turn of the twentieth century.
From the moment she entered the world, Francie Nolan needed to be made of stern stuff, for the often harsh life of Williamsburg demanded fortitude, precocity, and strength of spirit. Often scorned by neighbors for her family’s erratic and eccentric … spirit. Often scorned by neighbors for her family’s erratic and eccentric behavior—such as her father Johnny’s taste for alcohol and Aunt Sissy’s habit of marrying serially without the formality of divorce—no one, least of all Francie, could say that the Nolans’ life lacked drama. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the Nolans’ daily experiences are tenderly threaded with family connectedness and raw with honesty. Betty Smith has, in the pages of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, captured the joys of humble Williamsburg life-from “junk day” on Saturdays, when the children of Francie’s neighborhood traded their weekly take for pennies, to the special excitement of holidays, bringing cause for celebration and revelry. Betty Smith has artfully caught this sense of exciting life in a novel of childhood, replete with incredibly rich moments of universal experiences—a truly remarkable achievement for any writer.
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Classic! I read it when I was much younger. Love it
Enjoyed a tender story.
A great snapshot of life for immigrant poor at that time.
Just what I expected. A brilliant coming of age story from early 20th century
Dan Lubetsky
A testament to resilience and the power of the human spirit, this book shows what grit and determination can accomplish.
I really hated when I finished this book. No wonder they made a movie from it. I wanted it to go on for another two or three hundred pages. I know this is an old book but it defines us as a country and a people. The characters in the book are so real and well defined and what they had to do to survive at the beginning of the 20th century with the …
Not only were the characters well developed and believable, the book also presented a realistic picture of the time and place: Brooklyn, pre-WWII, post depression.
I read this book in my teens and loved it. I decided to re-read it and I still love it. What a saga, what a hard life it is for many in this country. Has not changed in 50 years. .
Read this book in high school 50 years later I read it again. In my mind if based on a true story, this takes my breath away knowing a person can attain such heights from nowhere.
I love this book, I’ve read it multiple times and will continue to.
This is the story of a poor family in turn of the century Brooklyn. The main character tells of her life and family, sad, funny, and tragic as well. I didn’t want this book to end. I wanted to know more about her life.
I expected more of a classic, but it was an interesting look into life in the early 20th century.
Window into early 20th century America.
A great classic to read more than once.
Phenomenal! I wished I had read this years ago and I will read it again in a few years. This was how my grandparents lived.
Unforgettable!
My favorite book of all time! I still re-read it every few years.
One of the most beautiful books ever written. A classic like an old, beloved friend.
I read this book the first time at about 12 and multiple times since then. I think it is one of the best books ever written that is how good it is!
Such a classic!!