A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
By Betty Smith
4.5/5
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About this ebook
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 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.
Editor's Note
Coming-of-age classic…
This classic coming-of-age introduces the now-famous arboreal metaphor for socioeconomic diversity, generational differences, and personal development.
Betty Smith
Betty Smith (1896–1972) was a native of Brooklyn, New York. Her novels A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Tomorrow Will Be Better, Joy in the Morning, and Maggie-Now continue to capture the hearts and imaginations of millions of readers worldwide.
Read more from Betty Smith
Tomorrow Will Be Better: A Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Joy in the Morning: A Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Maggie-Now: A Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Beyond the Happy Ending Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5
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