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Summary: A once in a lifetime joyous read
Review: A Tree Grows In Brooklyn..........read this and you will undoubtedly be able able to see a certain sweetness in life that might have once gone unnoticed. Betty Smith's poignancy and bravado breathe life into the story's central character, the utterly sweet, daring and soulful Francie. Francie, the little girl to whom we can all identify...for in some way, no matter how small,parts of her live inside us all. I first read this on entering my teens on my Mother's recommendation and we have delighted in the joy of this rich classic ever since. I collect as many lovingly used editions as I can find.........although I wonder how anybody could ever part with a Betty Smith novel! I own a few old copies of Maggie Now, with which I have been tormenting myself for more than a decade......I am waiting for the right moment to indulge, for although I know I shall read it time and time again.........that first anticipation of turning page one in a Betty Smith book, holds such excitement! A Tree Grows In Brroklyn.......please don't miss out on this timelessly breathtaking classic!
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Summary: Movie and book weave together
Review: Recently, AMC showed the movie based on this book. I had read the book many times when I was Francie's age, but had never seen the movie. Seeing the movie led me back to the book, which I had not read in twenty years.What a wonderful experience I had in meeting the Nolans all over again. There were parts of the book that had been tucked in my memory, i.e. the part where Francie decides to read all the books in the library in alphabetical order. Every time I go to the library, I have that same idea. I just had forgotten where I first got the idea. It was like a light bulb illuminating a dusty part of my brain. Katie Nolan has become an even more important part of the story to me now. I think this was helped by Dorothy McGuire's exquisite performance as practical Katie. Being a mother of two myself, I appreciate the way Smith captured the gradations of Katie's feeling towards each child and her inability to express them to the children themselves. Goota go; my copy of MAGGIE-NOW is calling to me.
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Summary: I love ATREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN
Review: it's a touching story of a girl named francie who live in a pauperous family . It is the hardship life of her growing up
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Summary: A Black Cloud Grows In Brooklyn
Review: A Tree Grows In Brooklyn is the first book that I have ever truely hated. I usually choose books with topics and intersets that I like. I, and like a lot of people, do not like to be told what I have to read. This was I book I had to read for summer reading. Out of all the books on the list and that I have ever read, this was the worst piece of crap that I have ever read. The main thing that made me hate this book was that the depressing and sad life lead by Francie Nolan, is that it is very much like mine. She is me living in the 1800's. The story is about Francie and her family's struggle through poverty, death, periods of no food and money, and most imoportantly, alcoholism. When you think that things can't get any worse, they do. Out of all the characters in the book I hate Johnny Nolan. He is just like my dad, but when my dad is drunk he is a jerk. I don't know how she can love someone who is holding her back from the world. She and the rest of her family give up alot for thier father's little things like clean shirt, beer and bus money. My favorite part in the book was when he died. I celebrated this convince for Francie....
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Summary: I didn't like the end
Review: Although this book is wonderfully written, I at least got tired of the never ending string of depressing incidents and the lousy ending.
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Summary: ...Wonderfully inspiring story......
Review: A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN is a wonderfully inspiring story about a girl growing up in Brooklyn in the early 1900's. The main character, Francie, is quite an intellect and would rather read a book than play with other girls any day. Throughout the story we see Francie change from a girl to a woman. Along the way we meet two of the major characters of the novel; Francie's alcoholic father and hardworking mother. I would suggest this book to any girl age thirteen years and older. Although, I do not want to discourage anyone else from reading A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN, I feel that girls over the age of fourteen would be able to relate to this book better than anyone else. This novel was not very original in setting, but the content and deep analysis of each character and situation by Betty Smith is quite unique. The narration was, for the most part the third person limited perspective. Betty Smith sets a very realistic story, though a sad one at times. I think this book is quite a timeless classic. It is an absolutely wonderful story in the slums of Brooklyn, New York. It will be just as wonderful a novel fifty years from now as it was fifty years ago. It has a timeless essence that I could relate to in 1998, and some young girl will in the year 2048. I loved this book because it was a fastpaced book and kept me reading until the very end. I hope you will decide to read A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN, By Betty Smith, and love it as much as I did.
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Summary: Brought me to tears.
Review: I absolutly loved this book. It was so realistic and had me crying so hard by the end. Sarah
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Summary: Eat it up!
Review: What can I write to express how deeply I enjoyed this book. It is a dish to devour; my compliments to the chef!
Rating:
Summary: I absolutely loved it!
Review: "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" is a book unlike the rest. It focuses on the life and times of young Francie and we see life as it was for her and the poor of her neighborhood. I think all of us can find ourselves and maybe, just maybe some of our own experiences in it too.
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Summary: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was a great novel.
Review: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was a great novel. Francie Noloan's description of her life filled with heartache, alcoholism, and poverty was extremely touching. Francie describes her life set in the early 1900's in the poor neighborhoods of Brooklyn. Her family and their lives of poverty, are the main focus of the novel. "It grew in boarded up lots and out of neglected rubbish heaps and it was the only tree that grew out of cement. It grew lavishly but in tenement districts." Smith's words capture a central theme of the book. It describes a young girl struggling to survive compared with the tree struggling to grow out of cement. Not only do they both survive, they both flauresh. Betty Smith captures the time perfectly and makes it seem real. She portrays each character in a distinct way. For example, Johnny, Francie's father leaves the reader angry and sad because of his drinking. This novel is especially geared women both young and old. I was disappointed with the ending because I was looking for a conclusion of Francie's life.
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