A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

by Betty Smith

I found this book really enjoyable. As you may suppose, it’s about a girl growing up in Brooklyn, during the early 1900’s. It’s semi-autobiographical, since the author grew up in the same area around the same time, in a poor family just like Francie in the story. Smith has a way of letting you just see how it must have been, how they had to pinch every penny just to scrape by. There are moments of beauty and passages of sorrow; lots of humor and some terrifying scenes. The characters are memorable and their relationships complex. I’m such a fast reader that I usually expect “fun” engrossing books to speed by way too fast. But this one, while very easy to get into, is a sizeable story and I found it lasted a good long time. It has a richness to it, but without any fluff. You’ll like it.