A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
There is nothing more enjoyable than curling up with a cup of tea and a favorite book (as much as I can curl up being nine months pregnant). Reading an old favorite is like visiting with a friend. I love feeling the worn cover and the bent pages.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn has been a favorite of mine since my teenage years when I came across it on my English class summer reading list. The author brings you into the Irish American Nolan family and you become part of the family. As a young adult I was able to relate to Francie and her feelings, thoughts, and actions. She loved books as much as I did and was a romantic at heart. Her favorite reading spot was the balcony hidden amongst the branches of a tree that grew in her tenement courtyard.
The turn of the century time period has always fascinated me. This book focused on the social issues of poverty, Irish discrimination, the American Dream, and the hardships of a mother raising three kids after her alcoholic husband passes away.
Betty Smith is a wonderful writer. Her description of New York draws you away from the 21st century and back in time. Her characters are real, not superficial. The focus is on the lower class and not the genteel society for once. You see the importance of a penny to a little boy so he can buy a piece of candy. Your heart twinges as you read how Francie and her brother look for cans and newspaper to recycle to bring money home to their mother. Through all the suffering and tragedy the family stays together and is full of love. You learn about the dreams that sustain people and give them hope. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a beautiful heartfelt book. Occassionally I have thought of a getting a new copy, but there is something comforting in reading my old worn-out edition.
