From the Bookshelf of Bound Together…

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Betty Smith

Start date: June 1, 2011

Finish date: June 30, 2011

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

No group discussions for this book yet.

What Members Thought

Jun 15, 2011 Alena rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

One of my all time childhood favorites. I remember my mom giving it to me what I was 12 or 13 and telling me it was one of her favorites.

Francie is a charming and witty protagonist whose observations about poverty, family, beauty and courage are what propel the novel. I love that Francie dreams of a life that is bigger than what she is living. It's certainly what attracted me to the book as a young girl, and was not diminished by 25 more years of living.

The very idea that we can't kill hope no ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Jun 05, 2011 ✿Sandra rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: orland-library, books-with-movies, bt-group

I really enjoyed this book. Francie was a very inspirational character. She grew up in poverty in Brooklyn with an alcoholic for a father, but she had the determination to rise above her difficult circumstances. She had a love of learning and was taught to work hard. Her character was like the Tree of Heaven, which the book is referring to, that flourishes under the most unlikely circumstances.

One of the things I took away from this book was the strength of the women characters. Sometimes I was ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 29, 2013 Sandra Heinzman rated it it was amazing

Shelves: best-seller-fiction, favorites, book-club, classics

This is one of my all-time favorite books. I first read it in high school, probably 46 years ago, at least! This time I listened to the audio version and it was wonderful; great narrator. It made me smile to listen to this story about Francie Nolan's growing up in Brooklyn (where I lived in 1956-1957). It's a timeless classic and I only wish there was a sequel to it. It's our work's book club pick for this month, so I can't wait to discuss it. If you haven't read it, you MUST. Love love love it! ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 07, 2012 Penny rated it liked it

This is a famous book written in the 1940's. It follows the experience of a young girl being raised in Brooklyn. She is very poor, her father is a drunk and her mother works all hours. The book is told from young Francie's point of view and in the first 3/4 it is beautfully written. We really get a flavour of the Brooklyn of that time, filled with immigrants from all parts of Europe. Their prejudices, their cooking, their dealings with each other are what form the basis of Francie's childhood.

It ...more

Like · see review