From the Bookshelf of Catching up on Classics (and lots more!)…

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Betty Smith

Start date: August 1, 2019

Finish date: August 31, 2019

Discussion: New School Classics- 1915-2005

Discussion leader: Katy

Why we're reading this: Revisit the Shelf Group Reread, August 2019

Previous Group Reads:
Revisit the Shelf Group Read, May 2013
New…more
[close] Revisit the Shelf Group Reread, August 2019

Previous Group Reads:
Revisit the Shelf Group Read, May 2013
New School Classic, August 2012

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New School Classics- 1915-2005

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What Members Thought

Aug 04, 2019 Franky rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics, 2019-reading-challenge

I believe one of the best qualities of Betty Smith’s A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is Smith’s ability to take a time period, a family, and a place and paint and depict a realistic portrait. Her novel is a sketch and timeline of an immigrant family in the early portions of the 1900s living in Brooklyn. We follow the Nolan family, and more specifically we zero in on Francie Nolan as a youngster and then later as a young adult. While Smith is not going to wow anyone with her prose, she uses a simplistic I believe one of the best qualities of Betty Smith’s A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is Smith’s ability to take a time period, a family, and a place and paint and depict a realistic portrait. Her novel is a sketch and timeline of an immigrant family in the early portions of the 1900s living in Brooklyn. We follow the Nolan family, and more specifically we zero in on Francie Nolan as a youngster and then later as a young adult. While Smith is not going to wow anyone with her prose, she uses a simplistic approach to create a very powerful and heartfelt picture of life, with themes such as poverty, love, pain, courage, and coming of age. I think it is this simplicity that adds to the portrait of time and place.

There is a moment that I think seems to signify the title of the novel quite eloquently. It is when Francie’s mother Katie Nolan is speaking to others about her baby, who is struggling to live: “Who wants to die? Ever thing struggles to live. Look at that tree growing up there out of the grating. It gets no sun, and water only when it rains. It’s growing out of the sour earth. And it’s strong because its hard struggle to live is making it strong. My children will be strong that way.” I think this a fitting quote and moment because it typifies the entire struggle of the Nolan clan, symbolic of their poverty and their circumstances, yet the tree’s struggle and will to live a metaphor for courage and perseverance amid those difficulties.

This is not a book where there are ultimately rainbows, unicorns and butterflies on the other side of desperate times and life’s harsh realities. At times, the novel can be quite depressing and many characters struggle hard fights and sometimes lose in painful ways, and you feel for them.

Nevertheless, I think this adds to the power of the novel because Smith has an honesty approach in telling her tale. There’s a lot of pathos and emotion amid A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and so I was glad to be reading another book alongside this one to sort of balance everything out.

On a side note, I know this book is often categorized as a “young adult” novel, but I would sort of question that due to some of the subject matter.

I think A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a very powerful book. It does take an emotional investment on the part of the reader at times but, ultimately, we become invested in the Nolans and Francie and their lives.

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17 likes · Like · see review

Dec 05, 2012 Katy rated it really liked it

Great book. NIce coming of age novel with a hope for the future.

2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 23, 2025 Kristin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: summer-maybes-2012

Beautifully written. Filled with emotion and truth. I completely loved it.

1 like · Like · see review

May 26, 2015 Becky rated it it was amazing

Beautiful. I relate to so many parts of the book; and I believe much of Francie is universally true for young girls around the world. After something as painful as the Grapes of Wrath, this revived all my energy to breathe, to imagine, to love, and to live.

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Jan 28, 2014 Darla rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: modern-mrs-darcy-reading-challenge

As others thought I was one of the only ones who hadn't read this book. I can only like this book. Yes, there are some beautiful, DETAILED descriptive passages. I did enjoy the last chapters much more. And the tree paragraph at the end. ...more

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Feb 25, 2011 Jennifer N. marked it as to-read

Shelves: r-t-b, young-adult, historical-fiction, new-york

Jun 02, 2011 Laurie Armstrong marked it as to-read

Jun 10, 2011 Sofie marked it as to-read

Shelves: yes-i-still-have-not-read-this

Jun 10, 2011 Glynn rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction

Jul 30, 2011 Marci rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, classics, adult, poverty-homelessness-etc, historical-fiction, standalone, america-and-canada, books-i-have, 20th-century, young-adult