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A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Audiobook
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Plot Summary
"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" is a 1940s coming-of-age novel that is widely regarded as a classic in American literature. The novel has long been popular with audiences who could readily identify with the primary character, Francie Nolan, who grew up in impoverished Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York during the early 20th century.
Francie's dream was to escape from the poverty in which she grew up. Her grandmother, an immigrant who spoke little English, stressed the importance of reading and writing in working her way out of poverty and achieving success.
Naïve and idealistic, Francie began with a goal: to read every book in the library that was in walking distance from the sum district tenement where she lived. The novel follows her struggles and triumphs. Those who love the book readily identify with her.
An understanding of the immigrant experience and the appeal of the American dream have made this a best-selling book for generations, both then and now. Contemporary audiences continue to draw inspiration from this young working-class girl who sets her foot firmly on a path and refuses to give in to poverty, hardship and temptation to simply give up.
Betty Smith was an American novelist and playwright. Born in 1896, she became a popular novelist of the mid-20th century. Her work remains very relevant and popular today. The events in "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" are largely autobiographical. Born Elizabeth Wehner, she was the daughter of immigrants from Austria. She loved school but had to leave before entering high school because of the death of her father. She dedicated her life to reading and was eventually able to go to the University of Michigan after marrying, moving to Michigan where her husband attended law school and starting a family. She later divorced, moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina and remarried. She died in 1972 from complications of pneumonia.
During her lifetime, Smith wrote at least 70 one-act plays. Her other novels include "Tomorrow Will Be Better," "Maggie Now" and "Joy in the Morning."
"I vaguely remember being assigned this book in junior high but am also pretty sure I tapped into Cliffsnotes a bit more than I should have. Well this book stayed in my mind and I finally felt inspired to read it for real. Now I'm sure the fact that my parents and my sister and I were born in Brooklyn played a huge part of my tremendous enjoyment of this book, but I feel like it is written with a sweet nostalgic tone that anyone would appreciate. Well to be honest, that same reason why I like it is the reason why I don't think children can appreciate it. You need to have experienced the journey of childhood to adulthood, the realization that your parents are not flawless untouchable beings but just people trying to figure it all out, and most importantly, what true joy and true disappointment feel like. It is only then that you can relate to Francie's story and truly appreciate it as the honest and inspiring piece of literature that it is."
— Claudia (5 out of 5 stars)
Publisher Summary
A PBS Great American Read Top 100 Pick
The beloved American classic about a young girl's coming-of-age at the turn of the twentieth century.
From the moment she entered the world, Francie Nolan needed to be made of stern stuff, for growing up in the Williamsburg slums of Brooklyn, New York demanded fortitude, precocity, and strength of spirit. Often scorned by neighbors for her family’s erratic and eccentric behavior—such as her father Johnny’s taste for alcohol and Aunt Sissy’s habit of marrying serially without the formality of divorce—no one, least of all Francie, could say that the Nolans’ life lacked drama.
By turns heartbreaking and uplifting, the Nolans’ daily experiences are raw with honestly and tenderly threaded with family connectedness. Betty Smith has, in the pages of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, captured the joys of humble Williamsburg life—from “junk day” on Saturdays, when the children traded their weekly take for pennies, to the special excitement of holidays, bringing cause for celebration and revelry. Smith has created a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as deeply resonant moments of universal experience. Here is an American classic that ""cuts right to the heart of life,"" hails the New York Times. ""If you miss A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, you will deny yourself a rich experience.""
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Quotes
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“A profoundly moving novel, and an honest and true one. It cuts right to the heart of life…If you miss A Tree Grows in Brooklyn you will deny yourself a rich experience.”
— New York Times -
“One of the most dearly beloved and one of the finest books of our day.”
— New York Times Book Review -
“Kate Burton communicates the universality of Francie’s childhood dreams, and the image of young Francie, sitting out on the fire escape, so close to a growing tree that she feels as if she is nestled in its branches…There’s a reason this tale remains beloved after almost fifty years, and it stands with memoirs like Angela’s Ashes for its happy-ending triumph over a bad childhood.”
— AudioFile -
“The novel centers on Francie Nolan, a young Irish girl in the slums of Williamsburg in the early 1900s. Through her, readers from every time, place, and circumstance are given a lesson about the cruelty of the world, the importance of relying on yourself, and never allowing darkness to dampen your spirit. This may seem like a trite sentiment to an adult, but it shouldn’t. My mother gave me A Tree Grows in Brooklyn to read when I was eleven during a tough period in my youth, and I devoured it in one sitting. It was the first book that really introduced me to the transformative power of literature.”
— Electric Literature
Awards
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A 2002 Audie Award Finalist
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A BuzzFeed Books Pick for Life Changing Books to Read with Your Mom
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A BookPage Top Pick of Best Book Recommendations from Our Moms
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One of the New York Public Library’s 150 Most Important Books of the 20th Century
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An Electric Literature Pick of 9 Books about Coming of Age in a City
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An iBooks bestseller in Fiction
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Listener Reviews
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Marian Stanton, 7/29/2021
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Steve Gase, 5/30/2021
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Timothy Rise, 4/16/2014
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" I have my mother's copy of this book and have read it at various points in my life, learning something new at each reading. My all time favorite book. "
— Sue, 2/17/2014 -
" One of my my favorites. It is about simpler, harder times. "
— Cindy, 2/6/2014 -
" 5 stars is not enough. This is a 10 star book: lyrical, poignant, plain, funny, moving. Brilliantly written, beautiful story. "
— Jinnie, 2/4/2014 -
" Really enjoyed it. A story about many themes, but of underlying perseverance. Very interesting coming of age story, of the changing times, in Brooklyn NY, in the beginning of the century. "
— Deepesh, 1/27/2014 -
" Can't believe I lived this long without reading this book. Nothing monumental but reminds me why I fell in love with reading to begin with--books are filled with doorways to whole new worlds. This one was a great journey. "
— Denelle, 1/25/2014 -
" Recommended by a member of Lycurgus Literary Society. A classic that should be considered by book clubs if they have not already read it. Questions about why Katie loved the boy more, why Francie was so insightful at an early age, what determines what are "good" times, and can a drunk be a good father are just a few of the topics that can be discussed. The time setting is nearly 100 years ago, and the social norms were very different, and yet maybe not so much. "
— Carolyn, 1/20/2014 -
" wonderful surprising read! "
— Aileen, 1/20/2014 -
" My favorite book in high school. "
— Bev, 1/20/2014 -
" Very well written. I felt & smelled & heard everything written quite acutely. Full of a nostalgic innocence that I thoroughly enjoyed "
— Kristel, 1/20/2014 -
" As advertised, a wonderful coming-of-age tale. It reminded me of my mother's stories of her childhood, even though she was from The Bronx and was a generation younger than this book's Francie. "
— Seth, 1/12/2014 -
" I thought this book would never end! "
— Ebellis, 1/11/2014 -
" Good book, but not a page-turner. I wish I would have known before reading it that it was partly autobiographical. "
— Cyndi, 1/8/2014 -
" Wonderful book! I don't know why this isn't on more reading lists! "
— Chelsey, 1/7/2014 -
" Absolutely one of my all time favorites! "
— Constance, 1/6/2014 -
" Overall a great book, that teaches you to be thankful for what you have :) "
— Laura, 1/2/2014 -
" Truly beautiful, honest account of an era that was traditional and shifting to modern times simultaneously. I find Frannie to be a wonderfully reflective character who learned beyond her years thanks to the supervision from her mother, grandmother, and aunts. Smith held no punches when describing the cultural, gender, and socio-economic stereotypes that were not prejudicial. Even the flawed characters were lovable, i.e. Johnny, the father. These characters will stay with me forever. As I listened to this novel, I longed for the traditions presented. A true classic and one of my favorites. "
— Kesha, 12/25/2013 -
" I loved this book...it's timeless! I read it years ago when I was a teen and it is just as refreshing and wonderful to read as a senior adult! Highly recommended! "
— English101, 12/23/2013 -
" Over the moon for this book!! Epic. "
— Ally, 12/13/2013 -
" probably the best book I've ever read. "
— Bellylaughs58, 12/13/2013 -
" This book gave me the feels. "
— Assia, 12/11/2013 -
" How did I miss this book growing up. Such memorable characters and such timeless feelings of growing up. Loved it. "
— Kim, 12/8/2013 -
" At first this book was a drag. But then I loved it, the end. "
— Talia, 12/7/2013 -
" One of my favorite books of all time... "
— Jen, 12/2/2013 -
" By far the best book I've ever read. "
— Susie, 11/15/2013 -
" One of my all time favorites!! "
— Krista, 11/8/2013 -
" Was slow to start but picked up in the second half. Loved Francies independance. Make me appreciate what we have in todays world. "
— Sandy, 11/2/2013 -
" . Amazed how moved I was by this writer. Timeless. "
— Annie, 9/22/2013 -
" A wonderful classic!!!!! "
— Bonnie, 6/5/2013 -
" This has been on my must read list for years & I am so happy that I finally had the chance to read this. It was such a simply written but beautiful story. Would definitely recommend this! "
— Annadk, 4/29/2013 -
" In general, great story, worth reading. I didn't like the last half/quarter of story. "
— Caroline, 4/7/2013 -
" This is the only book I have read more than once....first time in my teens. Coincidentally, now my daughter lives in Brooklyn! "
— Gail, 3/8/2013 -
" What a great book. I first read it in 5th grade and still find myself checking it out around twice a year to read again. "
— Matthew, 3/6/2013 -
" Could not put it down! "
— Carolyn, 1/17/2013 -
" It took me a while to get into the groove with this book (about 150 pages) but once there I couldn't put it down. By the end I was sobbing like a baby and absolutely loved it. "
— Beth, 11/27/2012 -
" This has been my favorite book since I was 12. I have read it at least 8 times, and I will read it again. It's a wonderful story for young girls who love to read and are excited about exploring life. "
— Jill, 11/22/2012 -
" Absolutely beautiful. A poignant story about life, love, growing up - and how to make sense of it all in an ever changing world. I feel that there isn't much else to say, this book speaks for itself. Skillfully written and timeless. "
— Courtney, 11/9/2012 -
" I finished the last page and immediately wanted to start over again. "
— Tamara, 10/2/2012 -
" Loved it. Timeless novel, Betty Smith does a fantastic job of describing the setting & characters, you feel like you are living in Francie Nolan's shoes, even though the setting was 100-ish years ago. Also interesting is that it's based on Smith's upbringing. "
— Holly, 9/30/2012 -
" I kept reading thinking it would get better, but I was disappointed. "
— Marci, 8/6/2012 -
" At first I wasn't certain because it was taking me so long to read. I think it was just my own limited time and tiredness though. Once I had some good chunks of time, I didn't want to put it down. I loved the authors voice and the detailed authenticity of the characters in this coming of age novel. "
— Kimberly, 7/15/2012 -
" I loved all of the details. It really felt like I was with Francie while she was growing up. "
— ccmarsey, 5/3/2012 -
" Betty Smith's writing is so beautiful. She paints every day pictures in great detail and develops the characters in such a way that you truly feel like you know them. "
— Julia, 3/7/2012 -
" I have read this book probably three or four times and I love it. I find myself learning and understanding something new every time; crying in the same parts every time. I never expected to enjoy a book from summer reading list so much. "
— Ren, 1/26/2012 -
" I have fallen in love. My head is filled with the story still. Only great literature stays with you like that. "
— StarszBooks, 12/12/2011 -
" One of my childhood favorites. So glad I reread it, though it seems like an entirely different story at 53 than it did at 13. I wonder how it will be at 75... "
— Christine, 11/25/2011 -
" One of my favorite books that I read when I was young . "
— Judy, 10/21/2011 -
" loved this book. a must read, especially for ladies. "
— Angela, 8/4/2011 -
" A very understated, wise book. A great snapshot of life in the early 1900's but written in a way that makes it feel contemporary. Francie Nolan will stay with me for a long time. If life gets me down I'll surely think of Francie's determination & optimism. "
— Shannon, 7/7/2011 -
" This is one of my favorite books of all time. I've seriously read this book about 15 times, and it never gets old. "
— Liz, 6/30/2011 -
" Apparently, this is a catch-up and re-read summer for me. It's about time with this book.<br/><br/>Oops, I already read it. "
— Christi, 6/30/2011 -
" This is one of my favorite books of all time. I've seriously read this book about 15 times, and it never gets old. "
— Liz, 6/30/2011 -
" Apparently, this is a catch-up and re-read summer for me. It's about time with this book.<br/><br/>Oops, I already read it. "
— Christi, 6/30/2011 -
" I re-read this "summer reading" book because I couldn't remember what it was about! Worth the read! "
— Becky, 6/27/2011 -
" I re-read this "summer reading" book because I couldn't remember what it was about! Worth the read! "
— Becky, 6/27/2011 -
" My favorite book! Every female should read it :) "
— Christina, 6/26/2011 -
" My favorite book! Every female should read it :) "
— Christina, 6/26/2011 -
" So great. Classic for a reason. Anyone with any connection to education or writing needs to read this book. "
— Jennifer, 6/25/2011 -
" Grew up hearing mom talk about this being her favorite book. So it held a kind of mystique. It was a joy to read. It will now Also reside in my top books. Very special read! "
— Sarahbeth, 6/25/2011 -
" So great. Classic for a reason. Anyone with any connection to education or writing needs to read this book. "
— Jennifer, 6/25/2011 -
" Grew up hearing mom talk about this being her favorite book. So it held a kind of mystique. It was a joy to read. It will now Also reside in my top books. Very special read! "
— Sarahbeth, 6/25/2011 -
" It's been decades since I last read this book and I still strongly identify with Francie and I don't understand Katie. it is a beautiful book worth reading again and again. "
— Lisa, 6/24/2011 -
" It's been decades since I last read this book and I still strongly identify with Francie and I don't understand Katie. it is a beautiful book worth reading again and again. "
— Lisa, 6/24/2011 -
" This is the first Novel I ever read when I was 14. I reread it to remember it and loved it! "
— Kim, 6/23/2011 -
" One of my favourite books of all time - re-read many times. One of my mum's favourites as well "
— Di, 6/23/2011 -
" One of my favourite books of all time - re-read many times. One of my mum's favourites as well "
— Di, 6/23/2011 -
" This is the first Novel I ever read when I was 14. I reread it to remember it and loved it! "
— Kim, 6/23/2011 -
" Really interesting view and time! I like that the perspective of the story is told from different people in the different "books", but it all tells the story of one family, and one girl in particular. "
— Katie, 6/22/2011 -
" Really interesting view and time! I like that the perspective of the story is told from different people in the different "books", but it all tells the story of one family, and one girl in particular. "
— Katie, 6/22/2011 -
" Another all-time fav. Have read this book many times. "
— Cindy, 6/20/2011 -
" Another all-time fav. Have read this book many times. "
— Cindy, 6/20/2011 -
—
John Flores, 4/10/2011
About Betty Smith
Betty Smith (1896–1972) was a native of Brooklyn, New York. Her novels A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Tomorrow Will Be Better, Joy in the Morning, and Maggie-Now continue to capture the hearts and imaginations of millions of readers worldwide. All four of her novels made the New York Times bestsellers list. She studied journalism at the University of Michigan and playwriting at the Yale School of Drama.
About Kate Burton
Kate Burton, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, is best known for her work on Broadway in Hedda Gabler, The Elephant Man, The Constant Wife, and Spring Awakening, as well as on television in Grey’s Anatomy and Empire Falls. Her films include Big Trouble in Little China, The Ice Storm, Unfaithful, and Remember Me. She played the title role in Alice in Wonderland with her father, Richard Burton, on PBS.