Book Review: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

" It's not better to die. Who wants to die? Everything struggles to live. Look at that tree growing up there from the grating. It gets no sun, and water only when it rains. It's growing out of sour earth. And it's strong because its hard struggle to live is making it strong."

 (Note:  I have instituted a new practice in book reviewing, where I include a quote from the book that I think exemplifies said book.  I have added quotes to my old book reviews accordingly)

Now that I have responsibilities and stuff, I can't just read books all the time.  But I will continue to review them as I read them.  And, today, we have a classic book.  I know I don't review those much, but a lot of that is because I have read a lot of classic books.  I first heard about this book when I read on the "get to know your teacher" thing in 11th grade that my History of the Americas teacher's favorite book was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.  When I was reading it, I learned from my mother that it was apparently one of my Grandma Carol's favorite books as well.

 

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is the coming-of-age story of M. Frances (K) Nolan, also known as Francie.  Francie lives in Williamsburg of Brooklyn in the early 20th Century.  Being neither an immigrant, nor the child of immigrants, but a third generation American, she is kind of the high class of Brooklyn, but you wouldn't know it looking at their family.  Her father, Johnny Nolan, is the son of Irish immigrants, drinks like an Irishman, and has his head squarely in the clouds.  He is one big contradiction;  he is simultaneously weak and strong, simultaneously loving and neglectful.  Her mother, Katie Rommely Nolan, is the daughter of Austrian immigrants, and is as practical as her husband is not.  She is the strength and the love that may not look like love from the outside.  Somehow, Johnny and Katie love each other.  Francie, and her younger brother, Neeley (Cornelius), learn to navigate the world of America, poverty, Brooklyn and opportunity.  

I loved this book.  Honest to goodness. I also don't think it could have been published today.  There's no climax and no one "identifiable" conflict.  But I love it.  It captures the complexity of human emotion and relationships.  It develops parents who truly love their children, but sometimes just fall short.  It investigates the downfalls of people and puts the world of 1900s New York City into the center stage of analysis.  

So, yes, I'm giving it 5 stars.  I agree with Grandma Carol.

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