In the face of crushing poverty, can hope grow like a tree in Brooklyn? In her 1943 novel, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith embarked on a journey through poverty-stricken Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, during the first two decades of the 20th century. It is a complex tale, with extensive flashbacks to establish plot foundations and character development. The novel is vividly detailed and expressively imparts the harsh realities of New York City urban life (at least in this part of Brooklyn) during the first two decades of the 20th century.
Will a family's love and determination prevail against overwhelming odds? I'm no spoiler. You'll find out when you read the book. Check it out using your Evergreen Indiana library card. It is available through the E.I. online catalog.
Drama doesn't get any better than this novel. If it doesn't move you to tears (some sad, some not so much), then you need to check your pulse.
Hope is a Tree in Brooklyn,
Cauli Le Chat
MPL Roving Reporter
Readers' Advisory News Beat
P.S. "Brooklyn Roads," by Neil Diamond, breathes life into the memories of growing up in Brooklyn during the 1940s and 1950s. The song first appeared on the LP Velvet Gloves and Spit (1968).
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