March 19, 2003
9. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith*
Tree is one of those books I discovered by accident. When I was 20, I babysat the 20-month old daughter of some friends, full-time, for $70 a week. It was probably the worst-paying, easiest job I've ever had. Keilah was a doll. One afternoon while she was napping, I was bored out of my head, having forgotten my book at home. I found a copy of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and started to read it out of desperation. Maybe because I came to it with no expectations, I was completely swept away. The tone seemed so light and innocent, but sordid, awful things happened. The juxtaposition was startling and effective. Francie Nolan is one of my favorite characters. I guess in a way I've always related to her. When I first read Tree, I was desperately poor, perhaps not as bad as the Nolans, but bad enough. I had the same love of reading and learning that Francie does. She reminded me a lot of me.
No matter how many times I've read this book, it always sucks me in and holds me tight.
Posted by Lisa at March 19, 2003 11:14 AM | 2003