A Tree Grows in BrooklynA Tree Grows in Brooklyn
What it's about
Francie Nolan grows up in the tenements of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in the early 1900s, with a hardworking, determined mother, a charming father who drinks, and a fierce love of books and learning. Following Francie from childhood to young adulthood, the novel shows poverty, family love, neighborhood life and a girl's hunger to make something of herself in a world that expects little of her.
Why it's worth reading
It's one of the most beloved American novels, warm, honest and full of small, unforgettable moments, and generations of readers have seen themselves in Francie. It spent 28 weeks at #1 on the bestseller list.
You'll love it if you liked
Little Women, Anne of Green Gables or The Book Thief
Good to know
It's gentle and episodic rather than plot-driven, and includes alcoholism and an attempted assault. Around 500 pages.
By the numbers
- Readers91 out of 100 · counts 40%+42
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%+0
- Bestseller85 out of 100 · counts 32% (its stronger lane)+30
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 15%+0
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero.
On the PBS Great American Read list. #1 New York Times bestseller (28 weeks at #1). 4.31★ from 537K Goodreads ratings.
Where it ranks
- #22 of the 251 historical novels we rank
- #27 of the 519 classics we rank
- #91 of the 1,404 books we rank
Bestseller
- #1 New York Times bestseller (28 weeks at #1)
On the lists
- PBS Great American Read
Reads as
Moving
