• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

  • By: Betty Smith
  • Narrated by: Kate Burton
  • Length: 14 hrs and 55 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (7,973 ratings)

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A Tree Grows in Brooklyn  By  cover art

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

By: Betty Smith
Narrated by: Kate Burton
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Editorial reviews

Why You Should Download This Audiobook: Betty Smith's immensely moving novel is essentially a paean to the human spirit—among most uplifting works we can think of. It's one of those stories you delight in giving to a good friend or family member who might be facing difficulty, certain that it could change the way they perceive life or give them strength to overcome a problem. It's also worth mentioning that this novel is a refreshing, plainspoken American work, a welcome change of pace if you've been lately persuing dense or complex works of literature.

Publisher's summary

A moving coming-of-age story set in the 1900s, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn follows the lives of 11-year-old Francie Nolan, her younger brother Neely, and their parents, Irish immigrants who have settled in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. Johnny Nolan is as loving and fanciful as they come, but he is also often drunk and out of work, unable to find his place in the land of opportunity. His wife Katie scrubs floors to put food on the table and clothes on her children's backs, instilling in them the values of being practical and planning ahead.

When Johnny dies, leaving Katie pregnant, Francie, smart, pensive and hoping for something better, cannot believe that life can carry on as before. But with her own determination, and that of her mother behind her, Francie is able to move toward the future of her dreams, completing her education and heading off to college, always carrying the beloved Brooklyn of her childhood in her heart.

©1947 Betty Smith (P)2001 HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Critic reviews

"There's a reason this tale remains beloved after almost 50 years, and it stands with memoirs like Angela's Ashes for its happy-ending triumph over a bad childhood." (AudioFile)
"A profoundly moving novel, and an honest and a true one. It cuts right to the heart of life." (The New York Times)

What listeners say about A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Average customer ratings
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A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

What a lovely and timeless book. Such a perfect reminder of how hard people worked to live day to day. People have lost there appreciation to be able to go to school. Children don’t have to go to work in order to help there families eat. Instant gratification and entitlement permeate our country. A truly perfect coming of age book. Thanks.

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It is as I remembered this beautiful story:)

My children know this book as does my grandchildren. I wanted them aware of values that maybe you can only find in a book now.

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A story to remember

I fell more and mo re e in love with this book as the story went along it is an amazingly touching story of how a young girl gets through the up and downs of her life

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Great book

Very thought provoking read. Could have done without the jazzy interludes between chapters. One at the beginning would have been enough.

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Amazing Classic

I'm not sure why I haven't ever taken the time to read this amazing classic! I hated to say good-bye to Francie. What a wonderful classic.

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Life as it used to be...hard....real...and human!

Loved this book and all of the people in it. Sent it to my best freind.


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Loved it

This was a great story that made me feel like I was there in Brooklyn with them. It kept me interested & entertained throughout the book. I would highly recommend this book!

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Great book with a strong female character.

This is a fantastic book. Loved listening to this. The reader did an amazing job with her accents. Slow paced drama.

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Loved it… Music has to go!

I loved pretty much everything about this book… the characters, the descriptive language, the historical story, and the narrator. The only complaint I have is that, like many others, the music is very disruptive. I hope they can make a recording of this in the future with the music eliminated.

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Timeless classic

I was sad when I finished it, I never wanted it to end. it is truly a timeless classic.

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