Betty Smith enchanted a generation of readers with 'A Tree Grows in Brooklyn' even as she groused that she hoped Williamsburg would be flattened
Betty Smith's novel 'A Tree Grows in Brooklyn' became a best-loved novel, selling 2,500,000 copies in the 1940s.
The novel attracted readers from various backgrounds, including members of the U.S. military, who found themselves enchanted by Brooklyn through Smith's portrayal. [ more ]