Journal Entry 1 by RubyBlueLady from Avebury, Wiltshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 14, 2006

This is a paperback book and the cover is different on my copy. I read this book many many years and remember enjoying it hugely.

from the back of the book:

'...it is poignant and deeply understanding story of childhood and family relationships. The Nolans lived in the Williamsburg slums of Brooklyn from 1902 until 1919...Their daughter Francie and their son Neeley knew more than their fair share of privations and sufferings that are the lot of a great city's poor. Primarily this is Francie's book. She is a superb feat of characterization, an imaginative,alert, resourceful child. And Francie's growing up and beginning of wisdom are the substance of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

 

Journal Entry 2 by scotsbookie from Peebles, Scotland United Kingdom on Saturday, March 18, 2006

RABCK from my wishlist from the lovely aveburysurfer. Thank you! 

Journal Entry 3 by scotsbookie from Peebles, Scotland United Kingdom on Tuesday, June 20, 2006

A wonderful story about the Nolan family & Francie in particular, growing up in the early part of the 20th century in Brooklyn N.Y. A rich story of family, community & universal problems. It has straight away gone on my best reads list. Thank you RubyBlueLady for the chance to read this book.

I think I will send it on a bookring once a couple of others come home. 

Journal Entry 4 by scotsbookie from Peebles, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, July 05, 2006

When I offer this book a s a bookring LyzzyBee is so desperate to be on it she asked me to to put her down on the list already, so here you are LyzzyBee.

 

Journal Entry 5 by scotsbookie from Peebles, Scotland United Kingdom on Thursday, August 03, 2006

Journal Entry 6 by Czersk from Roscoe, Minnesota USA on Saturday, August 05, 2006

Thanks for letting me journal your copy Scotsbookie! This way I can read my original ring members' thoughts about this marvelous book. Thanks for teaming up with me! 

Journal Entry 7 by scotsbookie at post office in Mailed to first BC member of the Bookring, Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Released 6 yrs ago (8/9/2006 UTC) at post office in Mailed to first BC member of the Bookring, Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Hope you enjoy the book! 

Journal Entry 8 by Nell-Lu from Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Thursday, August 10, 2006

This just arrived - thanks to scotsbookie (for the lovely postcard as well as the book), RubyBlueLady, and Czersk. I finished a book last night, so will start this one today. I'm looking forward to it after all the positive journal entries I've read! 

Journal Entry 9 by Nell-Lu from Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Thursday, August 17, 2006

Francie and her family didn't really come to life for me. One factor contributing to this is that I've been short on reading time recently (the wonderful Edinburgh Festival is on and there are too many other things to do!) so it took me a week to finish this, reading only short snippets each day. I found a lot of Francie's ideas quite alien and didn't grow to care about her. However, I was pleased to have read this book and enjoyed some of the characters: Sissy's strength and ingenious nature were particularly appealing. Thanks for sharing.

I'll send this on its way to LindyB28 tomorrow morning. 

Journal Entry 10 by LindyB28 from Cambridge, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Arrived today - thank you :-)
 

Journal Entry 11 by LindyB28 from Cambridge, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Monday, September 11, 2006

I'm snowed under with books just now and feeling quite pressurized by it, so I'm going to send this one on to Twicky... I might tag on the end in a few months' time once it has travelled the world if that's OK, Audrey, but I'll feel better for letting it continue its journey at the moment :-) 

Journal Entry 12 by Twicky from Twickenham, Middlesex United Kingdom on Thursday, September 28, 2006

Arrived with me safe and sound, many thanks 

Journal Entry 13 by flanners from Havant, Hampshire United Kingdom on Monday, January 29, 2007

Arrived safely today - thanks. I have three and a bit rings ahead in the queue so it might take me a wee while; looking forward to it, though. 

Journal Entry 14 by flanners from Havant, Hampshire United Kingdom on Monday, February 12, 2007

Many passages from this novel were extraordinarily familiar; this is partly because it has been featured in a lot of anthologies, and partly I think because it has inspired a lot of similar works.

A heart-warming book, the kind that if you read it at fifteen sets the benchmark for all future novels.

Currently in the post to Judek 

Journal Entry 15 by JudeK from Scarborough, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Saturday, March 03, 2007

nearly finished reading 

Journal Entry 16 by JudeK from Scarborough, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Sunday, March 04, 2007

Really good read. Have pm'd next person today. 

Journal Entry 17 by JudeK from Scarborough, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Friday, March 09, 2007

Posting on today. 

Journal Entry 18 by allbookedup from Wien Bezirk 21 - Floridsdorf, Wien Austria on Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Got it yesterday, thanks! 

Journal Entry 19 by allbookedup from Wien Bezirk 21 - Floridsdorf, Wien Austria on Tuesday, April 10, 2007

I think it was a good story, thanks a lot for sharing.
I am sending the book on to samulli today. 

Journal Entry 20 by samulli from Weimar, Thüringen Germany on Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Arrived today, but will have to wait a few days before I can start it. I have raced through so many bookrings lately that I have to read something of my own for a change, before I can concentrate on this one. I don't want it to feel like a homework assignment. I'll try not to take too long. 

Journal Entry 21 by samulli from Weimar, Thüringen Germany on Sunday, April 22, 2007

Well, reading something else in between bookrings didn't help me with this one. I just can't read this book. I tried and got about 80 or so pages in, but I just don't give a damn about any of the characters and I couldn't care less about what happened in their lifes. Partly this is because the turn of the century is a period I am absolutely not interested in. And this description of everday life seen through the eyes of a kid (another turn-off for me) just couldn't hold my interest at all. After a few paragraphs I always felt my eyes glazing over and my mind wandering off. I just can't be bothered to try any further. I'm sure it's a nice story and all, it's just not for me.
Thanks for giving me the chance to try it anyway.
I will contact bestfriends and send the book on its way as soon as I can.

23.04.07:
I sent off the book this morning. 

Journal Entry 22 by bestfriends from - Ergens in de provincie, Gelderland Netherlands on Monday, April 30, 2007

in my mailbox today. I finished the book I was reading last night and was just starting to make up my mind what to pick up next. Seems it has been decided for me. Wanted to read this for a long time, as it is being refered to in reviews of other novels quite often. Can't say some of the entries above look very encouraging though. 

Journal Entry 23 by bestfriends from - Ergens in de provincie, Gelderland Netherlands on Thursday, May 03, 2007

Just finished reading and while I was more or less expecting, it would be a struggle to get through it, I actually quite enjoyed it!

Now that I know what's it all about (I did not when I joined the ring) this would not have been such a surprise: I happen to like coming-of-age novels. Also those about special mother-daughter relationships; stories about immigrants in general and especially those set in the US(from the first pioneers to those in more recent history). I always admire “strong women” in literature, those that somehow have to survive under difficult circumstances.

Well, this book has all of these ingredients, so it was bound to keep me interested, entertained and turning the pages! It did, although I must admit that about half way through, I also started to skip “slow” passages with lots of details, that were just repetitive and too much of the same. Keeping in mind that it has been written 60 years ago, I just accepted that as maybe a style of writing that was more appreciated at the time.

I have quizgirls address and the book will be sent to her soon. Thanks for sharing!

Journal Entry 24 by quizgirl from Chesterfield, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Thursday, May 17, 2007

Arrived today. Love the old-fashioned postcard. Thanks bestfriends. 

Journal Entry 25 by beekeeper40 from Hoveton, Norfolk United Kingdom on Saturday, July 28, 2007

Arrived today - thanks quizgirl for the lovely surprise, my favourite! 

Journal Entry 26 by beekeeper40 from Hoveton, Norfolk United Kingdom on Friday, August 17, 2007

I enjoyed this book about a poor family growing up in turn of the century New York.

Will pm next reader. 

Journal Entry 27 by beekeeper40 at to a fellow bookcrosser in Bookring, a postal release -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, August 19, 2007

Released 5 yrs ago (8/20/2007 UTC) at to a fellow bookcrosser in Bookring, a postal release -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Mailed to anglersrest. 

Journal Entry 28 by AnglersRest from Teignmouth, Devon United Kingdom on Thursday, August 23, 2007

Just finished my last ring, and this one arrived this morning. Will start later on today and should be moving again soon. 

Journal Entry 29 by AnglersRest from Teignmouth, Devon United Kingdom on Friday, September 21, 2007

The gentle story about the Nolan family with particular focus on Francie. Set in the early part of the 20th century in Brooklyn N.Y. The story of family & problems of the time.

Now off to LyzzyBee. 

Journal Entry 30 by AnglersRest from Teignmouth, Devon United Kingdom on Friday, November 02, 2007

Quick update -
Just heard from LyzzyBee that this book still hasn't arrived. It was posted 2nd class on 25th September. I feel sure that this has been caught up with the backlog of strike mail, but if it hasn't arrived by next week I'll purchase another copy of the book for the ring to continue. 

Journal Entry 31 by LyzzyBee from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Hooray - it has finally arrived! In good condition, so I expect it's just been sat at the back of a warehouse somewhere!

I am nearly done with my current bookring so should be able to start this one soon. 

Journal Entry 32 by LyzzyBee from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Wednesday, November 21, 2007

A lovely read - and heartbreaking. I found that it was a little preachy and didactic; the author could have left it more at showing rather than telling. But that's probably an artefact of the time it was written. I found echoes in the language in both Jonathan Lethem's much later "Fortress of Solitude" and was also reminded of "Marjory Morningstar", whose author I forget and I read ages ago. Both of course, are New York novels, and I wonder if Fortress, set in Brooklyn, had the echoes consciously.

Anyway, I would have loved this book when I was 14, and I really liked it now, and am glad to have read it at last.

Will send on to Cross-Patch at the weekend - guiltily, as I have recently sent her a ring or two of my own! 

Journal Entry 33 by LyzzyBee at Sent to another BookCrosser in Controlled Release, --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases on Friday, November 30, 2007

Released 5 yrs ago (12/1/2007 UTC) at Sent to another BookCrosser in Controlled Release, --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Posting on Saturday. 

Journal Entry 34 by Cross-patch from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Thursday, December 06, 2007

Arrived yesterday, thank you LyzzyBee and scotsbookie. I will read it and pass on as soon as possible, allowing for Christmas and all!! 

Journal Entry 35 by Cross-patch from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Obviously I must have a thing for US/turn of the century/coming of age/community in poverty/coming through books because I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Francie. The style is structured in an 'old' feeling way but that's easy to ignore. The only pity for me is that I read it over the Christmas period so it was in a bitty way. As a side point, when we visited New York a couple of years ago we went to the East Side Tenement museum and I can honestly say I recognised the Nolan homes from that occasion.

I have Plum-crazy's details so shall go to the post now. 

Journal Entry 36 by Plum-crazy from Brighouse, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Thursday, January 17, 2008

This arrived safely this morning - along with 7 other books! Looks like I'm in for quite a bit of reading in the next week or two... 

Journal Entry 37 by Plum-crazy from Brighouse, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Sunday, January 27, 2008

This should be ready to move on by the end of the week. LindyB28 has asked to be skipped so will send onto Cassiopaeia instead.

By the way, am really enjoying the book so far.... 

Journal Entry 38 by Plum-crazy from Brighouse, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Monday, January 28, 2008

Journal Entry 39 by Cassiopaeia from Cardiff, Wales United Kingdom on Thursday, February 07, 2008

Just arrived this morning. Feels like a very well travelled and well read book! Thank you Plum-crazy for sending it on safely and also for the lovely postcard. Many thanks also to scotsbookie for adding me to the ring. One to finish before this one. 

Journal Entry 40 by Cassiopaeia from Cardiff, Wales United Kingdom on Tuesday, February 12, 2008

What a wonderful book and a pure joy to read! I say that with immense relief as the bookshop shelves seem to be weighed down with much sentimental claptrap in recent and not so recent years. Smith’s beautiful writing paints an intriguing picture of life in Brooklyn in the early 20th century. She addresses many issues that are as relevant now as then, but with an amazing frankness for the time. This story gave a very genuine insight into the working life of a family who were determined, no matter what life threw at them, to survive and then get on and improve their lot. I’ll be on the look out for another copy of this book.

Thank you scotsbookie for sharing this book. On its way home to you today. 

Journal Entry 41 by Cassiopaeia from Cardiff, Wales United Kingdom on Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Journal Entry 42 by scotsbookie from Peebles, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, February 13, 2008

This book is now safely back with me. Thank you to all who took part in the ring, who wrote some great JE & who looked after the book so well.

It's now going in PC but is available for loan.