Eighty years ago, during the winter and spring of 1944, Betty Smith, an author born in Brooklyn, was starting a new phase in her life. Just a year before that, she was unknown, working with her publisher on editing her manuscript and setting a release date for her debut book, “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.” This semi-autobiographical novel depicted the life of the Nolan family, who were poor but full of spirit. Fast forward a year, and her book was everywhere—in cafes, on buses, and in bookstores throughout the city. When it was adapted into a movie directed by Elia Kazan, Life magazine noted that Smith’s novel, with 2,500,000 copies sold, had become a beloved work of its time.
New York in the 1940s was different from today. The Empire State Building wasn’t finished, and the “Alice in Wonderland” statue wasn’t yet part of Central Park. Songs about New York’s allure were still years away. Brooklyn was still forming its identity, and no other novel had done as much to boost its reputation as Smith’s did. Law professor Molly Guptill Manning writes that “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” was one of the most popular wartime reads among Armed Services Editions, books selected for U.S. military personnel during World War II by a panel of literary experts.
Everyone seemed to want to be associated with the novel and, by extension, Brooklyn. Readers who had never been to Brooklyn were captivated by Smith’s representation. One reader even confessed to Smith that, although Brooklyn had symbolized everything “yankee” and thus was disliked by the reader, it was now loved through Francie’s story in the book. Advertisers embraced the novel’s success, using its title to sell products like dresses or beer. Readers who grew up in Brooklyn loved Smith’s description of local places, sharing personal memories that her novel had stirred.
The impact of “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” was profound. It tore down the stigma of tenement life and, as historian Judith E. Smith observed, let residents reclaim their modest beginnings. Smith’s book wasn’t just about embracing poverty—it was about aspiring for more, as Francie Nolan did. Through Francie’s experiences, like finding a better school, readers saw the hope of a world beyond their birth environment, a sentiment many could relate to, not just in Brooklyn.
Smith herself understood the importance of broadening horizons, having never completed high school but later auditing university classes and winning playwriting awards. Her education took her to Yale, where she studied theater. The theme of self-improvement resonated with readers, who viewed the novel as an homage to Brooklyn and imagined Smith shared their love for it. Yet, her true feelings for Brooklyn were mixed. She authored the book from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, having left New York years prior, partly because Brooklyn was no longer affordable for her. By the book’s success, she had grown fond of Chapel Hill and harbored complex views on her hometown.
In 1942, Smith expressed ambivalence about Brooklyn, suggesting it might be better off bombed during wartime due to its perceived decline. She attributed this decline to shifts in demographics and rising crime, harboring opinions about the influence of various immigrant communities that would be considered prejudiced today.
During her fame, Smith shared her worldview through essays, maintaining strong views against wartime enemies even after peace was achieved. In a 1945 essay, she advised not to forget the bitterness of the war. Understanding Betty Smith, who reshaped perceptions of Brooklyn through her novel, is intricate, given her own complex views and experiences away from her native city. As Smith understood, personal growth often means leaving one’s hometown, yet her distance from Brooklyn didn’t necessarily alter her initial impressions.