Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this a white people thing?

I think it's important to read about all different ethnicities. I'm not Irish but found it very endearing. I'm not a Russian Jew either, but I really enjoy the early 1900s stories set in NY about Russian Jews.

All of a Kind Family! Not Russian, as I recall, but such a sweet story about Jewish sisters growing up on the Lower East Side. It was my favorite as a child.

"Intolerance is a thing that causes war, pogroms, crucifixions, lynchings, and makes people cruel to little children and each other. It is responsible for most of the viciousness, violence, terror, and heart and soul breaking of the world."

Insightful words written by Francie, the main character.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this a white people thing?

I think it's important to read about all different ethnicities. I'm not Irish but found it very endearing. I'm not a Russian Jew either, but I really enjoy the early 1900s stories set in NY about Russian Jews.

I agree. About the same time I first read "Tree" I also read "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin. Both are powerful books which educate the reader about struggles in differing communities.

Anonymous wrote:Is this a white people thing?

I think it's important to read about all different ethnicities. I'm not Irish but found it very endearing. I'm not a Russian Jew either, but I really enjoy the early 1900s stories set in NY about Russian Jews.

Anonymous wrote:Is this a white people thing?

Not really. It's a classic novel about inner city life at the turn of the century. I think many of the themes and characters transcend race and exemplify the human condition of those who are poor and downtrodden. I knew AA friends who had read it when I was in high school, and others I told about the book liked it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loved the food in the book the most. The coffee spilled down the sink, the mint waters and ice water, the end of the tongue with all its little bones. The whole book was so vivid. I read it the first time at 11. My grandmother gave it to me because she said it was her favorite book when she was a girl.

Oh yes, and all the thigs Mama could make out of stale bread and a bit of chopped meat. And the piano teaching sisters who subsisted on crackers except when Mama served up sandwiches.

Yes! just the part where she is so content to sit on her tiny fire escape eating a pickle and reading her library book even though she has nothing! So good. Now I have to reread it.

I tried to read it in middle school. But I grew up with alcoholism and poverty. I read about a third of it, like you.

Is this a white people thing?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t it a teen book?

Is there a law I don't know about that says you can't read Youth books? If so, than I am guilty! And so are all the adults who read Harry Potter, Hunger Games etc. If youths can read "adult" books than adults can read teen books!

I've thought off and on about rereading the authors I loved in my teen years--Mary Stolz ("Who Wants Music on a Monday?") and Lenora Mattigly Weber (the Beanie series which links with the Katie Belford series)

Anonymous wrote:I loved the food in the book the most. The coffee spilled down the sink, the mint waters and ice water, the end of the tongue with all its little bones. The whole book was so vivid. I read it the first time at 11. My grandmother gave it to me because she said it was her favorite book when she was a girl.

Oh yes, and all the thigs Mama could make out of stale bread and a bit of chopped meat. And the piano teaching sisters who subsisted on crackers except when Mama served up sandwiches.

"Is it worth it to finish" is a stupid question, do you think there is going to be some big twist or reveal at the end?
It's not a plot driven book, it's not like Francie is on a hunt for buried treasure or escaping evil zombies, it's beautifully written book about people and a place in time.

Maybe books like this aren't your thing, that's fine, but for people who love books, this is a classic and well worth any time and effort you are willing to put into it....

Anonymous wrote:I read it in my 20s and absolutely loved it.

I also liked Betty Smith’s book about a young newly wed couple. Can’t remember the name.

"Joy in the Morning" is the uplifting book about a newly wed couple (Annie and Carl Brown)

"Tomorrow Will Be Better" is the more poignant/sad book about a young woman (and man) who marry for what they think are all the right reasons, at that era. In her case, she thinks he is the "right" guy who turns out to be all wrong for many reasons (no spoilers about him - you gotta read it!) and only begins to understand what passion is when she meets another man.

There is also "Maggie Now" which is about another young woman who marries a man who also has a secretive past.

Then movie won an Oscar, I think (at least one). It was by Elia Kazan. I remember being blown away by it. But I haven’t read the book.

I love this book and so wish I could get my 16 year old daughter to read it.

I loved the food in the book the most. The coffee spilled down the sink, the mint waters and ice water, the end of the tongue with all its little bones. The whole book was so vivid. I read it the first time at 11. My grandmother gave it to me because she said it was her favorite book when she was a girl.