A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

"But this tree in the yard-this tree that men chopped down...this tree that they had built a bonfire around, trying to burn up its stump-this tree lived!

It lived! And nothing could destroy it" -- Betty Smith

This profound novel is the story of a little girl [Francie Nolan] who grows up in the slums of Brooklyn. At a young age, Francie and her younger brother, Neely, learn more than their fair share of privations and suffering. Her father, John, who Francie adores, is a romantic who tragically seeks escape through alcohol. Her mother, Katie, is a stern realistic who fights through poverty to give her children a better life. Francie also grows up surrounded by her mother's sisters, strong Rommely women who are forces of nature themselves. Influenced by these people, Francie learns to not only survive her environment but also to thrive. Francie's wisdom resounds throughout this book and thereby makes the book impossible to put down!

I love love love loved this book! It is a story that speaks to all peoples of all ages. I loved every page of this book as every sentence rings a bell of the heart. The poignancy, pathos, humor, and insight of this novel has secured it's place among the classics as well as in my heart. We are the "tree[s] that lived!" And nothing can destroy us!

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

"I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound and stab us. If the book we are reading doesn’t wake us up with a blow on the head, what are we reading it for? We need the books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like a suicide. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us." -- Franz Kafka

This hamlet-inspired tragedy tells of the world of a mute boy named Edgar Sawtelle and his dogs. However, they are not just any dogs rather they are the Sawtelle dogs, a breed all their own. They are full of intelligence, heart, wit, and purity. They are the amalgamation of all of our beloved animals.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is equal parts a mystery and a love story. And, although tragic, it is also a story of hope and freedom.

The characters are so tangible. I was able to relate to all the characters, even the dogs! I loved them and hated them. They were strong yet frail. They were, in a word, human. And though the human characters in the novel displayed the flaws in ourselves, the dogs mirrored the best aspects of ourselves.

From the novel, I learned that sometimes, it takes a tragedy to break our mirrors of illusion so that we can have the freedom to make clear and sound choices. And this freedom is a priceless privilege. All in all, I believe this book is epic and I am so excited for those who will begin their journey with Edgar Sawtelle.

P.S. I heard through the grapevine that David Wroblewski is working on his second novel which will be about John Sawtelle. So we may visit the Sawtelle dogs again!

One of my "Sawtelle" dogs