“活著，奮鬥著，愛著我們的生活，愛著生活饋贈的一切悲歡，那就是，一種實現。生活的充實常在，人人皆可獲得。”

貝蒂·史密斯（1896—1972），德國移民的女兒，成長於紐約布魯剋林的威廉斯堡。她的經曆與這部小說主人公弗蘭西相似，早年也是靠自學完成瞭初步的知識積纍。後來她進入大學學習新聞、戲劇、寫作和文學。《布魯剋林有棵樹》是其最主要作品，曾被改編為電影、電視、音樂劇等多種形式，並曾獲得過奧斯卡奬。她還是一位劇作傢，一生寫過多部獨幕劇和完整的長篇戲劇，曾獲洛剋菲勒基金會和戲劇傢協會基金會資助。

The American classic about a young girl's coming of age at the turn of the century. "A profoundly moving novel, and an honest and true one. It cuts right to the heart of life...If you miss "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" you will deny yourself a rich experience...It is a 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 Neely knew more than their fair share of the 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 beginnings of wisdom are the substance of "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn."" --"New York Times" "One of the most dearly beloved and one of the finest books of our day." --Orville Prescott "One of the books of the century."--New York Public Library