Best Selling Books by Betty Smith

A PBS Great American Read Top 100 Pick The beloved American classic about a young girl''s coming-of-age at the turn of the twentieth century. From the moment she entered the world, Francie Nolan needed to be made of stern stuff, for the often harsh life of Williamsburg demanded fortitude, precocity, and strength of spirit. Often scorned by neighbors for her family’s erratic and eccentric behavior—such as her father Johnny’s taste for alcohol and Aunt Sissy’s habit of marrying serially without the formality of divorce—no one, least of all Francie, could say that the Nolans’ life lacked drama. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the Nolans’ daily experiences are tenderly threaded with family connectedness and raw with honesty. Betty Smith has, in the pages of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, captured the joys of humble Williamsburg life-from “junk day” on Saturdays, when the children of Francie’s neighborhood traded their weekly take for pennies, to the special excitement of holidays, bringing cause for celebration and revelry. Betty Smith has artfully caught this sense of exciting life in a novel of childhood, replete with incredibly rich moments of universal experiences—a truly remarkable achievement for any writer.

The story of a young couple from Brooklyn who marry young, have little money, and face bitter parental opposition, but are determined to make something of their life together.

"A rediscovered treasure." — Maureen Corrigan, Washington Post From Betty Smith, author of the beloved classic A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, comes a poignant story of love, marriage, poverty, and hope set in 1920s Brooklyn. Tomorrow Will Be Better tells the story of Margy Shannon, a shy but joyfully optimistic young woman just out of school who lives with her parents and witnesses how a lifetime of hard work, poverty, and pain has worn them down. Her mother''s resentment toward being a housewife and her father''s inability to express his emotions result in a tense home life where Margy has no voice. Unable to speak up against her overbearing mother, Margy takes refuge in her dreams of a better life. Her goals are simple—to find a husband, have children, and live in a nice home—one where her children will never know the terror of want or the need to hide from quarreling parents. When she meets Frankie Malone, she thinks her dreams might be fulfilled, but a devastating loss rattles her to her core and challenges her life-long optimism. As she struggles to come to terms with the unexpected path her life has taken, Margy must decide whether to accept things as they are or move firmly in the direction of what she truly wants. Rich with the flavor of its Brooklyn background, and filled with the joys and heartbreak of family life, Tomorrow Will Be Better is told with a simplicity, tenderness, and warmhearted humor that only Betty Smith could write.

Austin Colony Pioneers is a collection of many families that came to Texas in its earliest days and the German settlers and their influences upon the growth of Texas. The book is filled with many anecdotes, short stories, obituaries and articles gleaned from area newspapers. These early families intermarried and not only filled Austin’s original colony but their descendants went to every corner of America. The book traces many of these early pioneers into the present day and also gives their roots before they came to Texas. Colonel William Barret Travis of the Alamo has been a constant element of Betty’s historical research because her family was connected to him in many ways. There are descriptions of persons of historical note such as that of General George Custer and his command of Hempstead, Waller County, after the Civil War. There are stories of towns that once flourished and today are no more. The pages are packed with accounts such as the Bell-Schaffner feud and Shootout in Sealy, Texas and tales of infamous Six Shooter Junction, of Elizabeth Ney, the famous sculptress, and many other historical places and persons of interest.

The rugged character and indomitable spirit of the early pioneers of Stephen F. Austins Texas colony had their roots in a turbulent, distant past. From the early 1600s, their courageous ancestors had pushed westward, leaving the European shores to carve out a new nation from the wilderness. They fled religious and political oppression in search of a better life in which freedom was of supreme importance. Many came with tales of their former struggles in Londonderry, Ireland during the great siege, of terrible massacres and clan rivalries in the times of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland. They vividly remembered the tribulations of Martin Luther and the deadly religious split with the Catholic Church. More recently, memories of their parents participation in the American Revolution, of dramatic, true life scenes such as depicted in the movie The Patriot filled their minds, their fathers having ridden along side of the wily Swamp Fox, Francis Marion. These pioneers associated themselves with men like Travis, Crockett, Houston and Andrew Jackson. Many of these early trailblazers were Scots-Irish and German immigrants. They were on a westward trek to grasp a special prize, to seal Americas Manifest Destiny. And that prize they sought was Texas. From Jamestown to Texas is the story of these intrepid pioneers and their ancestors who cleared and farmed the land, who fought the Indians, battled the elements, and carved out this wonderful country that we have today.

Nursing assistant Kathy Keyes has finally reunited with her sisters family in the small town of Bayview on the shore of Lake Michigan. But the normally quiet, little town has had an alarming increase in crime. Who is Charlie, the top secret patient whom Kathy has been chosen to care for in the hospital? And why has Jack Nichols followed her here from North Carolina? Kathy learns to trust God for peace and protection as she finds her own life in danger.

Betty T. Smith thought that she had received her “Happy Ending” when her marriage was miraculously restored — but God had much more in store for her life!

In a faraway section of the galaxy lies Olympia, an idyllic kingdom filled with luxury, beauty and wealth. The elite citizens happily fill their days with pomp and circumstance, oblivious to the fact that others in their realm are barely scraping out a living. In this romantic story, a long-time dispute over the lineage to the throne plies brother against brother which ultimately leads to rebellion. In distant parts of this universe, conditions have deteriorated to the point that raiders are plundering the unprotected planets, raping, killing, and causing great havoc. The kingdom plummets into turmoil, and war is on the horizon with a diabolical menace who threatens the galaxy. The heir to the throne, Crown Prince Adriel, is as tempestuous and intense as the woman who wants to tame him. Princess Astraea, daughter of the Duke of Leonis, has as much fire in her spirit as the man she desires more than anything. Fate plunges them together, and then, just as quickly tears them apart. Adriel’s brother, Prince Michael, rises as the leader of the Empire which presents a challenge to Adriel’s and Astraea’s budding love, as he finds himself also in love with the beautiful maiden. The romantic triangle fills the pages of this story amiss the conflicts of a galactic war.

From its earliest settlement in the Vermillion River Valley, Vermillion and Clay County has long been a coveted region in the Dakota Territory. Once inhabited by Omaha and Ponca tribes, the area was later home to the Dakota Indians. After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, President Thomas Jefferson sent the Lewis and Clark expedition to the area to survey the territory. In August of 1804, Lewis and Clark stood atop Spirit Mound and surveyed the beautiful landscape we know now as Clay County. Throughout the years, Native Americans, pioneers, frontiersman, farmers, and merchants have made Clay County home. Historic Vermillion and Clay County captures the history, development, and changing landscape of the area in almost 200 vintage images.

Becky stood up abruptly and began to walk back towards the Inn. He followed her and grabbed her hand. "Don''t you see? I want to be free so that you and I can be together." Becky disengaged her hand from his. "I will not be just another plaything of yours. I think you should leave, Mr. Travis." "No. I''m not. I can''t. He caught her hand again and pulled her against his chest, holding her tightly against his fast-beating heart. "You must know by now how I feel about you." He brushed her blond hair with his lips. "I can''t leave," he whispered against her ear, "because I am in love with you, Rebecca Cummings." He pulled her chin up, and for the first time in all those months, he kissed her lips. "Did you hear what I said? Becky, I love you." When William Barret Travis, a young attorney from Alabama, arrives in Austin''s Colony, he makes a huge impact on all of the settlers'' lives, especially that of lovely Rebecca Cummings. As the colonists prepare for war with Mexico, the Texas pioneers struggle to free themselves from the bonds of tyranny until they finally win their independence at San Jacinto.

Dried Flowers for All Seasons shows how to create dried-flower arrangements with the color, appeal, and just-picked look of fresh flowers. What''s unique about this book is that it includes flowers not usually associated with dried arrangements -- including spring flowers such as tulips and daffodils. The book is arranged by season and there are several types of arrangements for each, including wreaths, sprays, and traditional bouquets. -- Features in-depth information on drying techniques. -- Includes more than 300 color photos. -- A glossary lists more than 60 flowers suitable for drying. -- Step -by-step instructions show how to arrange flowers.

The story of the Nolan family, including daughter Francie, and life in the Williamsburg slums of Brooklyn during the early part of the 20th century.