Customer Reviews

Maggie-Now

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is not only my favorite Betty Smith book, it is my all-time best loved book. The story starts with Patrick Dennis Moore, a handsome, spoiled young Irishman as he goes to Brooklyn, New York to start a new life, leaving his one true love behind in his small village of Kilkenny. In Brooklyn, he marries a sweet girl and they have a daughter called Maggie-Now. I wish I could convey the richness and warm humanity of the characters in this sweeping story, which folows the lives of these characters over many years. There is tenderness, sadness and humor; after you finish this book, the characters will linger in your mind. The story of Maggie-Now is not as sad as in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, also written by Betty Smith, nor do the main characters live in such grinding poverty. They are such real, endearing people, I wish I knew them. A wonderful story you will enjoy reading over and over.

With some difficulty, I did obtain a 1958 hardcover copy of Maggie-Now from one of Amazon's competitors. Readers will react differently to this novel, depending on their perspective and what they want from this book. After reading Tree, I ordered and read all of Betty Smith's books because I became interested in her style, which I find sharply realistic and yet by no means depressing. There is a reason why only two of her novels, Tree and Joy are still in print, while Maggie-Now and Tomorrow Will Be Better are not, and it is not due to a difference in quality. Tree and Joy follow intelligent and spirited young people through their growing years, as they devote honest, hard work to creating richer, more meaningful lives. These stories end in success and appeal to a broad range of readers.

Maggie-Now and Tomorrow Will Be Better, however, are about simple, honest, and hard-working folk who do not have any particular intelligence or talent to distinguish them. They are in essence going nowhere. They are ordinary. And as such, they will appeal not to ordinary folk, but to those who want to know more about ordinary folk--that is, to unusual characters like Claude, who do not know what it means to be ordinary.

In sum, if you're looking for another success story like Tree, don't bother reading this one. If you have other reasons for wanting this novel, give it a try. And if you do, kindly share your opinion with us.

This book begins its story before Maggie Now's birth. It introduces her contrary father, Patrick, as a young man in Ireland and her gentle mother, Mary, as a school teacher in New York at the turn of the century. They meet in New York after Patrick flees Ireland and comes to America to work for Mary's father. Maggie Now grows up attending Catholic school, rearing her younger brother and yearning for love and a family of her own. I found many of the passages in the book touching, particularly the description of the Easter dinner which she cooks for Claude, whom she falls in love with. I revisit this book every year and will continue to do so for a long time. I actually prefer this book to A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. It is not as detailed but is a much warmer, simpler story without the terrible poverty which overwhelms A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

"Maggie Now" has many of the very compelling aspects of Betty Smith's novels - all of which are worth reading. Her sense of the time and the place makes me feel like I am there. I always feel like I understand Brooklyn at the turn of the century while I am immersed in one of her stories. She has a beautiful way with words that allows me to see things like she did as a young girl. All in all, she is one of my favorite authors.

However, I got the feeling in this book that she must have written it a bit at a time. It seemed like parts flowed, but there were also gaps in the stream of the prose. There are a couple of places where I could imagine her returning to a manuscipt after not having written for awhile and having to get reacclimated to the plot and characters.

Furthermore, I found the characters to be uncharacteristically shallow and unappealing. The "Claude" story line was weak and very unbelievable. When he finally revealed the truth about his life, it was anti-climactic. The ensuing resolution was trite.

So, if you are a Betty Smith fan, read this. If you want to read her best - go for "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn." "Joy in the Morning" is almost a sequel to "A Tree," and is probably the next best written. "Tomorrow Will be Better" is also good reading.

"Maggie-Now" is one of my favorite books. Most people at school think I read it because my own name is Maggie, but that isn't so. I read "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" a year ago, and it had a deep affect on me. I bought "Joy in the Morning" soon after, and enjoyed it, but not nearly as much as "A Tree". "Tomorrow Will Be Better" isn't at my local library district, but I expect to read it soon.

I was totally blown away by "Maggie-Now". It's a love story, but not really about the couples in it--about the family. It makes me cry. I check it out a few times a year and read it over again. Let me explain what I can of the story:

Patsy Moore is an immagrant from Ireland around the turn of the century. He meets and weds Mary, a nice American girl. Their daughter, Maggie-Now (that's her nickname, which is explained in the book)is one of those characters that you will never forget. She's not overly-intelligent like Francie in "A Tree", but there's something about her caring spirit that will remind you of Francie.

Maggie-Now marries Claude Basset, a man who loves her so much that he wants to protect her from the things that he does that hurt her. Maggie-Now has an amazing life, as you will read in the book. Patsy's character, and Claude's, make the book a lot more interesting. It will make you cry, gasp, laugh, and think about it for a long, long time.

I love all of Betty Smith's books (and wish she had written more) but Maggie Now is my all time favorite book. I read it as a teenager (30 years ago) and still pick it up and read it every few years. I still cry every time I read it and feel as though I'm connecting with old friends. It's a classic that is timeless. Enjoy!

I was 12 when I first picked up the book at our local Willoughby library. My mom said I would enjoy it. I had the book for five weeks, I renewed it twice, but what a joy! How I fell in love with Maggie-Now, and her brother Denny. It molded my views on life, that we take what we get and learn to live with it, love, laugh and cry. I would liken my dates to Clyde, how when I was 12 I thought he was the greatest, but as I grew older, I realized that he wasn't. He wasn't that prince charming I thought he was. But then again, who is? Maggie loved him, and I did also. I suggest every young teenager girl read this book, along with Betty Smiths other two books: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and Tomorrow Will Be Better. This helps us realize how difficult the world was then, and how, in different terms, it's difficult now.

Maggie-Now is a wonderfully detailed book. Betty Smith's writing only got even better with this one! She draws these characters showing not only their charms but their faults, too. I didn't think any book could compare with Tree, but Maggie-Now didn't let me down. I only wish Betty Smith had written many,many more books.

If you enjoyed "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," you should love "Maggie Now." It's definitely my favorite among Smith's books. It is very poignant most of the time, but extremely humorous in spots. Imagine throwing your late husband's ashes from a high place in NYC and not knowing what to say, except: "Goodbye! Goodbye!"

This book with stick with your memory forever and ever!

I love all of Betty Smiths Books, These have not been re-published and getting an in tact copy was great. Thanks