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《A Tree Grows in Brooklyn 天堂树，贝蒂·史密斯自传 - Betty Smith 1947》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在学术论文-天天文库。
1、ATreeGrowsinBrooklynBettySmith第1页共339页AUTHOR'SNOTEANOBSCUREPERSONWHOBECOMESAPUBLICFIGUREovernightsometimeshasminorlegendsgrowupabouthisunknownyears.Ithasbeensowithme.ItistoldthatIhadaneeriehabitofwalkingthroughthedarkvillagestreetseachnightatmidnightinthecompanyofabig
2、,black,spookydog.ItissaidIworkedupinspirationthatwaytowriteATreeGrowsinBrooklyn.Ididwalkthroughthevillageeachmidnightwithablackdog.ButIwasonlygoingtothepostofficetoseeifIhadaletterinthelastmail.Thedog,agentleLabradorretriever,wasafriendwhonightlywaitedformeatthecorner
3、becauseheenjoyedacompanionablewalktotown.IwaslonesomeinthattimebeforeIhadabookpublished.LikeThomasWolfe,whoasanundergraduateherehungaroundthissameChapelHillpostofficewishinghe'dgetsomemail,I,too,wentdowntowatchthemputupthemidnightmailhopingsomeonehadwrittentome.Therew
4、ereseldomanyletters-onlybills.Idon'ttakethatwalkanymorebecausenow,anytimeoftheday,Box405isfilledwithlettersfrompeoplewhohavereadmybook.Theletterscomeinfromthecities,towns,villages,andruraldistrictsofAmerica.Theyusedtocomefromfoxholes,battleships,hospitals,recreational
5、centers,andfromtrainingcamps.Theystillcomefromthezonesofoccupation.Onecamefromanotoriousgangster'sdeathcellsayingthatmybookwasthelasthewasdestinedtoreadinthisworld.Onecamefromawomanwhohadjustgivenbirthtoachild;shewroteshewasverypoorbuthernewbornwouldnotlackwealthoften
6、dernessandunderstandingifshecouldhelpit.Mostlettersbegin:"Thisismyfirstfanletter.I'vejustreadyourbookandImusttellyou?Theytellme:"IwasagirllikeFrancieNolan."Or:"Myfamilyhadthesamekindofstruggle.MymotherwaslikeKatie."Or:"I'veneverlivedinBrooklynbutsomeonemusthavetoldyou
7、thestoryofmylifebecausethat'swhatyouwrote."Andeven:"I'mboilingmad.YouwrotemybookbeforeIhadachancetogetroundtoit."Ishouldn't,really,answeralltheletters.IttakesthetimeIshouldbeputtinginonthenextbook.ButIrememberhowonceasachildIreadabookwhichappealedtomedeeplyandIwrotemy
8、heartoutinalettertothefamousauthor.Heneveranswered.Iwashurtandashamedthatmyhearthadbeenrejected.Ivowedthentotrytowriteabette
