In a tour de force of historical reportage, Timothy Egan’s National Book Award–winning story rescues an iconic chapter of American history from the shadows.
The dust storms that terrorized the High Plains in the darkest years of the Depression were like nothing ever seen before or since. Following a dozen families and their communities through the rise and fall of the region, Timothy Egan tells … region, Timothy Egan tells of their desperate attempts to carry on through blinding black dust blizzards, crop failure, and the death of loved ones. Brilliantly capturing the terrifying drama of catastrophe, he does equal justice to the human characters who become his heroes, “the stoic, long-suffering men and women whose lives he opens up with urgency and respect” (New York Times). In an era that promises ever-greater natural disasters, The Worst Hard Time is “arguably the best nonfiction book yet” (Austin Statesman Journal) on the greatest environmental disaster ever to be visited upon our land and a powerful reminder about the dangers of trifling with nature.
This e-book includes a sample chapter of Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher.
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A non-fiction page-turner about the Great American Dust Bowl, so well-written, compelling, eye-opening, and remarkably relevant today.
Fascinating. I knew basically that the dust bowl happened but the details are written so well that you can really grasp the enormity of the problem. Telling the stories of a few people really anchors this topic in my mind.
If you like history, this is a really good book. I can’t quit thinking about it.
I thought I’d been taught about the dust bowl era from the 1930’s while in high school. Whew! Either I wasn’t listening or they didn’t think teenagers were ready for the full horrors of this era and our (mankind’s) part in it.
This book is so very good. Because it tells stories of real people who lived in the dust bowl, it held my interest …
This is an excellent (and probably the definitive) account of one of the worst man-made disasters in American history. Told by those who experienced it first-hand, “The Worst Hard Time…” is both disturbing and inspiring. If you are unfamiliar with this dark time in our country, you must read this to fully understand how it happened, why it …
Forget what they taught you in history class about the Dust Bowl ear, this book outlines the truth and reality of those who did not leave, but stayed behind to face the worst of the Dust Bowl. Eagan is one fantastic writer/researcher no matter what subject he tackles, and this, the first of his huge sellers is one of his finest.
This book stayed with me for weeks after I finished it – honestly, it still comes to mind quite often. It puts a lot of things in perspective.
Since I enjoy reading history books, I really enjoyed this book. The way the author choose to tell the story is one of a kind and very informative. This time period is very interesting in itself, but this book really brings out the characteristics of the era. I would highly recommend this book.
Very well written, covering a section of U S history that is often untold. The author goes from the times of the Indians and buffalo to the late 1930’s, documenting the demise of the great plains and the formation of the dust bowl that resulted. Telling and blending the stories 5 families that actually lived through those years kept the book …
This is a fascinating history. For anyone who doesn’t know or understand the American Dust Bowl years, this book makes it all clear. It’s heartbreaking and agonizing, and we should all know this part of our country’s history.
The Worst Hard Time is the gritty story of the Dust Bowl that gripped the Plains in the 1930s. I was largely ignorant of the scope and magnitude of the Dust Bowl. Yes, it was very hot and dry and caused many people, like the famous Okies in The Grapes of Wrath, to head for California. I had never known or imagined, however, that in the areas most …
Great history information and personal stories
All of Mr. Egan’s Books are phenomenal