The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl (Edition 001)
by: Timothy Egan
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Product Description:
The dust storms that terrorized the High Plains in the darkest years
of the Depression were like nothing ever seen before or since.
Timothy Egan's critically acclaimed account rescues this iconic chapter
of American history from the shadows in a tour de force of historical
reportage. Following a dozen families and their communities through
the rise and fall of the region, 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,
Egan 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 cautionary tale about the dangers of
trifling with nature.
The dust storms that terrorized the High Plains in the darkest years
of the Depression were like nothing ever seen before or since.
Timothy Egan's critically acclaimed account rescues this iconic chapter
of American history from the shadows in a tour de force of historical
reportage. Following a dozen families and their communities through
the rise and fall of the region, 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,
Egan 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 cautionary tale about the dangers of
trifling with nature.
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- An absolutely magnificent work of history.
I have read many books on history and biography. Egan's work is probably the finest of them all, bar none. To amplify this, after I finished reading the book I turned to page one and immediately read it again.It is that extraordinary.
Egan did such a magnificent job that sometimes I felt as though I was reading Charles Frazier's prose instead of history.Yes, the storms came and continued coming for 5 years, but I found every page of his presentation of life on the Great Plains ... Read More
Rating: - Cautionary tale about the dangers of trifling with nature
Timothy Egan has written a first-class book about the Great American Dust Bowl. The story documents how government and business--even with the best of intentions--can facilitate the destruction of an entire region. Using actual stories of hearty survivors who persevered dust storms, drought and depression, Egan accurately recounts historical events with flair and drama. He makes history come alive by managing a rare accomplishment; educating while entertaining the reader.
Rating: 
- The Worst Hard Time
Excellant.I heard about the "Dust Bowl" but never imagined what it really was and how terrible of time in our history.This book really opened my eyes.Hearing the stories from people that survived that time makes me fully appreciate how we have it today.
Rating: - Non-fiction that Reads Like a Novel
What was the worst environmental disaster of the 20th century? Would you believe the over-farming of the southern Great Plains that led to the enormous dust storms of the 1930s? The biggest of these storms on April 14, 1935, which went down in history as "Black Sunday," completely blocked out the sun and contained more tons of dust and dirt than was removed to dig the Panama Canal. All of it airborne - clogging lungs, blinding cattle, burying homesteads, and turning the Great Plains into a lunar ... Read More
Rating: - I had no clue
...since I was born in the late 60's yet here in 2008 I wanted to know about the folks that survived during that period of time, how they lived and why it had all happened. Timothy made this real and "touchable" for me.Your heart breaks for these people, it's a very moving tribute. I came away grateful for everything in my life.
- An absolutely magnificent work of history.I have read many books on history and biography. Egan's work is probably the finest of them all, bar none. To amplify this, after I finished reading the book I turned to page one and immediately read it again.It is that extraordinary.
Egan did such a magnificent job that sometimes I felt as though I was reading Charles Frazier's prose instead of history.Yes, the storms came and continued coming for 5 years, but I found every page of his presentation of life on the Great Plains ... Read More
- Cautionary tale about the dangers of trifling with natureTimothy Egan has written a first-class book about the Great American Dust Bowl. The story documents how government and business--even with the best of intentions--can facilitate the destruction of an entire region. Using actual stories of hearty survivors who persevered dust storms, drought and depression, Egan accurately recounts historical events with flair and drama. He makes history come alive by managing a rare accomplishment; educating while entertaining the reader.
- The Worst Hard TimeExcellant.I heard about the "Dust Bowl" but never imagined what it really was and how terrible of time in our history.This book really opened my eyes.Hearing the stories from people that survived that time makes me fully appreciate how we have it today.
- Non-fiction that Reads Like a NovelWhat was the worst environmental disaster of the 20th century? Would you believe the over-farming of the southern Great Plains that led to the enormous dust storms of the 1930s? The biggest of these storms on April 14, 1935, which went down in history as "Black Sunday," completely blocked out the sun and contained more tons of dust and dirt than was removed to dig the Panama Canal. All of it airborne - clogging lungs, blinding cattle, burying homesteads, and turning the Great Plains into a lunar ... Read More
- I had no clue...since I was born in the late 60's yet here in 2008 I wanted to know about the folks that survived during that period of time, how they lived and why it had all happened. Timothy made this real and "touchable" for me.Your heart breaks for these people, it's a very moving tribute. I came away grateful for everything in my life.
