The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan

This book is a collections or heart tugging tales of those who survived and succumbed to The Great American Dust Bowl.

This is a horror story and a disaster tale.  The most horrifying aspect is that it is a true story.  I haven’t read anything besides Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath that described this ecological disaster any more poignantly.

The poor and down trodden, not just from our own nation, but throughout many parts of the world, were lured to the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles in the early 1900s.   They were lured by free land, unlimited opportunity and the blatant lies of the railroads, the government and land developers.  This is not an economics book and doesn’t really focus on the big picture.   This book focuses on the stories of those who lived and survived this trying time period. 

The astounding courage and resiliency of these settlers and their willingness to challenge the environment is a testimony to the backbone of our nation. 

I recommend it. 

Body of work of Timothy Egan

Web Site: http://www.timothyegan.com/about/

Blood On the Water by P.N. Elrod

This is the 6th in a series of depression era detective stories. As sequels go, this was better than average. I enjoyed it more than my last Elrod, Fire in the Blood. I find detective stories enjoyable but add the vampire aspect and it becomes positively entertaining. The Vampire aspect is decidedly underplayed. No screaming damsels or gushing blood, more of a how did I get into this fix type of Vampire. I recommend it. It is a very quick read.


Body of work of P.N. Elrod

Site of P.N. Elrod: http://www.vampwriter.com/