This was an intensely interesting and yet really depressing book. It is set in the 1930s and examines the reasons that wars, food politics and public policy contributed to one of the worst (or THE worst according to some) ecological disasters in the nation's history. It's told chronologically, year by year throughout the decade and follows several families and individuals in various states of the great Plains. I'd known about poverty and dust storms, but not in the sort of detail this book delves into. For instance, I knew people had to deal with lots of dust blowing into their homes, but not that the dust storms were often accompanied by such bad static electricity that it would burn out their gardens. After my husband and I both read the book, we also ended up watching the documentary "The Plow that Broke the Plains" that was sponsored by the U.S. government and also details, in about 25 minutes, the factors that lead to the Dust Bowl. It's in the public domain and you can watch it on-line for free if you're curious.