Friday, March 09, 2012

THE WORST HARD TIME

I'm part of a bookclub at the library. The last selection was THE WORST HARD TIME by a Seattle author, Timothy Egan. This is an important book and won the National Book Award. It tells of the drama of the American dust bowl and how it was caused by greedy people wanting to make money by using the land inappropriately. The native grasslands of the region of the area where Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico intersect weren't meant for large scale farming. After the top soil was disturbed by farming, the winds and drought took over to destroy this region. The heartbreaking misery caused is well documented within the pages of this book.

After reading this book, I wonder what other things are being done in the name of greed and money that will destroy the land? drilling for oil, nuclear power, natural gas and oil pipeline, chemicals spewed into the air and water, etc.

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