The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

My friend Leah and I were talking the other day on a walk, about how much we liked this book. And at the same time, we were wondering why some people disregard best-sellers like this as not worth reading. I think a well-read person should dive into a range of genres in order to experience the talents of as many different writers as possible. Kristin Hannah has written more than 20 novels, and I find her historical stories fascinating. She is best known for her international best seller "The Nightingale,” which focuses on two sisters during World War II. Her latest book, "The Four Winds,” follows a woman, Elsa Martinelli, and her two children as they struggle during the Dust Bowl era of the Great Depression. The year is 1934, and Elsa is raising her children in Texas, with her in-laws, in the heat of a drought. Abandoned by her young Italian husband and her own parents, and unable to farm the land, Elsa and her children decide to leave Texas. Together, without much money or experience, they make the pilgrimage to California to search for a better life. I have to say the Great Depression is not a time period I have read a lot about, and I found it very meaningful to learn of the struggles and the courage it took to survive. According to many book reviews, Hannah's details are quite accurate. The novel deals with such themes as classism, living wages, and the formation of unions organizing and strikes. In particular, the story-line of the union organizers feels riveting, and also appropriate for the times in which we are living. Hannah is a former lawyer-turned-writer who lives in the Pacific Northwest, and she is a prolific writer to follow. To buy this book on Amazon click here.