A Different World: Almena, Kansas 1930-1939

by Janice Brown Grimes

The Crash of 1929, the drought, and the dust storms of the 1930s together marked a challenging decade in Midwestern and American history. These challenges tested the people of Kansas, but they fought for survival with the vigor, determination and hard work that still characterizes the Midwestern sensibility. As sons, daughters and grandchildren of the homesteaders of the 1870s and 80s, they confronted the demands of day-to-day living with the same pioneering spirit as their forefathers. This novel celebrates the people of Almena, Kansas-- how they lived, what they valued, and how they suffered. Smell the dust of the Dust Bowl, walk along Main Street on Saturday night, and join the crowds in the high school gym when the basketball team plays Lenora. Experience an all-American small town when it was a different world, a world where simplicity, honesty and morality were a way of life.

328 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1998

Reviews

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting mix of fictional and non-fictional characters, but didn't answer many of my questions about surviving the depression and drought.