This program includes a bonus interview with the author.#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER#1 USA TODAY BESTSELLER#1 WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER#1 INDIE BESTSELLERThe Four Winds seems eerily prescient in 2021 . . . Its message is galvanizing and hopeful: We are a nation of scrappy survivors. Weve been in dire straits before; we will be again. Hold your people close.”—The New York TimesA spectacular tour de force that shines a spotlight on the indispensable but often overlooked role of Greatest Generation women.—PeopleThrough one womans survival during the harsh and haunting Dust Bowl, master storyteller, Kristin Hannah, reminds us that the human heart and our Earth are as tough, yet as fragile, as a change in the wind. —Delia Owens, author of Where the Crawdads SingFrom the number-one bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone comes a powerful American epic about love and heroism and hope, set during the Great Depression, a time when the country was in crisis and at war with itself, when millions were out of work and even the land seemed to have turned against them.“My land tells its story if you listen. The story of our family.”Texas, 1921. A time of abundance. The Great War is over, the bounty of the land is plentiful, and America is on the brink of a new and optimistic era. But for Elsa Wolcott, deemed too old to marry in a time when marriage is a womans only option, the future seems bleak. Until the night she meets Rafe Martinelli and decides to change the direction of her life. With her reputation in ruin, there is only one respectable choice: marriage to a man she barely knows.By 1934, the world has changed; millions are out of work and drought has devastated the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as crops fail and water dries up and the earth cracks open. Dust storms roll relentlessly across the plains. Everything on the Martinelli farm is dying, including Elsas tenuous marriage; each day is a desperate battle against nature and a fight to keep her children alive.In this uncertain and perilous time, Elsa—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or leave it behind and go west, to California, in search of a better life for her family.The Four Winds is a rich, sweeping novel that stunningly brings to life the Great Depression and the people who lived through it—the harsh realities that divided us as a nation and the enduring battle between the haves and the have-nots. A testament to hope, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit to survive adversity, The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press
In the heart of the Great Plains, during the infamous Dust Bowl of the 1930s, Kristin Hannah's "The Four Winds" unfolds a poignant tale of resilience, loss, and the unbreakable bonds of family. Set against the backdrop of sweeping winds and rapidly vanishing farmlands, this historical novel paints a vivid picture of a time and place where the very elements conspire to challenge the human spirit.
Protagonist Elsa Martin, a strong-willed farm wife and mother, faces the devastation of losing her home and livelihood to the unrelenting drought. As the dust storms rage and crops wither, she finds herself battling not only nature's fury but also the social and economic forces that threaten to strip her family of everything they hold dear.
With her unwavering determination and fierce love for her family, Elsa embarks on a treacherous journey in search of a better life. Along the way, she encounters a diverse cast of characters, each with their own hopes, dreams, and struggles. Through their interactions, the novel explores themes of poverty, migration, and the unyielding strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
Kristin Hannah's "The Four Winds" is a captivating blend of historical fiction and family drama, capturing the essence of a pivotal era in American history. It's a story that delves into the lives of ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances, highlighting their resilience, their indomitable spirit, and the power of unity in the face of overwhelming challenges.
As readers journey alongside Elsa and her family, they witness the transformative impact of the Dust Bowl on the American landscape and its people. The novel serves as a powerful reminder of the struggles and sacrifices made by countless families during this devastating period, shedding light on the enduring legacy of the Great Depression and its profound impact on the nation.
