But when it was first published in 1972 the book proved to be more than one writer’s memories of depression-era southern Illinois.“People started writing me from all over the country,” Hastings notes. “And all said much the same: ‘You were writing about my family, as much as your own. That’s how I remember the 1930s, too.’”As he proves time and again in this book, Hast­ings is a natural storyteller who can touch upon the detail that makes the tale both poignant and univer­sal. He brings to life a period that marked every man, woman, and child who lived through it even as that national experience fades into the past.

    -- Full of essays dealing with Florida's history in Gene Burnett's easygoing style-- Careful research and eclectic choice of topics make history good reading that educates and entertains-- Each volume divides Florida's people and events into Achievers and Pioneers, Villains and Characters, Heroes and Heroines, War and Peace, and Calamities and Social Turbulence-- Many essays were originally published in Florida Trend -- a bit of Florida history in each issue for over 15 years -- a tribute to Burnett's appeal-- A course in Florida history and a good read too