The Worst Hard time is an ecological warning in retrospective. The current climate crisis is not the only disaster the United States has had to face: the Great Dust Bowl of the early 20th century provides an object lesson on how wideswept the effects of irresponsible practices and unresponsive government can be. The book is entirely historical. However, the parallels to the contemporary crisis are easy to see. A solid, enjoyable read on a deeply troubling time in American history.