Join us for an in-person Book Club Discussion &/or Cooking Demo with Tasting* on Friday, January 12th, starting at 6:00 pm in our Reading Lounge!

* RE-SCHEDULED TO FRIDAY, JANUARY 26TH AT 6:00 PM

This adventure features The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah, BUT PRE-READING IS NOT REQUIRED FOR THIS EVENT…

Local Chicago Cullinary Expert (Jessica Hererra) will be demonstrating how to cook dishes inspired by the 1930's Dust Bowl / Great Depression (think warm stews, hearty bread & a delicious dessert) that compliment the featured story from 6-7 pm in our New Book Joy Reading Lounge (right before our book discussion from 7-8 pm). You'll get to taste these delicious dishes, take home the recipes, and ask any questions you might have for Jessica too! NOTE: A percentage of the proceeds for this event will directly support this talented chef.

Psst... You can join us for either or both events!

If you've already paid for a Book Tastings Experience or Subscription, the Book Chat is FREE - no need to buy a ticket - just show up for our discussion! You only need to sign up & pay for the additional event...

If you're not signed up for our Book Club and would like to join us for the discussion or paired activity, please sign up and pay for one or both events! You can pick up a physical copy or Book Box with curated reading pairings from the dropdown menu above, or an audiobook from the link below before the event OR join us for the workshop before you dive into the book - your choice!

 CLICK HERE FOR AN AUDIOBOOK COPY 

BOOK SYNOPSIS

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 woman's 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 Elsa's 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.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Grown-Ups

OUR BOOKS ARE LISTED BY AGE GROUP to indicate that the content is engaging and appropriate for those selected ages. PLEASE NOTE: They may not be the appropriate reading level for every individual at those ages or may extend beyond the brackets.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS:

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publish Date: Hardcover - February 02, 2021 / Paperback - March 14, 2023

Pages: Hardcover - 464 / Paperback - 480

Dimensions: Hardcover - 6.4 X 9.3 X 1.7 inches | 1.62 pounds / Paperback - 5.3 X 8.2 X 1.4 inches | 0.9 pounds

Language: English

Type: Hardcover or Paperback

Condition: NEW