“Little Heathens” Paints Vivid Portrait Of Depression-Era Farm Life

By Charity Nebbe,

Published December 16, 2020 at 5:34 PM CST

“Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression” provides a vivid look at Depression-era farm life from a child's perspective

“Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression” by Mildred Armstrong Kalish is a delightful and detailed account of early farm life; full of memories, recipes and family.

The book takes listeners back in time as Kalish recounts her early life growing up on an Iowa farm in the 1920s and 30s. Kalish, who was 85-years-old when the book was published, brings readers a deeply personal account of this era, rooted in her own vivid childhood memories and thorough research.

It’s the December meeting of the Talk of Iowa Book Club. Host Charity Nebbe is joined by Pamela Riney Kehrberg, distinguished professor of history at Iowa State University; Lindsey Smith of Living History Farms; and Trish Hicks of the State Library of Iowa for a discussion of this memoir.

Interested in joining the next meeting of the Talk of Iowa Book Club? Our 2021 reading list will be announced live on the program on Thursday, December 17^th. Tune in live at 10:40.

Guests:

Pamela Riney Kehrberg, distinguished professor of history at Iowa State University
Lindsey Smith, director of collections, exhibits and archives at Living History Farms
Trisha Hicks, library resources tech at State Library of Iowa and former library director in Burt, Iowa.