The story of Norvelt reinforces the ways race and class are intricately bound together in American policy. . . . Its a piece of history worth recovering.
Margaret Garb In These Times A fine and insightful study.
P. D. Travis Choice An elegantly written and historiographically engaged study of the subsistence homestead community of Norvelt, in Pennsylvanias hard-hit bituminous coal country.
Robert Shaffer Pennsylvania History A rich history of a little-known community, a valuable study to those interested in the New Deal, community planning, and Pennsylvania history.
Lou Martin Journal of American History The dichotomy separating praise for and criticism against the local village, and its ultimate worth, comes to life in Hope in Hard Times.
A. J. Panian Mount Pleasant Journal Hope in Hard Times powerfully demonstrates the importance of writing history from the ground up. Vivid details of everyday life in Norvelt are woven into a compelling narrative that illustrates how New Deal policies shaped and were reshaped by the homesteaders. Variables of race, ethnicity, class, and gendertoo often posited as if already formedemerge from this particular time and place and lead to a better understanding of where to go from here as we consider the role of government in alleviating poverty.
Jane A. Juffer, Cornell University Despite its recognition of sobering realities, Hope in Hard Times is, as its title suggests, an optimistic book. Though it provides sufficient statistics and research reviews to satisfy the scholar, general readers will enjoy the intimacy the authors create through their vivid descriptions of the interiors of homes and the testimony provided by current residents, many of whom are descendants of the original settlers.
Dennis McDaniel National Catholic Reporter
