Children of the Land : Adversity and Success in Rural America

In Children of the Land, Glen H. Elder Jr. and Rand D. Conger ask whether traditional observations about farm families - strong intergenerational ties, productive roles for youth in work and social leadership, dedicated parents, and a network of positive engagement in church, school, and community life-apply to three hundred Iowa children who grew up with some tie to the land during the agricultural crisis of the 1980s, a time of widespread farm bankruptcies and factory closings.

The answer, they show, is a resounding yes. A moving testament to the distinctly positive lifestyle of rural Midwestern families with connections to the land, this uplifting book also suggests important routes to success for youth in other high risk settings.