Partridge, E. (2002). This
land was made for you and me: the life and songs of Woody Guthrie. New York: Viking.
Reading Level: 1020L
Interest Level: Grades 7 - 12
This emotional biography of Woody Guthrie echoes strains of “Out of the
Dust,” which probably just goes to show you how similar fortunes were in the
Depression-era Dustbowl. This work goes far more in depth into Guthrie's personal life, describing his sister and mother's tragic deaths and how his interactions with the desperate poor of the Depression era influenced his music. Carrying a guitar that declared "This machine kills fascists," Woody galvanized a generation to accept no less than the right to collectively negotiate for fair wages and a decent life.
Use with a unit on the Dust
Bowl, the Great Depression, or the history of unions in the United States.
