The Four Winds Summary
Kristin Hannah

The Four Winds Overview

Kristin Hannah’s historical fiction novel The Four Winds tells the story of Elsa Martinelli, an everyday American woman fighting for survival during The Great Depression. The novel begins in 1921, in a small town in Texas, with Elsa Wolcott despondent over her bleak future. She meets Rafe Martinelli, and gets pregnant - changing her life forever. In 1934, the world changes dramatically as both a severe drought and The Great Depression ravage the Great Plains. Rafe abandons her, and with few options, Elsa has to make the difficult choice to travel west to California for a better life with her two children Loreda and Ant. Once there, she has to fight daily for their survival. The Four Winds explores the themes of Hopes and Dreams, What is America, and the Unappreciated Work of Women.