Book excerpt: An in-depth look at the lessons from one of the worst times in America's financial history Are you worried about the economy? You're certainly not alone. According to most economists, the turmoil that Americans will face over the next four years will be the roughest financial times since the Great Depression-and many are looking backward to learn how to survive an ongoing and sustained economic downturn. Lessons from the Great Depression For Dummies takes a historic look at the events and circumstances leading up to the 1929 crash and subsequent depression, then the economic aftermath-particularly the economic response. This book paints a historic picture of those times and examines not only the critical failures that led to a decade of depression, but also the positive and negative aftershocks that created the modern American lifestyle. You'll see how the lessons we learned have shaped today's political and financial landscape-and how they'll continue to be part of the American experience for future generations. Provides information on what was learned from the Great Depression and how those lessons have shaped the economic foundation of modern society Looks at the various factors that combined to create the Great Depression Examines the social and cultural impact that the Depression had on the American people-and how our lives today are very much a product of those factors Steve Wiegand, n award-winning political journalist and history writer, is the also the author of U.S. History for Dummies, 2nd Edition For anyone looking to understand how the American people survived and emerged from a financial disaster with their heads held high and their spirit intact, Lessons from the Great Depression For Dummies is the ideal resource.