The Time It Never Rained

I just finished reading The Time It Never Rained by Elmer Kelton. It's one of the best works of modern literature I've ever read.

The main character, Charlie Flagg, is a west Texas rancher determined to survive an oppressive drought. Others around him are reluctantly accepting government aid and all that goes with it, but Charlie refuses to give up his fight. Some regard his decision as stubborn and foolish, while others think him courageous and noble. It's a story about the strength of a man's principles, and his refusal to compromise them - even at great personal cost. It is similar in many ways to the biblical story of Job, and like that story it is absolutely devastating and, at the same time, remarkably edifying.

The book's themes will definitely resonate most with traditional Americans, but even the left-leaning reader will appreciate its power as a work of fiction. The characters are real; they are both deeply good and deeply flawed. It certainly is not a "feel-good" book, but I recommend it for anyone - especially those looking for a story that hasn't been tainted by the cliched progressive themes that bog down most modern works.