Hard Times: Economic Depressions in America - Paperbackby Richard Striner (Author) Hard Times presents a comprehensive account of economic depressions in America, from colonial times to the "great recession" that began in 2008. Written in crisp prose for a general audience, the book synthesizes a narrative account presenting the known facts about how particular depressions started, the effects upon people in different walks of life, the policy debates about what (if anything) to do in order to ameliorate