What is really remarkable about The Lean Years, is that it was published in 1980 and could be written today. After Reagan, two Bushes, in spite of the Clinton years, NOTHING has changed, is has only gotten worse. This is an extremely well written short book, suggests terrible things ahead for the world, and has a very good focus on labor, in addition to problems of oil, water, and food. Maybe it is because of the present unemployment that labor seems most important today. ( )