A poignant account of how drought has impacted the region's culture. Arons intertwines ecological, social and political issues with the words of some of Brazil's most prominent authors and folk poets to show how themes surrounding drought, hunger, migration, endurance, and nostalgia for the land have become deeply embedded in Nordeste identity. Through this tapestry of sources, Arons shows that what is often thought of as a natural phenomenon is actually the result of centuries of social inequality, political corruption, and unsustainable land use.