Big book, big story. How a family in America, Deep South if I remember correctly, with five/six kids, cope with the fall-out of the last American financial crash, so could be set in current time!
(Sorry i read it a long time ago and I can't remember how many kids in the family, Doh.) However, this story has stayed with me. I am looking for a copy so I can re-read it again. Should be made into a film, or at least a Tv series