Buck Steichen is doing his best to endure the tribulations that accompany living in rural Minnesota during a time of drought, insect infestations, and other hardships. Buck eventually finds happiness with Ellie Eberling, and in July 1874, he marries her, purchases farmland, and builds a house. It seems Buck has realized the American dream-or so he thinks. Rough on Rats is an epic tale of a family's struggles in rural Minnesota as they do everything in their power to survive amid trying times. "The book captures your attention immediately and holds your interest throughout, wanting to find out what happens next to Buck. I think we can all relate to those who try so hard, only to be beaten down again and again." -Vicky Anderson, Otter Tail County Historical Society "I really enjoyed it. I actually found it easy and fast to read. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next." -Mary Pfeffer, East Otter Tail County Museum

It is April 1879 as a parade of horse-drawn buckboards and covered wagons rumble northward from Iowa toward Otter Tail County, Minnesota, on a quest for success and wealth. At the helm of the lead wagon is forty-three-year-old Harvey Reavis Stull, a Civil War vet desperate to start anew and make his wife, Josie, happy. But as Harvey is about to discover, sometimes things do not turn out the way one imagines. As the wagon train arrives in New York Mills, Harvey and Josie immediately attempt to make the best of things in a town with nothing more than a few dilapidated boarding houses, a rickety hotel, and a general store built around three sawmills. But when continued challenges test Harvey's character and strain his marriage, he decides to return to Iowa without any idea that his fate is about to change again. In this historical tale based on true events, an Iowa farmer embarks on a search for a new beginning in Minnesota where he must face the consequences for his decisions.

Buck Steichen is doing his best to endure the tribulations that accompany living in rural Minnesota during a time of drought, insect infestations, and other hardships. Buck eventually finds happiness with Ellie Eberling, and in July 1874, he marries her, purchases farmland, and builds a house. It seems Buck has realized the American dream-or so he thinks. Rough on Rats is an epic tale of a family's struggles in rural Minnesota as they do everything in their power to survive amid trying times. "The book captures your attention immediately and holds your interest throughout, wanting to find out what happens next to Buck. I think we can all relate to those who try so hard, only to be beaten down again and again." -Vicky Anderson, Otter Tail County Historical Society "I really enjoyed it. I actually found it easy and fast to read. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next." -Mary Pfeffer, East Otter Tail County Museum