"Vidas Secas" is the final novel by Graciliano Ramos and the author’s only work with a third-person narrative focus. A thin narrative thread introduces the reader to the story of a family of northeastern migrants who flee from drought, experience a brief period of stability, and then set out again when the rains stop, signaling a new drought.

The novel’s defining characteristic is its economy—of style, language, life, and setting—which mirrors the harsh and limited circumstances of the characters.