Rather than some cataclysmic event, this book deals with the gradual decline of our civilization. It starts with a band of college grads who can't find jobs and live in tents and follows them over several years. It got a bit depressing. What was interesting was that it showed how the main character tried adapting to his circumstances but couldn't completely become someone else. He tried to steal for food and ran into terrible consequences. The ending was surprisingly touching.
