Reading :: Small-Town America

Small-Town America: Finding Community, Shaping the Future
By Robert Wuthnow

Just a quick review. 

In this readable, public-facing book, Robert Wuthnow draws lessons about small-town America based on surveys and interviews he and his graduate students have collected across his career. Based on this work, he paints a picture of who lives in small towns, how they view them, how they develop bonds with each other, how they make sense of work, leadership, faith, and morality, and how they view their futures. 

Along the way, Wuthnow illustrates his points with vivid details and stories. The result is well illustrated and often gripping. But I confess that as I read this book and others like it, I became impatient -- I want my information to be more dense so I can move faster!

Still, the book does a great job of exploring these aspects of small towns and both comparing and contrasting different communities. I think it would be even better if these small towns were contrasted more effectively in terms of region, industry, or other differentiating factors. But it's a solid read and I recommend it if you're interested in how small towns work.