Deborah Fallows

Look at those divergent reviews! What I really want to know is - can I believe that these ppl, almost 'limousine liberal' people, really know anything about the towns that they profile?

Fascinating and tedious, also encouraging and worrisome, all at the same time. Every town they visited is almost the same story of hope... but I'm not sure how many will be successes. A lot of the businesses the new downtowns are attracting aren't sustainable in any uncertain times, much less during this pandemic of course, as they're too niche, too focused on people with extra money. Most of these towns seem to believe in the motto that 'a rising tide lifts all boats' but just because there's a new high-end hotel downtown doesn't mean the housekeepers for it are going to be able to afford health insurance.

And the Fallows never asked the next question(s). For example, they mention 'mostly white' towns and 'mostly Latino' neighborhoods, but don't investigate the implications of that. "Poorer and less white" is a correlation they express time and again. If it's accurate, why is it true? Address the challenges that are holding whole groups of people back, and you'll go a long way towards 'fixing' your town without having to attract exotic outsiders.

Much less do they investigate how safe other minorities feel, for example atheists, Jews, Muslims, LGBTQ , Native, etc. They talked mostly to civic leaders, school principals, business owners, only occasionally to the actual laborers, staff, students. They don't go to many of the truly small towns.

And they equate Greenville SC and Burlington VT as if all that matters is that the Chamber of Commerce members are happy. That's not true. I am now living in a politically 'red' community and I gotta tell you, even though I'm white and pass for straight, it sucks and I am looking forward to my next move to a more diverse, liberal, interesting town... even though it's not likely to have a 'thriving downtown' with condos above kitschy coffee-houses and maker spaces.

San Bernadino's focus on scaffolding programs in the public schools looks likely to be very effective. The twist there, of course, is that the most successful students will go away to college or university, and not necessarily come back.

Dodge City: The Fallows admire the citizens for voting for an additional 1% sales tax increase. A booster brags that they may be 'red' but that they're 'progressive.' No. A sales tax hits the poor the hardest... it is by definition regressive... and it is relatively easy to pass, compared to a property or income tax increase, which would be more egalitarian.

And this was published before Trump got elected. Most of his supporters are not better off because of him, so I suspect that a lot of these towns are still struggling. The authors don't seem to have set themselves up to do much follow-up... and there's no back matter advising us that they have plans to do so and inviting us to visit them online. No photos, index, references, list of further reading.

Speaking of Duluth. As of June 2019, my visit there, the downtown is still torn up for reconstruction. The businesses there are difficult to access and not all doing well. Parking is in paid lots (uncommon in smaller towns in the Midwest). Libraries are not open on Saturday.

So, yeah, I now understand the divergent reviews. If you really want to hear some good news, and can buy the promotional talk from the boosters, you'll love the book. If you're more cynical, you're not likely to. I should've just skimmed it, and read the last chapter. Ultimately, it's really not worth it imo.… (more)

The authors recount their frequent small-plane flights to various small and mid-size cities across the Lower 48 (most of the places they visit can't really fairly be called towns). In each section they highlight the unique aspects of each place and how the area was coping with various pressures in the mid-2010s, finding common themes that tend to unite the success stories. They tend to downplay discord and systemic problems, and often their tales come off as a bit more optimistic and boostery than perhaps is warranted. (I am, to be fair, perhaps more jaded than the ideal reader for this book).

I'd be curious to read about some of the places they mention in passing that didn't seem to be doing as well, for example. But there is a lot of interesting content here, anyway, and the book gives a good sense of how some cities are finding imaginative ways to thrive.… (more)