Small Town America

Hardly anyone ever leaves Des Moines, Iowa. But Bill Bryson did, and after 10 years in England he decided to go home, to a foreign country. In an ageing Chevrolet Chevette, he drove nearly 14,000 miles through 38 states to compile this hilarious and perceptive state-of-the-nation report on small-town America.

Two Brits, George and Mark, set off from New York City to explore the back roads of America. In this calamity-ridden travel tale, George sets out in true clichéd fashion to discover the real America. Throw in plenty of run-ins with the police, rapidly dwindling finances, and Josephine - the worst car in the world - and you have all the ingredients for a classic American road trip. Will George and Mark make it all the way to California? And then there is Rachel, George's girlfriend, left back in England.

In the shadows of unbearable tragedy, an unlikely killing machine begins a one-man war to bring a city to its knees—a battle that will touch the lives of its eight million citizens including: a writer on the verge of a breakthrough a charismatic ex-police commissioner—and the inside...

During Prohibition, while Al Capone was rising to worldwide prominence as Public Enemy Number One, the townspeople of rural Templeton, Iowa - population just 418 - were busy with a bootlegging empire of their own. Led by Joe Irlbeck, the whip-smart and gregarious son of a Bavarian immigrant, the outfit of farmers, small merchants, and even the church Monsignor worked together to create a whiskey so excellent, it was ordered by name: Templeton Rye.

Small Town Dreamer is a rallying cry for those who live in small places and dream of more. Danna Larson, the heart and voice of Rural Revival, celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of rural dreamers, sharing stories of courage and creativity that redefine what’s possible.

What happens to the American small town when the wider world finally comes within reach? In this incisive essay from *Civilization in the United States*, journalist Louis Raymond Reid examines the provincial culture, restless ambition, and growing dissatisfaction that shaped rural American life...

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, as the AIDS epidemic devastated communities across America, a small group of activists in Shreveport, Louisiana refused to remain silent. Small Town Rage: Fighting Back in the Deep South tells the story of ordinary people who challenged government indifference, medical neglect, religious condemnation, and public fear during one of the most turbulent periods in modern American history. What began as a struggle for survival grew into a movement that brought national attention to a city few expected to become a center of AIDS activism.

When her carefully ordered life is shaken, the path forward requires finding the courage to trust again. Helen Stenerson has planted her roots in the community of Green Creek, Iowa, and poured her heart into teaching. She's determined to avoid romantic entanglement—her teaching contract...

A poignant memoir exploring small town baseball as a lens into what’s right and wrong with modern America—written by an acclaimed journalist and Army Ranger who, after returning from Iraq to a painfully divided country, rediscovered its core values in the bleachers of a minor league ballpark...

This “stunning call to action to save ourselves and all life on the planet” (Booklist), in the vein of This Changes Everything and Saving Us, effortlessly demonstrates how climate change is affecting America right now. Discussion of the climate crisis has always suffered from a problem of...

Experience the scenic beauty, small-town charm, and unforgettable culture of the Texas Hill Country. From the vineyards of Fredericksburg and the rivers of New Braunfels to the rolling wildflower fields surrounding Johnson City and the artistic spirit of Wimberley, the Texas Hill Country offers travelers some of the most beautiful and rewarding destinations in the American Southwest.

Part memoir, part oral history, #1 New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods gives us a rare and intimate look at Colonial Beach, Virginia. Rich in narrative history and local color, A Small Town Love Story: Colonial Beach, Virginia is an homage to the town of Sherryl Woods's summers, a...

Witness the fierce resilience and economic struggles defining modern small-town communities on this immersive journey. Whether commuting to a city office or longing for the grounded connection of your roots, this evocative narrative offers an empathetic escape. Move beyond divisive headlines and...

Behind every act of domestic terrorism there is someone's child whose life took a radical turn for reasons that often remain mysterious. Camilla Hall is a case in point: a pastor's daughter from small-town Minnesota who eventually joined the ranks of radicals in the notorious Symbionese Liberation Army before dying in a shootout with Los Angeles Police in May 1974. How could a "good girl" become one of the most wanted domestic terrorists in the United States? Rachael Hanel tells her story here, revealing both the deep humanity and the extraordinary circumstances of Camilla Hall's life.

Experience the profound tension of staying versus leaving in this intimate contemporary fiction of small-town life. Perfect for a reflective road trip commute or unwinding on a quiet evening, these braided short stories capture the warm, observant heartbeat of forgotten places. Step into an...

Allison: When I left for California, I gave myself a new name and never looked back. Now my carefully crafted good-girl image is getting torn to shreds in the press thanks to my Oscar-winning A-hole of an ex-boyfriend. So I escape to the only safe haven I know and trust - my hometown - to take a breather while I plot my triumphant Hollywood comeback. However, when I arrive at my parents’ house, Jackson Burke answers the door instead. And suddenly the past comes rushing back.... Jackson: First kiss. First time. First love. Allison Murphy and I shared a lot of firsts.